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A Little New Years Wish

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A Little New Years Wish - 1 - Leiden, The Netherlands, 31 dec 2006 Arno H.P. Reuser A little new years wish Just imagine, being a monk. Imagine being a monk somewhere in France. Being a monk for the Cistercian Order, thus living a life of modesty, isolation, hard labour, praying, obedience and poverty. Then being ordered to travel to 'England' and establish a new abbey? But first a little background. The Cistercian Order was founded near the end of the 11th century near Citeaux in France by Abbot Robert of Molesme, after becoming dissatisfied with the life in an earlier monastry he himself created at Molesme. He was succeeded by Stephen Harding, an Englishman, who was soon joined by Bernhard of Clairvaux. Under the leadership of these two gifted men the Cistercian Order quickly grew. Already in 1113 the first of the four famous daughter houses was established: La Ferté. The Cistercian Order became very successful in Western Europe and probably was the Order which had the greatest attractions to people, especially for its lifestyle. Although the Cistercians sometimes are considered to be a kind of subset of the Benedict Order, their organisation of life is quite unique. For example, they where not the first to make heavy use of Conversi (lay brothers) to do the heavy work, but certainly the first to incorporate them fully into monastic life, thus opening up the Abbey for the outside world, despite their tendency for isolation. But lets get back to the little story. Bernhard of Clairvaux, wanting to let the Order grow calls upon one of his monks William and orders the man to travel to England and establish a new abbey. Thus happened. In 1132 a group of monks arrive in Yorkshire and near Rievaulx they found what was to become the most important Cistercian Abbey in England. Rievaulx was not the first Cistercian Abbey in England, that was Waverly, founded in 1128 in Surrey, but Arno H.P. Reuser : ªa little new years wishº - 2 - unfortunately, not much of that site remains today. Actually, there is almost nothing there anymore, so lets turn our attention back to Rievaulx. Now, this William was a very gifted man with amazing organisational talents. He soon managed to not only establish Rievaulx but also a quick and extensive spread of new Cistercian abbeys around England. The Order was tremendously successful and very popular amongst the better classes who loved to send their sons to become a monk. Hundreds of other people applied as lay brothers for the hard work. No wonder he was after his death sainted. Lots remains to be seen at the site. I have been there oncea a couple of years ago and with the aid of a litle guide book it is not difficult to imagine how the place might have looked back in the 12th century with all the people working, praying, reading. Funny too to see how the Rule of Benedict become a little more relaxed in time. Originally, the buildings are of simple design according to the Cistercian way of life, but as the guide explains, it is quit difficult to maintian those rules for so many years when all work and no expensive lifestyle accumulates a lot of wealth. So, in time, fireplaces are erected where they should not be, and the remains of the foundations show eleborate design that should not have been there. What is difficult however, is to imagine how it is done. Imagine the year 1132: there is no AA, no roadsigns, no Google Earth, no public transport or airline, no cell phones, no ferries, no maps. How the hell does one find its way from France to middle England? I mean, I no people who manage not finding their car back in a parling lot. A car that they parked themselves. Then, having arrived at the site, finding a couple of hundred people who apparently have not got anything better to do (like inventing health, peace, education and common things like that), and pursuading them to help built something to worship somebody who is not Arno H.P. Reuser : ªa little new years wishº - 3 - there. Where do you find masons, carpenters, builders, workmen, in the beginning ot the 12 century? These people need a salary, a place to sleep, food to eat. Then pursuading yet other people to donate large sums of money to the newly established thingy. Visiting the site gives a certain admiration. Admiration for what people can accomplish in difficult circumstances. The site gives another enthusiam. An enthusiam to get to work and do something because you want it done, regardless the problems, setbacks, challenges, etc. An enthusiam to achieve something that looks almost impossible. It is with visiting this site and reading a little about its history, that one starts to feel that if one really, really wants, one can accomplish almost anything in life. And that is my wish for you all in the new year, that, and to have a very happy new year, not only for the coming year, but for many many years to come. Arno H.P. Reuser Leiden, 31 dec 2006. Pictures: 1. Stephen Harding offering his church to the Virgin. 2. Extract from the Moralia in Job. 3. Wireframe of the Rievaulx site 4. Church of Rievaulx Abbey Arno H.P. Reuser : ªa little new years wishº.
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