Stična Abbey Explained

Stična Abbey
Coordinates:45.957°N 14.8058°W
Location:Stična, Ivančna Gorica Municipality, Slovenia
Architect:Francesco Ferrata (1694), Candido Zulliani (middle 18th century)
Governing Body:Cistercian Order
Designation1 Offname:Stična - Abbey of Stična
Founded By:Pellegrinus I., Patriarch of Aquileia

Stična Abbey (Slovenian: Cistercijanska opatija Stična, also Slovenian: Samostan Stična; German: Kloster Sittich, Latin: Sitticum) is the oldest monastery in Slovenia. It is the only Cistercian monastery in the country still operating (the other was Kostanjevica Abbey in Kostanjevica na Krki). Its mother house was Rein Abbey in Austria.

History

The abbey foundation charter was issued in 1136 by Pellegrinus I, Patriarch of Aquileia, although monastic life had begun a year earlier, in 1135. The monastery at Stična quickly became an important religious, cultural, and economic centre.

In addition to an ordinary school, the monastery also operated a music school, where the Renaissance composer Jacobus Gallus is believed to have received his earliest musical education. The successful life of the monastery was hampered by Ottoman raids, and was burned and looted twice. In 1784 Emperor Joseph II abolished the monastery, dissolved under the Josephine Reforms, but it was resettled again in 1898 by monks from Mehrerau Abbey on the shore of Lake Constance.

During the Second World War, the Partisans use the abbey as a prison for priests that they had captured.[1] [2] [3]

Stična manuscript

The monastery's scriptorium was already producing illuminated Latin manuscripts in the 12th century, and it was here that the Stična manuscript, written in Slovene, was produced in the 15th century.

Architecture

In terms of architecture, abbey has been repeatedly modified, leaving Romanesque and Gothic traces in Baroque buildings. The oldest core of the abbey has been preserved. The abbey has a basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, which serves as a parish church. The abbey and Romanesque basilica are recognized as cultural monuments of national significance.

List of abbots

The list of abbots[4]
NamePeriod
Vincencij1135/36–1150 in 1163–1167/68
Aldeprandbetween 1150–1163
Folknand1167/68–1180
Bernold1181–21.februar 1226
Konrad 1230–approx. 1250
Janez Gallapprox. 1250–approx. 1260
Ditrikapprox. 1260–1266/67
Konrad1266/67–approx. 1280
Henrikapprox. 1280–1302
Rudolf1303–approx. 1314/15
Friderik Limpachapprox. 1315–approx. 1321
Nikolaj Hmeljniškiapprox. 1321–approx. 1326
Eberhard Planinskiapprox. 1326–1332
Štefan1332–1333
Oton1333–1335/36
Janez1336–1341
Nikolaj1341–1348
Peter1348/49–1360 in 1365–1366
Arnold1360–1365 in 1366–1370
Jakob1370/71–1382
Andrej Čreteški1382–1387/88
Albert Lindeški1388–13.July 1405
Peter Limschak13. July 1405 – 1427/28
Lavrencij Forrer1427/28–1431/32
Emerik Perenny1432–approx. 1441
Matej Zaletel7.February 1441–10.September 1449
Gerhard1449/50–1450
Ulrikapprox. 1450–1481
Ožbalt1481/82–1487/88
Tomaž1487/88–13.December 1494
Martin13.December 1494 – 1499/1500
Janez1499/1500–approx. 1511
Tomaž1511/12–before 13.March 1516
Urban Gallbefore 13.March 1516–22.August 1523
Janez Glavič22.August 1523–4. September 1530
Klemen Gutsoldbefore 14.November 1530 – 1533/34
Janez Cerar1533/34–1549
Wolfgang Neffbefore 6.March 1549–18.March 1566
Janez Zeisel24.April 1566–21.September 1576
Jakob Klafferle31. januar 1577–7. marec 1580
Lavrencij Zupan21.April 1580–26.December 1600
Jakob Reinprecht14.April 1603–13.January 1626
Matej Majerle21.March 1626–4.June 1628
Janez Anžlovarafter 25.July in before 30.August 1628–13.March 1638
Janez Weinzirl26.April 1644–2.December 1660
Maksimilijan Mottoch2.January 1661–18.January 1680
baron Ludovik Raumbschüssel26.May 1680–5.December 1687
baron Anton Gallenfels14.February 1688–12.April 1719
baron Aleksander Engelshaus28.June 1719–9.March 1734
Viljem Kovačič25.July 1734–12.May 1764
baron Frančišek Ksaverij Taufferer27.September 1764–25.Oktober 1784

Institutions and festivities related to the abbey

They abbey at one point had a high school inside, at the present there is a Museum of Christianity and a parish of Stična. Every year there is a cultural youth festivity called Stična mladih.

Museum of Christianity in Slovenia

The Museum is state owned and serves as a central museum institution on the topic of sacral heritage.

Sitik d.o.o.

Abbey of Stična made a part of the economical tourism and herbalic pharmacy available to the laymen. A small teahouse with kindergarten toys and tourist shop is pretty. Pharmacy of late cistercian herbalist Simon Ašič has become an important reminder of the gardening that was a traditional occupancy of the monks. Sittik d.o.o. handles even some serious gardening and nourishes on 4000 m2 about 250.000 room plants every year.

Festival Stična mladih

Festival Stična mladih is a yearly event where about 8000 young people come to have fun. The entire program in mostly organized and led by young people from Slovenia. The event was inspired by the World Youth Day, theme of a festival is copied from the theme of the World Youth Day, even the program of the festival is inspired by the Popes message to the young.

Stiška gimnazija, Gymnasium of Stična

Josip Jurčič High School was founded in 1945 as an incomplete high school. In 1946 the teachings began in the abbey. The School became complete in 1950, but more than once existence of the school was questionable. In 1970 school got the name after the known local writer and journalist. In 1980 Municipality of Grosuplje decided to move away from the Abbey in to bigger quarters. In June 1984 the last generation of students who were taught in the abbey concluded their high school education.

Sources

External pages


45.9383°N 14.8059°W

Notes and References

  1. Book: Ferenc . Tone . Ževart . Milan . Dies irae: četniki, vaški stražarji in njihova usoda jeseni 1943 . 2002 . Modrjian . Ljubljana . 527.
  2. Book: Nadrah . Ignacij . Spomini in semeniška kronika 1941–1944 Ignacija Nadraha . 2010 . Arhivsko društvo Slovenije . Ljubljana . 978-961-6143-32-5 . 192.
  3. Book: Benedik . Metod . Zgodovina Cerkve na Slovenskem . 1991 . Inštitut za zgodovino Cerkve (Teološka fakulteta v Ljubljani) . Ljubljana . 230.
  4. Book: Mlinarič, Jože. Stiška opatija 1136–1784. Tiskarna Novo mesto, Dolenjska založba. 1995. 961-6000-32-2. Novo Mesto. 881–882.