Cistercian Order

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The head of the order later became Bernard of Clairvaux, who founded the order's first daughter monastery. He was considered one of the greatest theologians of his time.

The entire monastic system is based on the Rule of Saint Benedict of Nursia. The Cistercian monasteries were organised around the five main monasteries: Citeaux, La Ferte, Pontigny, Clairvaux, and Morimond. All monasteries within the order had one of these five as their mother monastery.

The Cistercian monasteries were to be self-sufficient through forestry and agriculture. Therefore, a system was developed for the sale of livestock and other products. This activity could not be managed solely by the monks, as their time was largely taken up by prayer and religious duties. Lay brothers therefore became part of the order. The lay brothers were recruited from the peasant population and lived separately yet side by side with the monks within the monastery. They also had their own rules for prayer and work.

When the papal authority approved the Cistercians as a monastic order, the organisation grew rapidly and many new monasteries were established. During the first 15 years, more than 50 new monasteries were established. When Bernard of Clairvaux then developed his plans for how the monasteries should be built and organised, development trully took off. When Bernard died in 1153, there were 351 Cistercian monasteries, half of which were outside France. Varnhem Abbey was one of 19 abbeys placed directly under Clairvaux.

By the end of the 12th century, the number of Cistercian monasteries had grown to 500. When the order was at its peak, there were 700 Cistercian monasteries around Europe.

The Cistercian Order comes to Sweden

The order came to Sweden in 1141. Alvastra and Nydala became its first monasteries in our latitudes. Construction of Varnhem Abbey began in 1151. Gudhem Abbey was founded in the 1160s.

On the continent, new monasteries would primarily be founded in uninhabited areas, so that new regions were cultivated. There, it was also the case that most of the arable land in Western Europe was occupied. In Sweden, this kind of development seems to have been the exception. Most of the monasteries here were founded with the help of royal gifts. Most monasteries were established in populated areas or near major communication routes.

The Cistercian Order today

The Reformation in Northern Europe and the French Revolution changed the conditions for the order. At the end of the 19th century, however, there was some regrowth. Today, there are approximately 100 monasteries with 4,700 monks and lay brothers, as well as around 100 convents with a total of about 3,000 nuns and lay sisters.