St. Mary's Abbey, Fulda
Encyclopedia
St. Mary's Abbey is a Benedictine nunnery in Fulda
, Hesse
, Germany
.
It was founded in 1626. Its first decades were very troubled as a result of the Thirty Years' War
: the sisters often had to flee from enemy troops and the abbey was looted several times.
The nunnery was able to evade destruction during the secularisation of 1802 by turning itself into a girls' school. During the Kulturkampf
, the sisters went into exile in France from 1875 to 1887. In 1898, the nunnery was elevated to the status of abbey. In 1942, although most religious houses in Germany were commandeered by the National Socialists
, the nuns were able to avoid eviction by offering the use of most of the premises to the Wehrmacht
.
After becoming closer in their way of life over a period of many years to the Beuronese Congregation
within the Benedictine Confederation
, the abbey finally became a member in 1982.
The nuns engage in various handicrafts, run the abbey shop and have built a compost activator.
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
, Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
It was founded in 1626. Its first decades were very troubled as a result of the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
: the sisters often had to flee from enemy troops and the abbey was looted several times.
The nunnery was able to evade destruction during the secularisation of 1802 by turning itself into a girls' school. During the Kulturkampf
Kulturkampf
The German term refers to German policies in relation to secularity and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, enacted from 1871 to 1878 by the Prime Minister of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck. The Kulturkampf did not extend to the other German states such as Bavaria...
, the sisters went into exile in France from 1875 to 1887. In 1898, the nunnery was elevated to the status of abbey. In 1942, although most religious houses in Germany were commandeered by the National Socialists
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, the nuns were able to avoid eviction by offering the use of most of the premises to the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
.
After becoming closer in their way of life over a period of many years to the Beuronese Congregation
Beuronese Congregation
The Beuronese Congregation, or Beuron Congregation, is a union of mostly German or German-speaking religious houses of both monks and nuns within the Benedictine Confederation...
within the Benedictine Confederation
Benedictine Confederation
The Benedictine Confederation of the Order of Saint Benedict is the international governing body of the Order of Saint Benedict.-Origin:...
, the abbey finally became a member in 1982.
The nuns engage in various handicrafts, run the abbey shop and have built a compost activator.