The Cistercian monastery or Stična Abbey is the oldest monastery on Slovenian territory. It was founded at the beginning of the 12th century, in 1132, by a group of French Cistercian monks and builders. The monastery soon became the religious, church, cultural and economic center of Carniola. In their famous medieval manuscripts from the second half of the 12th century, the White Monks of Stis also wrote down Slovenian prayers for the first time. In the first half of the 15th century, the Stiška manuscript, one of the most important written monuments of the Slovenian language, was created here.
Over the centuries, the monastery changed its architecture. To this day, the oldest core of the monastery, formed by the cloister and the regular church, has been preserved.
Cistercians are members of the reformed Benedictine life. The reform was initiated and carried out in France by St. Robert, St. Alberic and St. Stefan Harding, who are considered the founders of the order. The name comes from the first and mother abbey in Citeaux (read: sieve, Latin: Cistercium) in Burgundy, France.
The Cistercians are an order that is open to the world. They developed a number of side activities ‒ Home of Spiritual Exercises, the Slovenian Religious Museum, the company Sitik. They work in the Cistercian spirit of Ora et labora - pray and work!
Source: https://prijetnodomace.si/top-dozivetja/cistercijanski-samostan-sticna/
