A Unique Order in the Church
This beautiful place is also known as the motherhouse of the Olivetans. These monks are a monastic order that follow the Rule of St. Benedict. They were founded here in 1313 by Bernardo Tolomei and are today members of the Benedictine Confederation.
The Olivetan monks are slightly distinguished from the Benedictines in a few key ways. For example, they shave their heads and wear a white habit, symbolic of purity. Also, their post-nominals are not OSB, but rather OSB Oliv (this name is in reference to the Mt. of Olives in Jerusalem and their devotion to the Passion of Our Lord).
After the Olivetan order was founded in 1313, construction of this monastery began in 1320. In 1344 the new congregation was approved by Pope Clement VI. For centuries the abbey was one of the main land owners in the region of Siena, making it quite wealthy.
The Monks Preserve Gregorian Chant
Visitors come here in search of peace and are enamored by the sound of Gregorian Chant in the main chapel. After a period of partial oblivion, Gregorian Chant has been making a slow comeback in many places, including here, where the monks recognize the chant as 'proprio della liturgia romana,' proper to the Roman liturgy.
Gregorian plainchant has a unique modality that has been admitted for centuries. It is expressly fitting for the sung liturgy, especially in monastic communities, opening the door for unequalled spiritual heights in the in the life of monks. Music is the quickest channel to the soul.
As pilgrims and curious visitors enter the chapel, they first hear the chant and find they have found what their soul has been yearning for - transcendence.
To quote Antoine de Saint-Exupery, a French writer, poet, and journalist: "There is only one problem, just one, in the world. To give people spiritual meaning. Spiritual concerns. To rain down on them something resembling Gregorian Chant."
Gregorian Chant continues to flourish here and fascinate believers and non-believers alike. Evoking the true Benedictine spirit, it soothes the soul and converts the heard of heart. This monastery's use of Latin is in sharp contrast to similar monastic communities that have sought to infantilize the sacred liturgy by purging it of any Latin.
Visitors flock here to hear the monks sing chant and they are not disappointed. The monks sing daily their Conventual Mass in Latin, along with some of the hours, including part of Lauds, Vespers, and Compline. All of this is done in the Novus Ordo. CDS are available for purchase int the gift shop.
A Tuscan Treasure of Art and Architecture
Visitors arrive at the monastery property after driving through the picturesque hills of Tuscany. While approaching, all pass through an alley of cypresses, a typical Tuscan scene. This includes a drive through the botanical gardens that have for centuries provided medicines and natural remedies for the monks. After the fish pond, visitors arrive at the monastery.
This lovely structure stands strong with its Gothic facade and Romanesque-Gothic bell tower reaching into the sky. Next, visitors cross a drawbridge, as the monastery is still accessed this way, leading to the monastery.
The building is a late medieval structure, begun in 1393. The red brickwork is from local stone. The buildings are surmounted by a large quadrangular tower, evidence of a fortified defense perimeter from a bygone era.
Over the entrance is a terracotta image of the Blessed Mother with the Christ Child and two angels, a rare gem attributed to the Della Robbia family who made these works of art.
As with other monasteries, there is more than one outdoor cloister. Designed with a typical rectangular plan, the largest is called the chiostro grande (the 'grand cloister.'). It has a two-story loggia and dates from the year1439.
Inside the cloister walk can be seen a cycle of outdoor frescos that depict the life of St. Benedict. These gems are works by Luca Signorelli and il Sodoma, considered masterworks of the Italian Renaissance. The images illustrate the account of St. Gregory of the life of St. Benedict, depicting many miraculous stories, dating from 1497-1505.
The chapel has a single nave interior that takes the form of a Latin cross, renovated in the late Baroque style in 1772. Nevertheless, it has an austere interior of white, in a more north-European style.
The wooden inlaid choir dates from 1503-1505. The chapel houses a canvas painting of the Assumption by Jacopo Ligozzi, of significant artistic merit. And behind the altar is a fourteenth century polychrome wooden crucifix, displayed in the Blessed Sacrament chapel.
The monks can also be seen in Rome where they have a monastery attached to the Basilica of San Francesca Romana. From their monastery, located in the Roman Forum, they have a stunning view of the Colosseum. From this historic location they pray and maintain the Benedictine tradition, with little fanfare, in the center of ancient Rome.
