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[infox] Visiting MONTSERRAT.... anytime from Sep24 to Sep25?

Posted by (Barcelona (Catalonia)) on

This year the Monastery of Montserrat celebrates its 1000th birthday!

Starting on Sep 8th 2024, Montserrat will celebrate its millennium for fifteen months, marking a thousand years since Oliba, abbot of Ripoll and Cuixà and bishop of Vic, dispatched a group of monks from Ripoll to establish a Benedictine monastery next to a small hermitage dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which, according to history, was already present on the mountain in the year 880.

There'll be a historical overview of the Monastery since the year 1025, cradle and custodian of an important spiritual and cultural heritage. The monastery quickly grew in fame due to the miracles attributed to the Virgin Mary, and its devotion spread first throughout Europe, and later reached America.

An important part of the exhibition is dedicated to the Iconography of the Virgin of Montserrat. It speaks of the image of Santa Maria, both the polychrome and gilded wood carving from the late 12th century, as well as its veneration in Catalonia and around the world, including the Virolai to the Virgin of Montserrat, an anthem for the Catalans.

The Escolania, the liturgical choir of boy sopranos in service to the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Montserrat, which has its origins in the 13th century, is also a centre for human and Christian formation for the boys who are part of it. The exhibition explains their activity as well as that of the new choir, the Schola Cantorum of the Escolania, created on September 11, 2023, and composed of boys and girls.

Since its foundation, the monastery has had a scriptorium and a library, spaces dedicated to copying and safeguarding books. The Library contains manuscripts and incunabula, as well as sections on philosophy, theology, biblical sciences, liturgy, patristics, music, art history, general history, and the history of Catalonia. Today, it consists of a collection of over 300,000 volumes. One of the few examples from the ancient Library that have survived to this day is the Red Book of Montserrat, from the 14th-15th centuries. It is a manuscript produced in the Montserrat scriptorium, containing miscellaneous texts regarding the care of pilgrims at the sanctuary, music, geography, and other cultural and social aspects. A facsimile of it can be seen at the exhibition. The exhibition also prominently features the Publications of the Abbey of Montserrat, whose origins date back to the 15th century when Abbot Garcías de Cisneros installed a printing press in the monastery. Currently, the publishing house offers a wide thematic range: spirituality, liturgy, Bible, theology, history, music, geography, and children's publications, with a catalogue of over 3,000 titles published.

The celebration will span fifteen months and will include religious, cultural, and social activities, including a gathering with over a hundred abbots and monks from around the world. It's highly probable that the Monastery and its surroundings will be busier than usual during this time. Please consider this when planning your visits.

More info about Montserrat: https://abadiamontserrat.cat/en/

Enjoy!

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Montserrat Abbey Launches Millennium Celebration with Extensive Schedule

Montserrat Abbey officially launched its millennium celebration on Saturday evening, marking the beginning of a year-long commemoration of this iconic Benedictine monastery. The event, held at the Basilica of Santa Maria, gathered religious, political, and civic leaders representing the most prominent figures of Catalan society to kick off a series of activities celebrating the abbey’s 1,000-year history, which has made it a symbol of spirituality in Catalonia.

In the ceremony, officials highlighted the abbey's deep connection to Catalonia's history, emphasizing that Montserrat has stood for a millennium, adapting and serving this small nation when needed, while welcoming all with an open heart. The evening began with a procession of religious leaders, including the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya -Catalonia's government- and the Catalan Parliament's President. Music was provided by the Vallès Symphony Orchestra, followed by the Montserrat mixed choir, which set the tone for the celebration. Bernat Juliol, the commissioner for the Millennium, delivered the first speech, underlining the abbey's historical significance for Montserrat and everyone. He emphasized that the celebration was not merely an end to a thousand years, but the beginning of the next millennium. Father Abbot Manel Gasch concluded the event, accompanied by holograms representing the abbey’s founder, Abbot Oliba, and his successor, Abbot Boada. Together, they reviewed Montserrat’s history, stressing the importance of the abbey's continuity through challenging times, with devotion to Saint Mary as a guiding force. The ceremony ended with a dramatic video projection inside the abbey and a spectacular drone show outside.

This launch marks the start of an extensive program of events planned to celebrate Montserrat’s millennium, lasting until December 2025. The monastery has organized over a thousand activities, including religious, cultural, and community-focused events, all aimed at bringing Montserrat's rich history and traditions closer to the public. The celebrations will officially conclude on December 8, 2025, with a special ceremony and the traditional "Te Deum."

For visitors

This celebration will likely result in reduced availability of access to Montserrat, especially during specific events and activities throughout the remainder of 2024 and all of 2025. The schedule of activities is as follows, so please keep it in mind when planning your visits to Montserrat: Program of activities, and to stay updated on daily events use the Abbey's: Daily activities agenda.

It’s important to note that the activities will cover a variety of social aspects, not just religious ones. There will also be cultural, musical, social, sporting, and educational events. Personal reflection: with such a diverse agenda, I understand that coordinating this project must be very complex, so I assume that many details will be made public closer to the dates of the respective events.

"Ora Lege Labora Rege Te Ipsum In Communitate" -the slogan of the event, in Latin, of course.

Whether one is religious or not, this will be an interesting year in Montserrat, you don't celebrate 1,000 years every day!

Enjoy!

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My trip is right around the corner and I am hoping to be able to include a visit to Montserrat.

Thanks for this post.

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