900 years of monastic tradition
Over nine centuries of monastic tradition – and just as many years of history in the Engelberg valley. The monastery has shaped Engelberg like no other institution in all these years. It has been the driving force behind many projects, especially tourism projects. Harmonious cooperation between various interest groups has alweys been important to us.
History
Anyone who lives in the mountains knows that you can only survive as a community. This is another reason why the monks' current activities largely grew out of the needs of the village. Pastoral care in the parish, educational work at the monastery school, craft and service businesses, the "monastery carpentry workshop", which mainly works externally, as well as cultural and landscape conservation are areas in which the monks and the increasing number of secular employees of the monastery are involved. The far-sighted thinking and actions of the monks since the foundation of the monastery have laid the foundations for the preservation of all these traditions.
People and stories
The monks of Engelberg Monastery are no strangers to going out into the world again and again. In keeping with Benedictine tradition, it is important to them to shape it. St. Benedict already exemplified this interplay of immersion in spirituality and turning towards the world. This personal and communal search forms the basis of the Benedictines' way of life.
Daughter monasteries
Under Abbot Anselm Villiger, the two daughter monasteries Conception (1873) in the US state of Missouri and Mount Angel (1882) in the US state of Oregon were founded at the end of the 19th century. From these two now independent monasteries, nine further monasteries were founded in America, Mexico and Canada. In 1932, Engelberg Monastery was commissioned by the Archbishop of Cameroon to train the local clergy in Yaoundé and later in Otélé. In 1964, the missionary work developed into the Mont Febe Priory in Yaoundé, which is still dependent on Engelberg today.
