The Kartause Marienthron

On our second full day of living in the Kartause, after my first class (which was amazing), I went exploring through the Kartause with a friend.  We also will have a tour of the Kartause sometime in the near future, which will allow us to see some of the places that are normally "off-limits" to civilians, er...students. ;)

Our home away from home for the next four months was once a Carthusian monastery.  The Carthusians are one of the most intense orders of monks.  Only one of their number, their founder St. Bruno, is a canonized saint.  This is not because the others are not holy enough by any means; but because it is an understanding in the statutes of these monks that, by living the life of a Carthusian monk, by the time you die, you will be a canonized saint.  I thought that was amazing!  In fact, at one point when people were excavating for a new building in Gaming, they found several coffins of Carthusian monks, and the bodies were incorrupt (did not decay; a special privilege God bestows on the bodies of those who use their whole bodies, or in some cases a specific part of their bodies (tongue, arm, hand, etc.) to its full and ultimate purpose: to give glory to God and do His work).  When the prior was contacted, he told the men to bury the bodies again because it was part of a Carthusian's desire for humility not to have his fellow brothers pursue his canonization.
Under Emperor Joseph II, the Carthusians were expelled from the monastery because the emperor did not see the benefit of their living there.  The monastery, due to neglect and occupation by hostile forces at various times in its history, fell into disrepair.  It was purchased by an architect in 1981 (from the Benedictines at Melk, actually!), and restored and renovated so that it now is partially a hotel and houses students for a good part of the year.

So this is home for the next few months, and I'm looking forward to it very much!  Next post will be about the city we're in, Gaming, which is so beautiful!