Stična Abbey (, also ; , Latin: Sitticum) is the oldest monastery in Slovenia. It is the only Cistercian monastery in the country still operating (the other was Kostanjevica Abbey in Kostanjevica na Krki). Its mother house was Rein Abbey in Austria.

History The abbey foundation charter was issued in 1136 by Pellegrinus I, Patriarch of Aquileia, although monastic life had begun a year earlier, in 1135. The monastery at Stična quickly became an important religious, cultural, and economic centre.

In addition to an ordinary school, the monastery also operated a music school, where the Renaissance composer Jacobus Gallus is believed to have received his earliest musical education. The successful life of the monastery was hampered by Ottoman raids, and was burned and looted twice. In 1784 Emperor Joseph II abolished the monastery, dissolved under the Josephine Reforms, but it was resettled again in 1898 by monks from Mehrerau Abbey on the shore of Lake Constance.

During the Second World War, the Partisans use the abbey as a prison for priests that they had captured.

Stična manuscript The monastery's scriptorium was already producing illuminated Latin manuscripts in the 12th century, and it was here that the Stična manuscript, written in Slovene, was produced in the 15th century.

Architecture In terms of architecture, abbey has been repeatedly modified, leaving Romanesque and Gothic traces in Baroque buildings. The oldest core of the abbey has been preserved. The abbey has a basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, which serves as a parish church. The abbey and Romanesque basilica are recognized as cultural monuments of national significance.

List of abbots

The list of abbots Name PeriodVincencij1135/36–1150 in 1163–1167/68Aldeprandbetween 1150–1163Folknand1167/68–1180Bernold1181–21. februar 1226Konrad 1230–approx. 1250Janez Gallapprox. 1250–approx. 1260Ditrikapprox. 1260–1266/67Konrad1266/67–approx. 1280Henrikapprox. 1280–1302Rudolf1303–approx. 1314/15Friderik Limpachapprox. 1315–approx. 1321Nikolaj Hmeljniškiapprox. 1321–approx. 1326Eberhard Planinskiapprox. 1326–1332Štefan1332–1333Oton1333–1335/36Janez1336–1341Nikolaj1341–1348Peter1348/49–1360 in 1365–1366Arnold1360–1365 in 1366–1370Jakob1370/71–1382Andrej Čreteški1382–1387/88Albert Lindeški1388–13.July 1405Peter Limschak13. July 1405 – 1427/28Lavrencij Forrer1427/28–1431/32Emerik Perenny1432–approx. 1441Matej Zaletel7.February 1441–10.September 1449Gerhard1449/50–1450Ulrikapprox. 1450–1481Ožbalt1481/82–1487/88Tomaž1487/88–13.December 1494Martin13.December 1494 – 1499/1500Janez1499/1500–approx. 1511Tomaž1511/12–before 13.March 1516Urban Gallbefore 13.March 1516–22.August 1523Janez Glavič22.August 1523–4. September 1530Klemen Gutsoldbefore 14.November 1530 – 1533/34Janez Cerar1533/34–1549Wolfgang Neffbefore 6.March 1549–18.March 1566Janez Zeisel24.April 1566–21.September 1576Jakob Klafferle31. januar 1577–7. March 1580Lavrencij Zupan21.April 1580–26.December 1600Jakob Reinprecht14.April 1603–13.January 1626Matej Majerle21.March 1626–4.June 1628Janez Anžlovarafter 25.July in before 30.August 1628–13.March 1638Janez Weinzirl26.April 1644–2.December 1660Maksimilijan Mottoch2.January 1661–18.January 1680 baron Ludovik Raumbschüssel26.May 1680–5.December 1687baron Anton Gallenfels14.February 1688–12.April 1719baron Aleksander Engelshaus28.June 1719–9.March 1734Viljem Kovačič25.July 1734–12.May 1764baron Frančišek Ksaverij Taufferer27.September 1764–25.Oktober 1784

Gallery

Institutions and festivities related to the abbey They abbey at one point had a high school inside, at the present there is a Museum of Christianity and a parish of Stična. Every year there is a cultural youth festivity called Stična mladih.

Museum of Christianity in Slovenia

The Museum is state owned and serves as a central museum institution on the topic of sacral heritage.

Sitik d.o.o. Abbey of Stična made a part of the economical tourism and herbalic pharmacy available to the laymen. There is a small teahouse with kindergarten toys and tourist shop. The pharmacy of late cistercian herbalist Simon Ašič is evidence of the gardening that was a traditional occupancy of the monks. Sittik d.o.o. gardens to this day on 4000 m2 of land, growing about 250.000 room plants every year.

Festival Stična mladih Festival Stična mladih is a yearly event where about 8000 young people come to have fun. The entire program in mostly organized and led by young people from Slovenia. The event was inspired by the World Youth Day, theme of a festival is copied from the theme of the World Youth Day, even the program of the festival is inspired by the Popes message to the young.

Stiška gimnazija, Gymnasium of Stična Josip Jurčič High School was founded in 1945 as an incomplete high school. In 1946 the teachings began in the abbey. The School became complete in 1950, but more than once existence of the school was questionable. In 1970 school got the name after the known local writer and journalist. In 1980 Municipality of Grosuplje decided to move away from the Abbey in to bigger quarters. In June 1984 the last generation of students who were taught in the abbey concluded their high school education.

References

Sources

Jože Mlinarič, Stiška opatija 1136-1784, Novo mesto 1995, Dolenjska založba Ivan Stopar, Hrami tišine, Ljubljana 2009, Viharnik Vanja Požegar, Cistercijani in nastanek cisterc na Slovenskem, Maribor 2009, bachelor's thesis http://cistercijani.sticna.si/ http://sticna.rkc.si/sl/ http://sitik.si/ Bahor, Stanislav: "Skriti knjižni zakladi" Ljubljana, NUK, 2009 Trnovšek, Tadej: "Zaklad pisarja Bernarda" Stična, Muzej krščanstva na Slovenskem, 2011 Golob, Nataša: "Srednjeveški kodeksi iz Stične: XII. stoletje", Ljubljana, Slovenska knjiga, 1994

External pages

Stična Abbey Consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Stična Youth Festival Stična Manuscript. National and University Library of Slovenia.