Abbazia
Santa Maria Assunta
di Praglia
TEOLO (PADOVA)
Italy
Foundation
Early 12th century
Abbot
f. Stefano Visintin
f. Manel Gasch i Hurios
Community of the Abbazia of Praglia
(2024)
The Monastery
Praglia is located in the green foothills of the Euganean Hills, southwest of Padua (Pratalia, meaning ‘meadows’). Only the 14th-century bell tower and a few traces remain of the medieval building, which was constructed from lava rock. The current complex dates back to the second half of the 15th/late 16th century and is laid out on an east/west axis over two floors. The ground floor contains work rooms, storage areas and passageways, while the first floor is used for living quarters, community life and hospitality. The medieval cloister, which was rebuilt on a larger scale, gives access to the ‘regular places’. The 16th-century basilica has a majestic staircase leading outwards. To the east is the double cloister with cells for the monks, built in 1460, and to the west is the botanical cloister, which houses the former apartment of the abbot on the upper floor. From the botanical cloister, a passageway leads to the rustic cloister, which contains the guest quarters and infirmary, and to the south the rustic building itself (now a conference centre). Olive trees and vines have been cultivated on the hill to the west of the monastery and all around it for centuries. Currently, 36 monks live at the monastery, with five residing in three dependent monasteries located in Venice, Monte della Madonna, and Bangladesh.
The History
The first mention of Praglia dates back to 1107, and the existence of a community and abbot is confirmed from 1117 onwards. In agreement with Sinibaldo, the reformist bishop of Padua, Count Uberto Maltraverso founded the monastery on his lands. It received the Cluniac observance from the monastery of Polirone, and until 1304 it was led by an abbot from Polirone. Praglia’s dependent house in Padua (known as Sant’Urbano) was closely linked to the university. Its membership of the Congregation of Santa Giustina, made possible by Abbot Cipriano Rinaldini in 1448, led to its splendour in the 16th century. Of medium importance and in a secluded position, the monastery was closed and plundered during the Napoleonic era. It was reopened in 1834 by the Austrian Emperor Francis I and assigned to the province of Subiaco in 1857. This automatically passed to the new Congregation in 1867, when Italian suppression forced the monks into exile in Dalmatia (which was later suppressed by Yugoslav communists in 1947). The community regained Praglia in 1904, and unprecedented development enabled the reopening of Santa Giustina and San Giorgio Maggiore. The monastery looks after the sanctuary of Monte della Madonna and is connected to the Bengali foundation of Sadhu Benedict Math.
The Activities
Agricultural activity has always been present at Praglia. Today, a modern farm produces wine, vinegar, oil, and honey. The wines produced follow the tradition of the Euganian Hills and include sparkling wines made in the centuries old ‘metodo classico’ of the Benedictine tradition. The Book Restoration Laboratory continues the ancient tradition of book restoration, working with both public and private entities to restore works on paper and parchment. The primary focus of the Scritti Monastici publishing house is the promotion of monastic culture. The library is a public library open to everyone. The Abbey’s pharmaceutical tradition continues today with the herbalist’s and the Apis Euganea cosmetics laboratories. The guesthouse is a place of welcome for all, offering men and women the opportunity to experience life in community with the monks and to enjoy the space for personal reflection and retreat. The Conference Center is responsible for the organisation and hosting of cultural events, with close collaboration with the local community. The presence of an astronomical observatory facilitates interactions with the scientific community and the educational sector. The Abbey of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice plays host to exhibitions by contemporary artists and architects, with the aim of fostering relationships with the art world.