Norbertines in the Holy Land

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The majority of today’s blog entry includes excerpts from a paper written by a 2015 graduate of St. Norbert College. In her paper, she writes about the presence of the Norbertines (Premonstratensians) in the Holy Land. Today, I had the opportunity to visit the ruins of one of our three locations in the Holy Land; the ruins of St. Samuel Church built over the tomb of the Prophet Samuel are located a few miles northwest of Jerusalem. Overcome by the beauty of this location upon their arrival in 1099, the first crusaders named this spot Mountain of Joy. Corrina explains,

In 1099 the crusaders got their first glimpse of Jerusalem from the mountain on which Nabi Samwil is built; this they named Mont de Joie ("Mountain of Joy").

The Order of Prémontré had influence in the Holy Land from 1131 until their last monastery at Acre was attacked and the religious slaughtered in 1291. The presence they maintained there resulted in the establishment of three monasteries.King Baldiwn II of Jerusalem is attributed with founding the Premonstratensian abbey at the site of St. Samuel. However, Baldwin’s original intention was to establish a Cistercian house at the site. It is possible that St. Bernard was aware that orders under the “Rule of St. Augustine” had the propensity to carry out apostolic work and a life of simplicity with confidence. He commended the Order of Prémontré to Queen Melisende: “You will find them honorable men, firm-hearted, willing to face suffering, powerful in word and deed. They are clothed with the armor of God…Welcome them as peaceful warriors, gentle to men and fearsome to demons.” Evidently Premonstratensians brought with them a strong image. After all, itinerate preachers in Palestine were in grave danger. Consequently, Bernard’s imagery captures the courageous preacher fighting a spiritual crusade on God’s behalf.



Jerome Murphy O’Connor explains, “The church built by the Premonstratensians in 1157 was abandoned when the canons retreated to Akko after the defeat of the Crusaders at the Horns of Hattin in 1187.” Currently a mosque and synagogue stand over the foundations of the Premonstratensian Church and the Tomb of Samuel below.



Francis Petit. Spirituality of the Premonstratensians: The Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries. (Trappist, KY: Cistercian Publications, 2011.) 91.

Jerome Murphy-O’Connor. The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.) 419.

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Photos

From atop the Mount of Joy
Looking toward the Old City

Ruins of the Hellenistic city in the foreground
Current Mosque built over the ruins of 12th Century Norbertine Church of St. Samuel.

Hellenistic ruins (mid-2nd Century BC)
Shops and/or small dwellings