La Maigrauge Abbey

La Maigrauge Abbey, also known by its German name Magerau Abbey, is a significant monastery for Cistercian nuns situated in Fribourg, Switzerland. Its founding in 1255 marks it as the first and for a long period, the only monastery for nuns in the canton of Fribourg. The abbey's location on the Sarine River places it at the cultural crossroads of French-speaking and German-speaking Switzerland, fostering a bilingual community.

History and Development

The origins of La Maigrauge Abbey trace back to a small group of women in the mid-1250s who sought to live a life of prayer under the Rule of St. Benedict. Their initial permission to form a religious community was granted by the pastor of Taval on July 3, 1255, a date they observe as their foundation. Four years later, the land they occupied, then known as Auge maigre, was gifted to them by Count Hartmann V of Kyburg. In 1261, the community was formally admitted into the Cistercian Order, establishing it as a dependency of the men's Abbey of Hauterive, a spiritual link that persists to the present day.

The abbey experienced periods of growth, partly due to the education of young girls and gifts from novices. However, the 15th century saw a decline, exacerbated by the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Despite diminished numbers, the community resisted proposed closures. A resurgence began in 1602 with a renewed commitment to strict observance of the Benedictine Rule, leading to a period of flourishing under two notable abbesses, Anne Techtermann and Anne Elisabeth Gottrau. This era saw renovations and a significant spiritual commitment to perpetual abstinence.

A devastating fire in 1660 destroyed much of the wooden abbey, with only the stone church, infirmary, and abbess's quarters surviving. The nuns undertook the extensive task of rebuilding most of the complex. The 18th century brought another slow breakdown in discipline and financial pressures, leading to suggestions of a merger with another Cistercian monastery. The abbey endured the occupation by the French Revolutionary Army and the subsequent Swiss civil war of 1847, which led to the suppression of its dependent abbey, Hauterive, in 1848 and imposed restrictions on accepting new candidates.

Contemporary Life

Following the relaxation of anti-Catholic measures, the community at La Maigrauge Abbey was able to resume accepting candidates. The Abbey of Hauterive was re-occupied by Cistercian nuns in 1939. Today, the community consists of approximately a dozen nuns led by Abbess Marianne Zürcher. To support themselves, the nuns operate a bakery for communion wafers, a guesthouse, and a liqueur shop selling their unique cordial, Grüneswasser or 'green water,' made from herbs grown in their biogarden.