Carmelite monastery. Stella Maris - Carmelite church and monastery. History of Karmu Monastery

The magnificent Baroque complex, located in the southwestern part, has an interesting history and is located in a building formerly occupied by the so-called Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites (Klášter bosých karmelitánek). The complex includes Church of St. Benedict And Church of St. Joseph, formerly the parish church of the Hradčany district, built in the mid-17th century. The Church of St. Joseph in a cross-shaped form surrounds the building of the former monastery.

The separation of the nuns from the male order and their transformation into the Carmelite Order took place over a long period of time. Saint Teresa was able to achieve the return of the original strict principles for the Carmelite Order. She was the founder of the first women's monastery in Avila, Spain. Representatives of this order had to renounce many joys of earthly life, including not wearing shoes, for which they were nicknamed “barefoot.” The first idea to create a monastery for the Carmelite Order came from Anna Maria of Spain, who was the first wife of King Ferdinand III of Spain. She promised to build a monastery, provided that she gave birth to an heir to the throne. However, numerous political difficulties prevented her from bringing this plan to life, and only Ferdinand’s third wife was able to carry out Anna Maria’s plans. The Pope, who did not want to spoil relations with the king, allowed construction to proceed.

In 1655, the first representatives of the order came to Prague together with the future abbess of the monastery, Maria Electra. Before settling in the monastery, they lived in Wallenstein's house. The process of constructing the building, designed by the early Baroque master Karl Lurago, began in 1663 and took a very long period of time (construction was carried out throughout the first part of the 18th century), so the Carmelites had to move into the not yet fully completed building in 1671- m year. Such famous Italian architects as Bartolomeo Scotti, Domenico Orsi and Marcantonio Cannevale took part in the construction.

The monastery complex consisted of a 3-story baroque building (the facade of which was decorated with the coat of arms of the order, which was a white-brown field and three hexagonal stars on it), a gallery that led to a two-story wing on which an ancient sundial was located, with a painted on them there is a portrait of Teresa of Avila - the very first founder of the order and living quarters.

The building in the Renaissance style, where the cells of the Carmelites used to be located, is luxuriously decorated with various scenes from the life of the nuns.

According to the reformist decree of Emperor Joseph II, the order was abolished, and a collection of English virgins, who had previously lived in the Lazansky Palace, moved into the monastery building. With the money raised from the sale of the palace, the monastery complex was reconstructed in the classical style, since the educational institution needed additional classrooms.

From the English virgins, the monastery became the property of the Ministry of Finance, thanks to which it has ornamental trees and an artificial pond that have survived to this day.

In 1950, the entire area was converted into a luxury hotel for the communist government. During the years 1985-1991, the monastery was completely renovated, after which the property was returned to the followers of the Order of Discalced Nuns. Modern Carmelites put up the entire interior of the hotel for auction, and with the money received they carried out a complete restoration of the monastery building in accordance with the principles established in the order.

The Church of St. Joseph was the very last part of the monastery building. The construction of the building began in 1673, Emperor Leopold I himself was present, however, history has not preserved the name of the author of the project to this day. The consecration of the temple took place only in 1692, while work on the interior decoration continued until 1702.

The high church facade is decorated with statues of three saints - John the Baptist, Teresa of Avila and Joseph. The church is surrounded by other buildings of the monastery complex, thanks to which the lighting in it is very unusual. Light enters through the church dome and then focuses mainly on the main altar.

Many famous painters of that time took part in decorating the interior of the church, for example, the master of shadow and light, the Baroque painter Petr Brandl painted the main altar, and Matej Vaclav Jäkel created church statues.

An interesting detail of the church is the storage of the embalmed body of the abbess of the monastery, Maria Electra. The nun who died in 1663 was taken out of her coffin when the garden was flooded by the Vltava. The abbess’s skin was dark from the herbal decoctions, and after treatment with vinegar it became almost black. When Emperor Joseph II ordered the Carmelites to leave the monastery building, they took the mummy with them, and under the more favorable ruler Leopold II, the body of Mary Electra was returned back, where it was placed on the throne located on the right side of the main altar in the Church of Joseph.

How to get there?

You can find the famous monastery at the address: Prague 1, Josefská street 34/6. If you want to visit this outstanding attraction and see it with your own eyes, you can use the metro, you need to get off at the “Malostranská” station, or you can get there using tram No. 12, 22, 20, 57, you should get off at the “Malostranské náměstí” stop.

Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites on the map

Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites

The Carmelite Monastery of Stella Maris is one of the most beautiful places in Israel. It is located at the foot of Mount Carmel on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Translated from Latin, Stella Maris means “Starfish”. Today the monastery is one of the main attractions of the city of Haifa.

Story

At the end of the 12th century, a monastic order was formed in Israel on the slope of Mount Carmel. The Carmelites, as the brothers called themselves, arrived in the Holy Land during the era of the Crusades. The prophet Elijah became their patron and spiritual teacher. The Carmelites took his life story and behavior as an example and tried to liken their life to the prophet. In 1263 they founded a monastery here, which existed for 30 years. But in 1291, when the power of the Crusaders in the Holy Land ended, the Carmelites were forced to leave the territory of Israel and go to Europe. And only by 1631 they managed to return and buy the land on top of Mount Carmel. In 1795, a monastery was erected here according to the design of the Italian architect D. Casini. It was a large four-story building completely closed from human eyes. Only in 1853 the monastery opened its doors to parishioners, and still continues its work. This place was the main center of the Carmelite Order.

About the monastery

The monastery complex consists of a number of educational and residential premises, a large library, a museum containing a collection of artifacts found during the Crusades, and the Stella Maris Catholic Church. The church is considered one of the most beautiful churches in the city of Haifa. Inside it is decorated with memorial plaques weighing up to one kilogram. Each plaque tells the story of the life of one of the famous Carmelites. In the altar part of the church there is a cave, which is considered the resting place of the prophet Elijah. There is a sarcophagus in it, where, according to legend, the body of the prophet once lay. This place is usually called “Elijah’s Lodge.”

On the right side of the Stella Maris Church is the monastery museum. Exhibits from different periods of history are presented here. The most common excavations of the monastery are from the Byzantine era. The museum also contains objects made by the monks themselves, fossils of various shapes found in the limestone of Mount Carmel, and many other interesting finds. On the territory of the monastery you can also observe the famous road - the way of the cross of Christ to the place of crucifixion. All 14 stops of the last minutes of Jesus' life are to the left of the Stella Maris Church. Opposite the church is a statue of Mary holding the baby Jesus. It was donated to the monastery in 1894 by the Chilean government. The statue is made from melted down weapons that were used during the civil war in Chile. Behind it is the Tzahal military base.

Throughout the 20th century, the monastery was occupied by the British and then by the Israeli military, but at the end of the lease, it was returned to the order. Now this place is one of the main heritage of the city of Haifa, it is carefully protected and open to the public.

In the 12th century, during the reign of the Crusaders on the territory of modern Israel, another monastic order was formed, the main difference of which was its formation on the holy land. Carmelites, as the brothers and later sisters of this order called themselves, settled on Mount Carmel of the same name. What made them make such a long journey, from Mother Europe to our places? It would be more correct to ask whose example brought them here. Some monastic orders are formed around this or that spiritual teacher, and some take as an example the biography and behavior of a certain righteous man, and try to liken the course of their lives to the described example. The example in question was given by Elijah, who was also a prophet! And so, the assembled group of like-minded people, who took the name “Carmelites,” settled on Mount Carmel, the same one on which the city of Haifa is located today. In 1226, they received from Pope Honorius III official recognition of them as a monastic order, and the charter of this brethren was also approved. The order’s stay on the holy land was not long, but in Wadi Siah, next to the caves in which they lived, The Carmelites built a monastery, the remains of which are still in place. As you know, the power of the Crusaders on the holy land ended in 1291, with the fall of the city of Acre, at the same time the Carmelites left our region, and they returned only in 1631. What happened in 1631? This year, the head of the Carmelite monastery at Aleppo in Syria, named Prosper, was able to buy land on the top of Mount Carmel. But, as always, there is a small BUT! The Carmelites were opposed by two interested parties. On one side is the Greek Orthodox Church, which owned the remains of the church on the top. On the other side are the Muslims, who then owned the cave above which stands the modern church of Stella Maris. The head of the Carmelites built a monastery, which was small in size, and carved into the rock just below the ridge of the cliff. It stood for about 150 years, and was subsequently destroyed by the ruler of Acre, Dahar el Omer, and later rebuilt. In 1769, with the help of the French, the Carmelites received permission to build a new monastery, which was also seen by one very familiar commander. What will 1799 tell you in the history of the city of Haifa, or in world history? The closest thing to the Russian-speaking reader, of course, is another number - 1812! So, in 1799, 13 years before Moscow, Comrade Napoleon visited our region, on a not particularly friendly visit. This was Napoleon's Egyptian or Middle Eastern campaign, in which, having conquered Egypt, he headed towards Syria. From Africa to Eurasia, by land, as you know, you can only get through modern Israel, which is what Bonaparte, aka Napoleon, did. Having fought through Jaffa, and heading towards Acre (Acre), comrade. Napoleon stopped at the top of Mount Carmel, and where do you think? That's right, the Carmelites. Having set up his military hospital here, in which there were both the wounded and those suffering from the plague, he continued to Acre (Acre). After 54 days of heavy fighting, and after finally one wall of the city was broken through, but behind it no one had appeared before. the second one standing there, Napoleon ended the siege and set off on the return journey. This path passed, among other things, through the previously opened camp hospital of the Carmelite monks, from which the monks came out, hanging their heads, and reported that the Turks had looked in here, and 300 Napoleon’s soldiers were no more... In front of the entrance to the modern Carmelite monastery and its church (Stella Maris), there is a monument in the form of a pyramid with a cross. This monument stands over the mass grave of Napoleonic soldiers who died here in 1799. During the First World War, the Turks destroyed the pyramid and opened the burial, supposedly in search of weapons, but found only skeletal remains. In retaliation for the desecration of the grave, a French warship fired on the house of the German consul in Haifa. And the modern pyramid grew in its original place during the British Mandate. The inscription on the pyramid reads: “How the heroes fell on the battlefield!” (Prince Samuel) Since we mentioned the modern building, we will say that the year of its birth was 1853. The complex includes a monastery, closed to the public, and the Stella Maris church, which is open to the public. Stella Maris is a Catholic church, and of the churches in Haifa, perhaps the most beautiful! The high painted dome rests on four columns, at the head of which are images of the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. At the bottom of these columns, there are four memorial plaques, each weighing 500 kg, and each of them tells the story of the life of a different hero. To the right of the entrance is a plaque dedicated to Edith Stein, a canonized Carmelite nun of Jewish origin who died for the same reason in the Auschwitz death camp. At one time, Edith read several texts written by the heroine from another plaque of Teresa of Alvia and decided that her place was in the monastery. The ending of this story is sad and is depicted by a book, hands reaching towards the cross, as well as the Star of David and the barbed wire of the death camp. To the left of the entrance hangs the same type of board, but with a different image, dedicated to Mary or Miriam Bowardi. A Carmelite nun, born into an Arab Christian family, who developed stigmata. On the column to the left of the cave there is a plaque dedicated to Teresa of Alvia, who was canonized after her death. Why, you ask, was Teresa awarded such honors? The fact is that Teresa, who went to a Carmelite monastery at the age of 20, gradually took up reformist activities within the order itself. Gradually, the reforms approved by Pope Pius IV and the new movement of the Discalced Carmelites she founded, as well as the treatises and writings she wrote, led to great respect and posthumous status for the saint. The plaque on the column to the right of the cave is dedicated to Juan de la Cruz, who, along with Teresa of Alvia, was involved in reforms of the Carmelite monasteries. Both he and Teresa wanted to return to the asceticism of life on Mount Carmel, for which they had many opponents, and Juan himself even served in prison, from which he later managed to escape. If we talk about the main thought he expressed, we can say that he spoke about a direct (without intermediaries) connection with the Almighty, which is depicted on his board. Speaking about the cave itself, we can emphasize that it is not large and is located under the altar of the Stella Maris church. As always, in my practice, I like to provide additional material for thought. The material will be of geological type. Mount Carmel, like about 70% of other mountains in Israel, consists of Limestone. In limestone lies a certain part of what I want to explain. The fact is that sedimentary rocks, which include limestone, settle at the bottom of bodies of water such as oceans, seas, and lakes. How does this thing turn into mountains? Under the influence of volcanic rocks, they rise to land, dry out, and in this process, they crack. Why am I saying this?! As we know to any person, in order to live, we need water. This one descends over Mount Carmel by rain. Once at the top of the mountain, near the water, there are two ways down, one immediately along the surface, the other through the cracks in the rock mentioned above. Going down the cracks, the water reaches the waterproof layers and comes out in springs. There is not a single spring on Mount Carmel itself, but there are many at its foot. In the church of Stella Maris, as I already said, there is a cave that Christian tradition attributes to Elijah the prophet, or rather to the fact that it was in it that he arrived. Using geological information, you yourself can evaluate this tradition from a practical perspective. At the foot of the mountain, there is another cave associated with the same story, but it is holy for Jews and Muslims. The Jews say that the cave in the Stella Maris church of the Carmelites belonged to Elisha’s disciple, Elisha, and in this much larger cave, Elijah the prophet lived for some time. Returning to our monastery and its church Stella Maris, I will say that until about the 50s of the last century, the official name of the monastery was “Monastery of the Carmelite Fathers, on Mount Carmel”, then it was renamed Stella Maris, and by this name we know it to this day day. The number of monks in the monastery today is 10 people, and if we talk about famous personalities of this monastery, then you may know Brother Daniel from the novel by Lyudmila Ulitskaya. One day I was advised to read this book, saying that I lead excursions like this book. By the way, perhaps Mrs. Ulitskaya took the surname of the above-mentioned Edith Stein for her main character. After reading it, I recommend it to everyone today! http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Daniel_Stein,_translator http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Rufeisen,_Oswald The story would not be complete if I did not mention the small museum, which is located to the right of the entrance to the Stella Maris church building. The museum contains various finds that were made by the monks of the order at the site of the monastery, as well as fossils of various shapes found in the limestone of Mount Carmel. Opposite the Stele of Maris, there is the Tzahal military base (Zva Hagana le Israel - Israel Defense Forces), in front of which, unusual for a base, but usual for a church, is a statue of Mary with the baby Jesus. The statue was donated in 1894 by the government of Chile to the monastery, and it was made not from anything but from melted down weapons that participated in the fratricidal war that took place in Chile before. Right next to it there is the top station of the Haifa funicular, and an observation deck, which is part of the panoramic road, which in turn runs throughout Haifa, and shows you the best viewing angles from the top of the mountain. I hope that Stella Maris will take pride of place on your wonderful trip to Haifa.

Additional Information

Telephone: 04-8337758

Address: St. Derekh Stela Maris, Haifa

Opening hours: 08:00-12:00, 15:00 - 18:00

And so, the assembled group of like-minded people, who took the name “Carmelites,” settled on Mount Carmel, the same one on which the city of Haifa is located today. In 1226, they received from Pope Honorius III official recognition as a monastic order, and the charter of this brethren was approved. The order's stay on the holy land was not long, but in Wadi Siah, next to the caves in which they lived, the Carmelites built a monastery, the remains of which are still in place. As you know, the power of the Crusaders on the holy land ended in 1291, with the fall of the city of Acre, at the same time the Carmelites left these lands, and they returned only in 1631. Lighthouse on top of Mount Carmel, on a military base opposite the monastery..

What happened in 1631? This year, the head of the Carmelite monastery in Aleppo, in Syria, named Prosper, was able to buy land on the top of Mount Carmel. But, as always, there is a small BUT! The Carmelites were opposed by two interested parties. On one side is the Greek Orthodox Church, which owned the remains of the church on the top. On the other side are the Muslims, who then owned the cave above which stands the modern church of Stella Maris. The head of the Carmelites built a monastery, which was small in size, and carved into the rock just below the ridge of the cliff. It stood for about 150 years, and was subsequently destroyed by the ruler of Acre, Dahar el Omer, and later rebuilt. In 1769, with the help of the French, the Carmelites received permission to build a new monastery, which was also seen by one very familiar commander. What does the year 1799 tell you in the history of the city of Haifa, or in world history? Nothing. The closest thing to the Russian-speaking reader, of course, is another number - 1812! So, in 1799, 13 years before Moscow, Comrade Napoleon visited these lands on a not particularly friendly visit. This is actually him - Father Prosper.

On the opposite wall hangs this bas-relief; I still haven’t figured out who this man is and what mark he left on the history of the monastery.

This was Napoleon's Egyptian or Middle Eastern campaign, in which, having conquered Egypt, he headed towards Syria. From Africa to Eurasia, by land, as you know, you can only get through modern Israel, which is what Bonaparte, aka Napoleon, did. Having fought through Jaffa and heading towards Acre, Comrade Napoleon stopped at the top of Mount Carmel, and where do you think? That's right, the Carmelites. Having set up his military hospital here, which housed both the wounded and those suffering from the plague, he continued his journey to Acre. After 54 days of heavy fighting, and after one wall of the city was finally broken through, and he saw behind it a second wall that had not stood there before, Napoleon ended the siege and set off on the return journey. This path passed, among other things, through the previously opened camp hospital of the Carmelite monks, from which the monks came out, hanging their heads, and reported that the Turks had looked in here, and 300 of Napoleon’s soldiers were no longer there. In front of the entrance to the modern Carmelite monastery and its church, there is a monument in the form of a pyramid with a cross. This monument stands over the mass grave of Napoleonic soldiers who died here in 1799. During the First World War, the Turks destroyed the pyramid and opened the burial, supposedly in search of weapons, but found only skeletal remains. In retaliation for the desecration of the grave, a French warship fired on the house of the German consul in Haifa. And the modern pyramid grew in its original place during the British Mandate. The inscription on the pyramid reads: “How the heroes fell on the battlefield!” (Book of Samuel)

In 1876, another monument appeared here - an openwork iron cross on a spherical podium. It was installed by French sailors, and for a long time mass ceremonies were held near it, for which a special portable altar was installed nearby. Both of these monuments are now located opposite the entrance to the monastery.

The present monastery was built much later. In 1767, the Carmelites laid the first stone of the monastery on the top of the mountain. The construction project was developed by the Italian architect D. Casini, who specially came to Haifa for this purpose. Construction went on for three long decades, until in the spring of 1795 the monastery of the Holy Mother of God on Mount Carmel, Notre Dame de Carmel, was solemnly consecrated.
The monumental four-story complex included twelve monastic cells and three special rooms for pilgrims, a church, a refectory, a ceremonial hall, a bakery, a library, a hospital, and a pharmacy. The French royal court provided great assistance in the construction of the monastery.

On July 12, 1836, the ceremonial illumination of the monastery took place, but the monastery opened its doors to the happy owners and numerous parishioners only in 1853.

Above the entrance appeared the coat of arms of the Carmelites, where, against the background of a traditional shield, Mount Carmel with a cross on top was depicted, and above it - a hand with a sword of the patron and guardian of the Order of Elijah the Prophet and the Latin inscription: “I was jealous of the Lord God of Hosts” (III Book. Kings, chapter 19:10)

Now let's go to the church itself.

Stella Maris is a Catholic church, and of the churches in Haifa, perhaps the most beautiful! These are such wonderful doors.

In the center of the quadrangular building there is a church with a cave in the altar. It can be assumed that a priest, perhaps the abbot of the monastery of St., was buried in it. Margaret, built here during the Crusades. The remains of a stone sarcophagus, later lined with marble, in which the body of the deceased once rested, is called “Elijah’s bed” by local tradition.

These four memorial plaques that hang on the walls are dedicated to famous figures of the Carmelite Order.
To the right of the entrance is a plaque dedicated to Edith Stein, a canonized Carmelite nun of Jewish origin who died for the same reason in the Auschwitz death camp. At one time, Edith read several texts written by the heroine from another plaque of Teresa of Alvia and decided that her place was in the monastery. The ending of this story is sad and is depicted by a book, hands reaching towards the cross, as well as the Star of David and the barbed wire of the death camp.

The plaque on the column to the right of the cave is dedicated to Juan de la Cruz, who, along with Teresa of Alvia, was involved in reforms of the Carmelite monasteries. Both he and Teresa wanted to return to the asceticism of life on Mount Carmel, for which they had many opponents, and Juan himself even served in prison, from which he later managed to escape. If we talk about the main thought he expressed, we can say that he spoke about a direct (without intermediaries) connection with the Almighty, which is depicted on his board.

In the altar, in a majestic golden design, there is a sculpture of the Virgin Mary with Jesus - “Notre Dame de Carmel”, to which the monks worship, offer prayers and pay homage.

If you leave the church hall and turn left, you can get into a small monastery museum. There is a nice diorama “The Nativity of Christ” - the creation of the same L. Poggi.

The museum contains various finds that were made by the monks of the order at the site of the monastery, as well as fossils of various shapes found in the limestone of Mount Carmel. There are also exhibits found during excavations carried out on the territory of the monastery. There are objects here that belonged to the monastery located in this place in Byzantine times (destroyed, apparently, by the Persians in 614) and the Abbey of St. Margaret, later founded by the Crusaders.

The most interesting exhibit is a gigantic stone human foot with the inscription: “Zeus Liopolitanus Carmelius,” which scientists date back to the 2nd century. BC. As the Roman historians Tacitus and Suetonius testify, Mount Carmel was also considered sacred by the pagans, who believed that Zeus the Thunderer himself lived on it. Apparently, somewhere here in those distant times a statue of this Greek deity was installed, whose foot is a decoration of the monastery museum.

A curious exhibit in this small collection is a bell donated to the Carmelites in 1837 by King Ferdinand II of Naples and Sicily. It is believed that this was the first bell to ring in Palestine since the fall of the Crusader kingdom at the end of the 13th century.

Opposite the Stele of Maris, there is the Tzahal military base (Zva Hagana le Israel - Israel Defense Forces), in front of which, unusual for a base, but usual for a church, is a statue of Mary with the baby Jesus.
The statue was donated in 1894 by the government of Chile to the monastery, and it was made not from anything but from melted down weapons that participated in the fratricidal war that took place in Chile before.

On the territory of the monastery courtyard there is the local “Via Dolorosa” - the way of the cross of Jesus Christ to the place of crucifixion, all 14 stops. These were the last stops in the life of Jesus. Many people don’t even know that there is this memorial in the city of Haifa. It is located to the left of the entrance to the church, behind the iron gates.

Not everyone can get on Via Dolorosa. The fact is that some vandals partially destroyed this unique work and therefore the nuns of the monastery do not allow everyone to visit this holy place. They are afraid that someone might come and destroy what miraculously survived an act of vandalism. There is an intercom at the gate. My friend called it and said that we were pilgrims and had come to visit Via Dolorosa. They let us in and we walked again this way of the cross (the first time I walked it in Jerusalem), the last path of Jesus, consisting of 14 stations.

Angels in the world.

Here it is, we go from fresco to fresco

Condemnation of Jesus by Pontius Pilate

This is the least damaged fresco

Placing a crown of thorns in the form of a crown on the head of Jesus.

It is unclear why the vandals tried so hard to destroy the faces.

The first fall of Jesus Christ

Meeting of Jesus with his mother, the Virgin Mary.

The place where Simon of Cyrene was given to carry the cross of Jesus to the Place of Execution.

The meeting where Saint Veronica wiped Jesus' sweat and blood from his face with her handkerchief.

Second Fall of Jesus

Meeting of Jesus and the women of Jerusalem.

Third Fall of Christ

The place where Jesus Christ's clothes were taken off before the crucifixion.

The station where Christ is nailed to the cross.

Place of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. This fresco was completely destroyed.

Descent from the Cross onto the Stone of Anointing

Burial place of Jesus Christ

I stood by these mutilated frescoes, tears rolled down by themselves, and thought about what goal the vandals were pursuing by destroying the faces of the participants in this tragedy. And strange thoughts appeared: why was the fresco about the death of Jesus destroyed? Is this not an attempt to deny his death? Or maybe it wasn’t the Arabs who did it, but the Christians who fanatically believed in his resurrection? There are many questions, but no answers.

The destruction of these frescoes was a great tragedy for both the monastery and all residents of Haifa. There were many offers of help to restore the frescoes, but the Carmelites refused, leaving everything in its present form as a monument to vandalism. At the head of the monastic community, consisting of 10 monks, people of the highest culture who know at least 5-6 languages, is a vicar appointed by the Vatican and reporting directly to the Pope. Since the monastery is central to the order, monks from all over the world come here for training and internships, and at regular seminars led by professors, from 15 to 22 students take courses at a time. The monks, in addition to the daily monastic work, are responsible for conducting excursions around the cathedral and territory, giving lectures and seminars on history and art to students of Haifa schools. The clothing of members of the order is very modest: a dark brown cassock, from under which a muslin-white striped collar peeks out. This is an everyday vestment, sharply different from the ceremonial vestment, embroidered with gold and expensive stones, shown to honored visitors and worn on especially solemn occasions. Monastic life does not require too strict restrictions from monks. The only thing that must be strictly followed is the vow of celibacy.

Well, a little more history at the end .

One of the memorial plaques in the temple dedicated to Teresa of Avila, who went down in history as the transformer of Spanish Carmelite monasticism. Teresa was born on March 28, 1515 in Avila into the family of a noble nobleman Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda, a descendant of a family of baptized Jews. As a child, Teresa was a very impressionable child and was distinguished by deep piety. She already learned to read at the age of 6. Her favorite book was a collection of the lives of saints and martyrs. Once she even ran away from home with her brother Rodrigo to go to Muslim lands to preach Christ, but the fugitives were quickly found. Then these dreams gave way to the idea of a monastic vocation, which only strengthened after the death of her mother, who died when Teresa was 12 years old. Despite her thoughts about the monastery, Teresa did not stay away from secular hobbies in her youth: she became very interested in chivalric novels and even wrote one herself. Her father did not even want to hear about monasticism: a noble, intelligent and beautiful girl, in his opinion and the opinion of society, could make a brilliant and profitable match for some noble nobleman. However, at the age of 20, Teresa decided to take a risky step: she secretly fled from home and entered the Carmelite Monastery of the Annunciation, taking the monastic name Teresa of Jesus (Teresa de Jesus). During her first years in the monastery, Teresa became seriously ill: she was paralyzed, and she was even returned from the monastery to die in her father’s house. However, Teresa managed to recover and returned to the monastery. Gradually, she turned from a young girl into a wise and mature nun, a circle of people formed around her who turned to her for spiritual advice, both in the monastery and outside its walls. This circle included Teresa’s father, who eventually came to terms with his daughter’s choice.

Saint Teresa. Unknown artist

The second half of Teresa's life was devoted mainly to the creation of new Carmelite monasteries and writing books. She died in 1582 during another trip, in the monastery of Alba de Tormes. Being a very intelligent girl and observing the life of a monastery in which there were more than 200 sisters and where she spent more than 20 years of her life, seeing phenomena that were far from the ideal of monasticism, she came to the conclusion that monastic life could be better organized in small communities. Teresa had to fight for a long time for the right to found her monastery according to the new charter, until she finally achieved permission from Pope Pius IV. The first small monastery, in which Teresa became abbess, appeared in 1562 in Avila, Teresa’s hometown, and received the name of St. Joseph. There were only 12 sisters, equal to the number of apostles. By the time of her death, there were already 16 similar communities in Spain, which became the core of a new branch of Carmelite monasticism - the “discalced Carmelites” (Order of the Discalced Brothers (or Sisters) of the Blessed Virgin Mary from Mount Carmel), they walked in any weather in a cassock and sandals on barefoot, whose goal was to return to the early ideals of Carmel - rigor and simplicity. Soon, male monasteries appeared, the creation of which was the result of the activities of Saint I. Joan of the Cross (aka St. Juan de la Cruz, aka St. John of the Cross, in the world Juan de Yepes Alvarez), who met Teresa of Avila and considered himself a follower of her reformist principles.

Juan came from a noble but impoverished noble family who lived in the vicinity of Avila. As a young man, he entered the hospital to care for the sick. He received his education at a Jesuit school in the town of Medina del Campo, where his family moved after the death of his father in search of a livelihood. In 1568 he joined the Carmelite Order and received theological education in Salamanca. He then became one of the founders of the reformed Carmelite monastery of Duruelo. As a monk, he took the name John of the Cross. In the Carmelite Order at this time there were strife related to the reforms of the order initiated by St. Teresa of Avila. John became a supporter of reforms aimed at returning to the original ideals of the Carmelites - severity and asceticism. John’s activities were not to the liking of many in the monastery; he was brought to trial three times for slanderous denunciations, and spent many months in prison under difficult conditions. It was during his imprisonment that John began to write his beautiful poems, imbued with a special mystical spirit and religious awe. He also penned the prose treatises “Ascent of Mount Carmel”, “Dark Night of the Soul”, “Song of the Spirit”, “Living Flame of Love”. Saint John of the Cross died in Ubeda in 1591. In 1726 he was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII, in 1926 Pope Pius XI declared him a Doctor of the Church. Memorial Day of St. John of the Cross in the Catholic Church - December 14. The fundamental principle of the theology of St. John is to affirm that God is everything and man is nothing. Therefore, in order to achieve perfect union with God, which is what holiness consists of, it is necessary to subject all the faculties and powers of soul and body to intense and deep purification.

At the head of the monastic community, consisting of 9 monks, people of the highest culture who know at least 5-6 languages, is a vicar appointed by the Vatican and reporting directly to the Pope.

Since the monastery is central to the order, monks from all over the world come here for training and internships, and at regular seminars led by professors, from 15 to 22 students take courses at a time.

The monks, in addition to the daily monastic work, are responsible for conducting excursions around the cathedral and territory, giving lectures and seminars on history and art to students of Haifa schools.

The clothing of members of the order is very modest: a dark brown cassock, from under which a muslin-white striped collar peeks out. This is an everyday vestment, sharply different from the ceremonial vestment, embroidered with gold and expensive stones, shown to honored visitors and worn on especially solemn occasions.

Monastic life does not require too strict restrictions from monks. The only thing that must be strictly followed is the vow of celibacy.