Alcobaca

Yesterday to the very interesting town of Alcobaca. The site of a huge monastery home to 999 Cistercian monks at its peak praying in non-stop shifts.

Remember, back then, the warrior class really took the Commandments seriously. They knew what they were doing was wrong but counted on the power of numerous poor monks and nuns to intervene on their behalf by praying. The Knights and kings were confident that the endless prayer cycles by those so holy and devout would weigh in their favour and reduce their time in purgatory.

 They donated gobs of wealth to keep the prayers going making these houses of simple wealthier and wealthier.

The Cistercian were the silent ones begun by St. Bernard of Claireveaux who galvanized Europe by preaching the 2nd Crusade.  Many think he did so in part to rid Europe of the detritus of nasty knights who pillaged and murdered their fellow god-fearing Christians.

What better way to get the proverbial kids who wouldn't move out of the basement, away than lure them away with gold, riches and the opportunity to slaughter new populations.

As impressive as I've ever seen.  The ceilings at least 20 meters straight up on tall stalks of thin columns jutting sraight to what looks like heaven.

A beautiful and peaceful garden with orange and lemon trees where the monks meditated.

Now not sure how much the monKS actually meditated. You go to the kitchen and a giant chimney indicates how much delicious food the monks enjoyed. There, two marble slabs over 20 feet in length and 5 feet in width where the many lay brothers (servants) worked non stop to ensure the bigger brothers were sufficiently stuffed.

Apparently the order was shuttered when stories of the decadence and outrageous conduct of the monks became too much for the church to sweep under the carpet.

So now the marvel of architecture sits empty of persons other than the tourists that wander the cloisters our jaws awed by the enormity of it all; and still pondering how generations of stone masons and their children constructed such a thing namelessly, only for the greater glory of God.