Strahov Monastery is a Premonstratensian monastery in Prague at Strahov, founded by Jindřich Zdík, Bishop of Olomouc, after his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1138.
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Strahov Monastery is a monastery of canons regular, later Premonstratensians, in Prague at Strahov. Its founding is associated with Jindřich Zdík, Bishop of Olomouc, who reached this decision after returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1138.[1]
Foundation
After the pilgrimage, Bishop Jindřich Zdík decided to found a monastery of canons regular in Prague. With the help of the bishops of Prague and the rulers, the monastery arose at a place called Strahov.[1] According to the source, this first monastery "did not prosper greatly".[1] Only in 1143 did Premonstratensians from Steinfeld in the Rhineland come to Strahov, and from then on the religious community at this place began to develop successfully.[1]
Foundation charter
The original of the foundation charter of Strahov Monastery has not survived.[1] The oldest known copy of the charter dates from 1410 and is incomplete.[1] Its Latin text was published in the edition Codex diplomaticus et epistolaris Regni Bohemiae, volume I, number 156.[1]
The text of the charter describes the bishop's pilgrimage to Jerusalem and his decision to dedicate himself to the religious life. In it, Jindřich Zdík describes how, after visiting the Holy Sepulchre and other holy places, he decided to "put off the old man with his deeds" and to serve God "under the rule of the holy Father Augustine".[1] After returning from Jerusalem, he announced his intention to the patriarch and to the brethren serving at the tomb of the Redeemer, and then went back home to found the monastery.[1]
Affiliation with the order
The monastery is associated with the Order of Premonstratensians, who came to Strahov in 1143 from the monastery at Steinfeld in the Rhineland.[1] The source from which the text is drawn is published by an institution calling itself the Royal Canonry of Premonstratensians at Strahov.[1]