Present

The monks have time for God. They gather three times a day for common prayer and worship in Pannonhalma. The monks take the life of Jesus and his followers as their example of community life. Christ is head of the community. According to their belief, the abbot is the surrogate of Christ in the monastery, who guides the individual monks and the community in their life-long search for God. The monks highly appreciate this world but do not consider it as the final destination. This is the first station of their eternal life proceeding towards the God’s Holy Realm. They are willing to forego marriage, wealth and vindication of self-will here on the Earth for their forthcoming lives. Written at the beginning of the century, the Rules of Saint Benedict VI can be summarised thus „Ora et labora et lege – pray, work and read”. The same ideal still pervades everyday life today! The monks of the monastery perform numerous services. They carry out pastoral work in the communities of the region, teach and educate at universities, secondary schools and hostels and run a social care home. The enterprises and institutions provide employment for more than three hundred people. The saying of Saint Benedict is vindicated in the various services: „Ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus! That in all things God may be glorified!”