Prayer Union between Montecassino and Pannonhalma

The monks of Montecassino and Pannonhalma have prayed for each other for more than 800 years. Abbot Uros of Saint Martin and Abbot Adenulfus of Cassino concluded the prayer union in 1212. According to the document recording it – kept in our Archives –, the communities annually pray for each other on 25 January, the Feast of Saint Paul’s Conversion.

The relationship of Pannonhalma and Montecassino dates back as far as the foundation of the Archabbey. In his letters-patent, Saint Stephen bestowed upon the monastery the independence of the Italian Abbey. Among others, it meant that he withdrew the Abbey from the diocesan bishop’s jurisdiction, and the Abbey is directly subordinated to the Holy See up to now, he provided for it the free election of an abbot and granted it liturgical privileges.

The prayer union of 1212 has become one of the determinant aspects of the manifold relationship that has developed between the two monastic communities in the past more than a thousand years. It can be related to the first Italian journey undertaken by Abbot Uros. For Abbot Uros and his monastic community, the Abbot of Montecassino issued a deed in which he asked that they mutually pray for each other every year on the Feast of Saint Paul’s Conversion. In the deed, he referred to the two monasteries as one heart and soul related by their patrons – Saint Benedict and Saint Martin. Abbot Uros brought this deed along with him, and it can be found in our Archives up to now. In their Necrologium, the Italian monks registered to the given day that then they have to pray for their brethren in Pannonhalma.

Later, the prayer union was many times renewed. In 1878, it was confirmed in a deed drawn up on Archabbot Kruesz Krizosztom’s initiative. In 1997, during Archabbot Várszegi Asztrik’s visit to Montecassino, the union was solemnly renewed.