EUROPE/GERMANY - St. Ottilien Archabbey 'firemen monks' mark foundation centenary

Wednesday, 11 July 2007

St. Ottilien (Agenzia Fides) - The Volunteer Fire Brigade at St. Ottilien Archabbey in Germany will celebrate the centenary of its founding on 14 July. St. Ottilien's is a Benedictine monastery in Emming near Eresing and the Ammersee in the district of Landsberg, Oberbayern. The Congregation is known as Missionary Benedictines. The solemn Jubilee Mass will be presided by the Archabbot of St. Ottilien ex officio the president of the St. Ottilien Congregation Fr. Jeremias Schröder. Present for the occasion many other voluntary fire brigades with which the monks have long established friendships. Special guests will include two members of the Pope's own fire fighters on service in the Vatican, in Rome. After Mass the different groups of firemen accompanied by the St Ottilien Monastery band will parade to a Jubilee lunch.
The Volunteer Fire Brigade at St. Ottilien Archabbey was founded in January 1907. Today it comprises 19 fireman monks who are responsible not only for the large monastery but also for a high school with 750 students, a retreat house with 120 beds, a farm, several crafts shops and a publishing house, as well as a stretch of the nearby motorway A 96. What is more firemen monks are sometimes called to put out fires in the neighbourhood. In the early years the monks went to put out fires wearing their ordinary habits. Today they have a proper uniform in keeping with safety standards. (MS) (Agenzia Fides, 11/07/2007 - 18 righe, 221 parole)


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