The Cistercians (O.Cist.) are a Catholic monastic order of monks and nuns rooted in the Rule of Saint Benedict, committed to a life of prayer, work, and contemplation within a monastic community. Their charism emphasizes Ora et Labora (“prayer and work”), simplicity of life, liturgical prayer, manual labor, and fidelity to the Gospel in a stable, communal setting that seeks intimacy with God through daily liturgical prayer (Divine Office), Eucharist, Lectio Divina, and a rhythm of contemplative life interwoven with work. Cistercian spirituality fosters humility, silence, simplicity, and communion with Christ as expressed in monastic tradition.

The Order of Cistercians was founded in 1098 at Cîteaux Abbey in Burgundy, France, by a group of Benedictine monks — including Robert of Molesme, Stephen Harding, and Alberic of Cîteaux — seeking a renewed observance of the Rule of St. Benedict that emphasized contemplative prayer, manual labor, and austerity. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, although not the founder, became one of its most influential figures, profoundly shaping Cistercian spirituality and promoting its expansion throughout Europe in the 12th century. Over centuries the Order spread widely and established numerous monasteries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa, maintaining a monastic presence that balances prayerful seclusion with work, hospitality, and, in some houses, outreach through guest ministries and retreats rooted in the contemplative tradition. The Cistercians remain distinct from the Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists, O.C.S.O.), which branched off later as a stricter reform.

Mail (general / request vocation referrals): info@ocist.org (use this to ask for the nearest monastery formation contact)