The New 38 Year Old Abbot the Cistericans of Mehrerau, Austria

Br. Stephen, O.Cist, in Sparta Wisconsin, and blogger at Sub Tuum, notified the NLM of the Blessing of Dom Anselm van der Linde, O.Cist, who, by appointment of Pope Benedict XVI, is the new Territorial Abbot of Mehrerau, the Austrian mother house of Br. Stephen's own Cistercian congregation. The ceremony took place in the Klosterkirche Mehrerau.

In his letter, the Pope said that Dom Anselm was chosen because of his "faith, morality, piety, wisdom and sound teaching."

Dom Anselm was born in 1970, and was ordained a priest in 1999. He is thus only 38 years old.

Here are some photos of the event with a few comments interspersed.

(For those wondering, the very large books are likely the Cistercian Antiphonale which are used during the chanting of the Divine Office)


(The Decree of Pope Benedict XVI is read)








(One will note that the new Abbot is wearing a pontifical dalmatic)









The coat of arms of the new Abbot of Mehrerau:



It will be interesting to watch and see how the liturgical reform of Pope Benedict XVI might become manifest at the Abbey under Dom Anselm.

More photos are available here and here.

All photos are copyright Daniel Furxer and Eva Ilzer.