Page 134 - Demo

132The Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln, St. Meinrad%u2014Spencer Co. (538-09)St. Meinrad Archabbey We were on our way to meet Brother Maurus Zoeller in St. Anselem Hall. An impressive, old, institutional structure, it had been the monastery building before being remolding in the 1990s. Now a guest house, it was completely redone inside, with rooms and hallways bright and airy. After waiting briefly for our guide to arrive, we spotted a smiling, gentle looking monk coming our way. It was Brother Maurus.%u201cAre you ready for your tour?%u201d He was obviously eager to begin. So, off we went. With Brother Maurus in the lead, we went outdoors, down through a manicured rock garden, and up into the church itself. As with most of St. Meinrad%u2019s structures, it was built of large blocks of caramel-colored sandstone, quarried nearby. Again, while the exterior projected an Old World feel, much of the interior had a more modern appearance.This impressive structure%u2014officially The Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln%u2014once sat a thousand people. However, in recent years, it had been radically remodeled. For example, the balcony had been removed and the main floor was raised and covered with multi-hued marble. Downsized to fit current needs, it now seated about a hundred guests, retreatants, and students. Contrasting the otherwise minimalist feel, there were original stained-glass windows (imported from Germany), and a dark, heavy Presider%u2019s Chair.Brother Maurus explained how St. Meinrad was one of only seven archabbeys in the world. Impressed, I asked him what Meinrad had done to earn sainthood. It seems he was a German hermit monk who, after being murdered, had developed a devoted following. I then kiddingly asked if they happened to have a saint%u2019s finger as a relic. To my surprise, we were ushered to a large bejeweled and golden structure. It contained the relics of several saints, and nearby was a small reliquary with a portion of the mortal remains of St. Meinrad himself.