The Vita Apostolica in the High Middle Ages

Introduction

After the spiritual reform movement of Cluny in France, there were spiritual leaders who continued this reform movement. These were: St. Romuald of the Camaldolese Monk Hermits, and St. Bruno of the Carthusians, St. Nilus the Younger and St. John Gualbert (feast: July 12). These religious leaders and founders followed the ideal of the "vita apostolica". Other reformers also during this time were Robert of Abrissel and Vitalis of Tierceville. These leaders and many others worked in parts of Italy, north of the Alps, and much of Germany and France. The spiritual movement of reform they led brought a spirit of penitence and revived much religious fervor in Europe.

St. Nilus the Younger

Initially, Nilus lived a rather dissolute life with a woman from whom he had a child. When the woman and the child passed away, Nilus he joined the Byzantine Basilian monks of St. Adrian in Calabria, Italy. For a time, he lived as a hermit. Then he moved on to live in several Basilian monasteries until he became abbot of San Demetrio Corone. His saintly reputation spread and attracted many to become monks. In 981 A.D., Nilus was forced to flee due to the invading Saracens. He and his monks were given the monastery of Vallelucio. It was here were Nilus and his monks lived for about fifteen years. They soon were able to secure a grant of land from the Count of Tuscalum. This grant of land became the place to build and found the Basilian monastery of Grottaferra near Rome.

St. John Gualbert

John Gualbert was the founder of the Vallombrosian monks whose movement of spiritual rejuvenation began near Florence. Before this monastic community began, John entered the Benedictine monastery of San Miniato in Florence. He left this community and visited the hermitage of St. Romuald (founder of the Camaldolese Order). After this visit, John Gualbert decided to establish his own monastery. The place he chose was Vallombrosa. St. John Gualbert adopted a modified form of the primitive Rule of St. Benedict. His order had many members during the Middle Ages. This Order was reformed by St. John Leonardi in the 16th century.

Reform spirit overflows to secular clergy

The monastic reform movement that began at Cluny, and created the monastic Orders of Camaldolese, Carthusians, Vallambrosians, and Cistercians, also influenced the secular clergy at that time. And the canonical reform that occured in the 11th and 12th centuries brought a renewed pastoral spirit among the secular clerics. The most influential of these canonically reformed clergy were the Premonstratensians - founded by St. Norbert of Xanten.

Summary

The reform movement that started at the Benedictine monastery of Cluny gave birth to other reform movements - one of which was the "vita apostolica". Foremost among those who championed the "vita apostolica" ideal were: St. Nilus, St. John Gualbert, St. Romuald, and St. Bruno. This spirit of reform influenced St. Norbert of Xanten to found a monastery which was to serve as a community (not of monks) but of secular clergy living according to the Rule of St. Augustine.