Exploring Carmel Convent: Welcoming Visitors In Cologne

The Carmelite Convent in Cologne, Germany, is a place steeped in history and religious significance. It was once home to Edith Stein, a Jewish German philosopher who converted to Catholicism and entered the convent in 1933, devoting herself to contemplative prayer and philosophical work. The original building was destroyed during World War II, but a new monastery was rebuilt in 1949, near the site of its predecessor, which dated back to 1637. Visitors are welcome to attend the evening Mass at the Carmelites' church and can also request to speak to the superior, Sister Ancilla of the Maternity of Mary. The convent holds the archives of Sister Teresa Benedicta, as Stein was known after her conversion, and her presence is still felt throughout the house and the wider Catholic community in Cologne.

The Carmelite convent in Cologne was destroyed in 1943, a new monastery was built in 1949

The Carmelite convent in Cologne, Germany, was destroyed in 1943 during World War II. The convent was home to Edith Stein, a Jewish German philosopher who converted to Christianity and joined the Carmelite Order in 1933. With the rise of the Nazi regime, Stein was moved to a Carmelite monastery in Holland in 1938, and later deported to Auschwitz, where she died in 1942.

The original Carmelite convent in Cologne was founded in 1637. It was destroyed by bombing in October 1943 and no longer exists. However, a new monastery was rebuilt in 1949, not far from the cathedral, on the site of its original foundation. Today, about fifteen Carmelites reside in the new monastery.

The Carmelite Order has a long history that dates back to the VIII century BC when the Prophet Elijah rose on Mount Carmel, proclaiming, "Living is the Lord before whom I stand. I am filled with zeal for God, the Lord" (1 Kings 17-21). The Order was formally established in the XIII century when Albert, the patriarch of Jerusalem, gave the Latin hermits on Mount Carmel a "rule of life" inspired by biblical teachings and the practices of the first monks.

The new monastery in Cologne stands as a testament to the resilience and continuity of the Carmelite Order. It is a place of prayer and contemplation, carrying on the traditions and values established by the Order centuries ago. Visitors are welcome to attend the evening Mass at the Carmelites' church and even speak to the superior, as George Weigel did when he visited in October 2023.

The life of Edith Stein, a former Carmelite in Cologne, who died in the gas chambers of Auschwitz

Edith Stein was born on 12 October 1891 in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw, Poland) and was the youngest of 11 children. Her father died when she was two, leaving her widowed mother to run the family business and raise the children. Stein was a gifted child who enjoyed learning, and by her teenage years, she had become an agnostic.

In April 1913, Stein arrived at the University of Göttingen to study for the summer semester with Edmund Husserl. By the end of the summer, she had decided to pursue her doctoral degree in philosophy under Husserl and chose empathy as her thesis topic. Her studies were interrupted by the outbreak of World War I, during which she served as a volunteer nurse in an infectious diseases hospital. After the war, she moved to the University of Freiburg to complete her dissertation on Empathy, which was awarded a doctorate in philosophy with the highest honours.

Stein then became a member of the faculty at Freiburg, where she worked until 1918 as a teaching assistant to Husserl. During this time, she also began to correspond with Roman Ingarden, with whom she would later collaborate on several philosophical works. In 1919, she applied for a habilitation at Göttingen but was rejected due to her gender. Undeterred, she wrote a major study intended as her habilitation thesis, which was published in Husserl's yearbook in 1922.

In the summer of 1921, Stein read the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila, which inspired her to convert to Catholicism. She was baptised on 1 January 1922 and soon after began to teach at a Dominican school in Speyer, where she remained until 1931. During this time, she also translated several works by Thomas Aquinas and John Henry Newman into German and familiarised herself with Catholic philosophy.

In 1932, Stein became a lecturer at the Catholic Church-affiliated Institute for Scientific Pedagogy in Münster. However, she was forced to resign the following year due to antisemitic legislation passed by the Nazi government. In October 1933, she entered the Carmelite monastery in Cologne and took the religious name Teresia Benedicta a Cruce. There, she wrote her metaphysical book, 'Finite and Eternal Being', which attempted to combine the philosophies of Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, and Husserl.

To escape the growing Nazi threat, Stein and her sister, Rosa (who had also converted to Catholicism), were transferred to the Discalced Carmelite monastery in Echt, Netherlands, in 1938. There, Stein wrote 'The Science of the Cross', a commentary on John of the Cross that developed a specifically Carmelite understanding of the depths of the soul.

In response to a pastoral letter from the Dutch bishops condemning Nazi racism in July 1942, the Gestapo arrested all baptised Catholics of Jewish origin. Along with her sister, Stein was arrested on 2 August 1942 and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where they were murdered in the gas chambers on 9 August 1942.

Stein was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1987 and canonised in 1998. She is now recognised as one of the six patron saints of Europe.

The history of the Carmelite Order, which originated in Palestine

The Carmelite Order, also known as the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, has its origins on Mount Carmel in Palestine. The order traces its roots to the prophet Elijah, who defended his faith in the God of Israel against the priests of Baal. It was also on Mount Carmel that Elijah, praying in solitude, saw a small cloud that brought life-giving rain after a long drought. The mountain has long been considered the lush garden of Palestine and a symbol of fertility and beauty. The name "Karmel" means "garden".

In the 12th century, a group of pilgrims from Europe settled near the "spring of Elijah" on Mount Carmel, inspired by his example to live as hermits in the land of Jesus Christ. These hermits did not acknowledge a particular founder but remained faithful followers of Elijah, committed to living "in the footsteps of Jesus Christ" with deep and intimate feelings like those of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God. From Elijah, they inherited a burning passion for the living and true God, and with Mary, they sought to witness to God's presence in the world.

To gain juridical stability, this group of lay hermits turned to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Albert Avogadro, who wrote a formula of life for them between 1206 and 1214. Successive approvals of this formula by various Popes helped transform the group into a Religious Order, which occurred when Innocent IV definitively approved the text as a Rule in 1247. Thus, the Carmelite Order took its place alongside the Mendicant Orders.

However, around 1235, the Carmelites were forced to abandon Mount Carmel due to incursions and persecutions by the Saracens, who were reconquering the Holy Land from the crusaders. Most of them returned to their countries of origin in Europe, where the order continued to flourish and grow. Later, some women attached themselves to the monasteries, and in 1452, they became cloistered nuns living in their own communities.

The Carmelite Order has undergone reforms and spread worldwide, with members committed to a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ and service to God and humanity. The order includes friars, cloistered nuns, congregations of sisters, consecrated lay people, and lay members of the Carmelite Third Order and Confraternities of the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The architecture of the convent, including a neo-Gothic chapel

The Carmelite Monastery in Echt, also known as the Echt Carmel, is a community of Discalced Carmelite nuns. The site is made up of four buildings within a rectangular courtyard, with a walled garden surrounded by vaults. The neo-Gothic chapel, characterised by a large rectangular window on the street side with sandstone tracery, was built by Pierre Cuypers in 1879-80. Above the door is a tympanum depicting Mary with the Infant Jesus, being adored by a Carmelite priest and nun. The Carmelite Monastery in Echt is also associated with Edith Stein (Saint Theresa Benedicta of the Cross), who lived there from 1938 to 1942. Stein was a brilliant philosopher, born into an observant Jewish family in Silesia, who joined the Carmelites and was eventually murdered in the Auschwitz concentration camp.

The original Carmelite Convent in Cologne, where Stein entered the order in 1933, was destroyed by bombing in 1943 and no longer exists. However, a new monastery was rebuilt in 1949, not far from the cathedral, on the site of its original foundation dating back to 1637. This convent holds Stein's archives, and her presence is said to be almost palpable in the house.

The architecture of the convent in Echt, including the neo-Gothic chapel, is a testament to the style and craftsmanship of the late 19th century. The chapel's large rectangular window and sandstone tracery are distinctive features, allowing natural light to illuminate the interior. The tympanum above the door, depicting a religious scene, is another notable element of the chapel's architecture, adding symbolic significance to the entrance.

The overall layout of the monastery, with its four buildings and central courtyard, provides a sense of enclosure and serenity. The walled garden, surrounded by vaults, offers a peaceful space for contemplation and connection with nature. The use of stone and sandstone in the chapel's construction, along with the rectangular window's tracery, showcases the attention to detail and craftsmanship of the era.

The neo-Gothic style of the chapel, with its emphasis on verticality and ornate detailing, reflects the religious and spiritual nature of the space. The overall design of the monastery and chapel creates an atmosphere that fosters prayer and philosophical work, as exemplified by the life and work of Edith Stein during her time at the convent.

The relics and archives of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, held at the convent

The Carmelite Convent in Cologne, Germany, holds a rich collection of relics and archives related to St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, also known as Edith Stein.

Stein, a philosopher, nun, and saint, led an extraordinary life that began in a devout Jewish family. She later converted to Catholicism and joined the Carmelite Order in Cologne in 1933, taking the name Teresa Benedicta. The convent in Cologne holds significant relics and archives that offer insight into her life and her impact on the Catholic Church.

Among the relics is a wedding dress Stein wore on the day of her solemn vows as a Carmelite nun. This dress holds immense significance as its fabric was used to create the white chasuble worn by the Pope during Stein's beatification ceremony in Cologne in 1987. The leftover fabric was carefully cut into small pieces and preserved in reliquaries, becoming precious relics in their own right. One such reliquary was entrusted to George Weigel, an American author who has written extensively about Stein and the Carmelite Convent in Cologne.

The convent also houses the archives of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, including a book containing a photograph of Stein in her wedding dress on the day of her enclosure. These archives preserve the memory and legacy of Stein's time at the convent, with documents, photographs, and artefacts that bear witness to her spiritual journey and dedication to the Carmelite Order.

The relics and archives of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross are a testament to her remarkable life and her enduring impact on the convent and the Catholic Church as a whole. They serve as a reminder of her courage, scholarship, and deep faith, which continue to inspire and guide those who learn about her life and work. Visitors interested in her story can explore the Carmelite Convent in Cologne, where her presence is described as "almost palpable".

Frequently asked questions