Zobor, Abbey of

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ZOBOR, ABBEY OF

Near Nitra, Slovakia. According to a tradition reported by Cosmas of Prague (d. 1125), it was founded c. 880 by Bp. Viching of Nitra, formerly a Benedictine, endowed by Prince Svatopluk, and settled by Benedictines as St. Hippolytus Abbey. The first historical notice dates from c. 1000. SS. zoËrardus and benedict received monastic training here, and Benedict's martyrdom at Skalka in 1012 made Zobor a national shrine that flourished until 1468, when the bishop of Nitra dispersed the monks and occupied the abbey. In 1691 Bp. Jalkin of Nitra restored Zobor and gave it to Camaldolese monks, but Emperor joseph ii suppressed it in 1782. In 1936 Bp. K. Kmetko of Nitra rebuilt it as a novitiate for Divine Word missionaries, but in 1950 Communists suppressed it.

Bibliography: l. h. cottineau, Répertoire topobibliographique des abbayes et prieurés, 2 v. (Mâcon 193539) 2:3483. b. hrin, "Benedictine Monasteries in Slovakia," Slovak Studies 1 (1961) 5160.

[l. nemec]