On April 27, Divine Mercy Sunday, Rein Abbey once again celebrated its traditional Key Festival. The tradition dates back to 1459. At that time, selected patrons of the abbey received so-called ‘keys of grace,’ which granted them access to the church and thus participation in Mass on special occasions. Until then, the abbey church was reserved exclusively for the monks; the local population celebrated services in the now-lost St. George’s Chapel outside the abbey gate.
This time, the Mass was celebrated by Abbot Johannes Fragner OSB from Seckau Abbey, and it was musically accompanied by the choir of the pastoral area. This year, the celebration was once again held together with the former parishes of the pastoral area, who, as usual, invited attendees to an agape meal with soup and pastries in the abbey courtyard after the service. This year, the net proceeds will benefit the Vietnamese monastery of Phuoc Son. Currently, there are approximately 2,200 Cistercian monks and nuns worldwide. Approximately 800 of them live in Vietnam. There, they face resistance from the state and financial problems. The monastery of Phuoc Son currently has approximately 100 confreres. They are only permitted to sustain themselves through agriculture and an educational center. The current Abbot Johannes XXIII Nguyen Van Son has therefore requested support for the construction/renovation of the existing building. One of the confreres from Vietnam, Father Eugenius, currently at Heiligenkreuz Abbey, was present at the Key Festival and spoke about the situation of Christians in Vietnam. Ultimately, Abbot Philipp was able to present €4,472.24 to the Vietnamese brothers. Thank you for your donation!
