Casamari Abbey: Cistercian art, ancient remedies, and praying monks

 

Rome, Italy, May 26, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Casamari Abbey in Italy is a gem of Cistercian-Gothic art, whose stones have been imbued with the prayers of monks over the centuries. Here, the monks have dedicated their lives to the vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity, and also developed and preserved a special tradition: therapeutic remedies, both in the form of medicines and liquors.

The Casamari pharmacy, still in operation after two centuries, remains a powerful symbol of the connection between monastic life and the science of plants, all for the greater glory of God.

The monastery of Casamari was built in the 11th century on the foundations of a temple dedicated to Ceres, the Greek goddess of the earth, fertility, and harvests — in other words, of life itself. Over a thousand years of Christian witness have filled the stones of this temple, and even today, the atmosphere within its walls inspires a deep sense of serenity and contemplation.

The monastic complex is located in the territory of Veroli along the provincial road that connects the city of Frosinone to Sora in the Lazio region south of Rome. When construction began in 1035, the area was surrounded by untouched forests — an ideal setting for praise to God to rise in the “love of silence,” as prescribed by the Rule of St. Benedict.

It was, in fact, a small group of Benedictine monks who laid the first stones of what would, over the centuries, become the majestic religious monument standing today. Just over a century later, around 1140, Cistercian monks settled there. They belonged to the monastic order founded by Robert of Molesme in 1098, with the aim of returning to a stricter observance of the Benedictine Rule.

The observance of silence was thus joined by the need to embody a culture of sobriety, even in architectural and decorative expression. Within the abbey, the spaces are deliberately bare — devoid of ornaments, frescoes, or furnishings — so as not to be distracted by ephemeral beauty but rather to foster divine contemplation.

“One seems to clearly perceive the aura of silence that has marked this place for centuries,” a visitor in the cloister remarked.

Lines of worshippers and tourists pass through the abbey throughout the day, maintaining a certain spirit of reverence. A well-known center and place of pilgrimage, the Casamari complex attracts between 200,000 and 300,000 visitors annually and has a wide influence, notably through its college and high school.

Casamari still holds one of the oldest examples of Cistercian-Gothic art in Italy.

A unique monastery pharmacy

Within the complex, still managed today by Cistercian monks, there is another unique feature: a pharmacy that has been open for 200 years, furnished with vintage pieces dating back to the mid-20th century.

The shop, marked by a sign depicting two intertwined serpents — the symbol of pharmacists in Italy — is a legacy of the centuries-old monastic tradition of preparing herbal remedies and therapeutic potions.

“In the past, it was normal for abbeys to have a pharmacy,” noted Cistercian monk Alberto Coratti in an interview with CNA. “Throughout the history of monastic life, there have been scientific geniuses — in herbal medicine, in astronomy… many tools and scientific discoveries were born in monasteries.”

The Casamari pharmacy has remained the last functioning pharmacy within a monastery in Italy. Originally, it was managed by the monks, dedicated to preparing remedies using medicinal herbs. Today, the activity carried out is the typical dispensing of medicines upon medical prescription, just like any other pharmacy.

But Coratti does not make the pharmacy the defining feature of the place: “Our primary specialty is prayer,” he repeated tirelessly. In the community of about 20 monks, the septuagenarian serves as the “Cellerario,” who, according to the Rule of St. Benedict, is responsible for the cells and the house — equivalent to a steward.

In addition to the pharmacy, Casamari has maintained its long-standing tradition of liqueurs. Studying the properties of the many medicinal herbs offered by the region, the community developed a workshop for producing liqueurs, creams, soaps, and various other products like honey and jams.

The famous “Tintura Imperiale” is the highlight of the monks’ production. This 90-proof liqueur made from anise and other herbs has been appreciated for more than two centuries for its therapeutic properties and distinctive flavor. Some use it as a digestive, others as a toothache anesthetic. In any case, the recipe remains a secret.

From his office, piled high with files, Coratti manages, among other things, the monastery’s agricultural enterprise, producing olive oil, wine, and cereals.

“A businessman would start his day at 8 a.m., but I start mine at 5 a.m. to have time to pray,” he replied, acknowledging the risk “that too many commitments and worries can divert one from prayer.” But he says around 6:30 p.m., “I shut everything down and we talk about it again tomorrow morning.”

After more than 50 years of religious life, Coratti, who took his vows at the age of 24, still cherishes this motto, which he printed on the cards for his 25th anniversary of priesthood: “I asked the Lord for one thing, the only thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life” (Ps 26:4).