In 11th and 12th century were occuring many changes in church. As a result of these changes new order was established. It was founded in year 1084 by st. Bruno from Cologne (* 1030 – † 6. 10. 1101). He was educated man who officiated on Rennes Cathedral School and was elected for archbishop. He did not accepted this function and with bishop in Grenoble, Hugo († 1136) and with many more companions, left to mountains near Grenoble where they built first monastery. Place Grande Chartreuse gave name to the order and until today it is main establisment of Carthusian order. Community lived according to spiritual intuition. After Bruno’s death were written first practices – Consuatudines Cartusiae (1121 – 1127), which became foundations for order which was approved by pope Inocent II. (1133). Here are some of the specifics of Carthusian spirituality: balanced rhythm of life, prayer, work and learning, cell, asceticism, poverty, meditation as method of spiritual discernment.

Stay in cell and cell will teach you everything!

Life in solitude in monastic cell allowed the best training for spiritual formation and life philosophy – return to Paradise. That’s why Carthusians named Paradise our and many more places in Europe. Carthusians emphasis importance of books because they can’t talk. They were copying, ilustrating and binding books. They loved books and therefore Carthusian order have huge impact on culture in Europe. Thanks to seclusion from the direct impact of church politics, order became example of monastery life. Pope Inocent XI. described order after 600 years after establisment, with more than 200 monasteries, with words: „Carthusia nunquam reformata, quia nunquam deformata.” (Carthusia were not reformed because it was never deformed.) Most of the monasteries were dismissed or closed during modern times. Nowadays oder has 24 monasteries (6 nunneries) in Europe and two newly established in Brasil and USA (M. Tobiáš, born in Prešov, Slovakia, was ordained on 2. 8. 1993 in Arlington-Vermont, USA).