Cellarium  Christian Spirituality - Products from Monasteries Deutsch
Cellarium
The small incense online shop - and more
Cellarium (lat.): storage cellar
Background Information on the Cellarium Webshop and its Products:
Background Information: The "Cellarium" Webshop
Cellarium Lilienfeld AbbeyMany years ago, when we visited the Abbey of Lilienfeld for the first time and entered its cellarium, we were deeply impressed by the atmosphere of peace and prayer and the strong feeling of warmth and stability which this room conveyed, notwithstanding that its original purpose was a rather secular one: The medieval monks had stored their wine and food there. This synthesis between the deep Christian spirituality of an abbey on the one and secular purposes on the other hand caused us to make the Lilienfeld cellarium a "trade mark" of our webshop, with which we intend to convey the spirituality of the products of Christian monasteries, convents and orders to a broad secular public.

Today, there are no more wine barrels or cabbages in the cellarium of Lilienfeld abbey: The space has been carefully renovated, and light and heating have been installed. The cellarium is now available as exceedingly impressive surroundings for events.

October 2009
Eveline & Karl Riedling
Background Information: Gregorian Chant
Compositions of the most different styles and genres, spanning over a thousand years, are brought together under the term "Gregorian Chant". The only characteristics which are common to all these extremely different vocal works are the monophony, the text being in Latin and the unconstrained, free rhythm; in terms of key, melody and ambitus they differ greatly, so that it is rather an unfortunate levelling-out to collect such musical variety and contrast, which came into being over hundreds of years, under one common term.

Gregorian chant was and is still the vocal works of the Divine Service of the Latin Church. Above all it is concerned with communal prayer, sounding out the praise of the Lord:

Ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus!
That in all things God may be glorified!

(according to P. Gottfried Meier OSB, Gerleve)

Gregorian chant at the Cellarium webshop:
Background Information: Baroque Paper-Box Theatres
Paper-box theatre "Paradise"
Paper-box theatre "Paradise"
Following the tradition of baroque theatre architecture, small-sized theatres emerged during the first half of the 18th century. These theatres were not only intended for private use but also publicly exhibited at fairs up to the middle of the 19th century. The Engelbrecht brothers, whose paper-box theatres are newly presented here, were extremely successful with their "illuminated painting and cut-out pictures" which they jointly produced in their publishing firm between 1712 and 1735. Technically simplified, copperplate engravings were coloured and cut out by hand, frequently embellished with fabric or metal applications, and mounted into wooden boxes. Their purpose was to give an impression of the splendour of baroque theatres to those people that were excluded from visiting the great theatres. This may explain the immense popularity of such paper-box theatres, which may give pleasure to a kind public even nowadays.

Although the paper-box theatres presented here are titled "Krippen" (nativity scenes), they cover a wide range of scenes from the Old and the New Testament and are, therefore, only partly restricted to Christmas topics.

Baroque paper-box theatres at the Cellarium webshop:
Background Information: Liqueur brewed by monasteries
The liqueur brewed by monasteries is intended for responsible use, i.e., to be drunk in small amounts only. Liqueur is no beverage to quench thirst! Monks have sold liqueur prepared from herbs for centuries, and warned of its abuse. Alcohol is to be savoured with care, and not intended for persons under age 18.
We comply with our responsibility as a vendor on behalf of the monasteries and sell the liquor to adults only.

Liqueur from monasteries at the Cellarium webshop: