Susteren Abbey

Susteren Abbey (Abdij van Susteren) is a former Benedictine abbey at Susteren near Roermond, Limburg, Netherlands founded in the 8th century. The former abbey church is now St. Amelberga Basilica.

History

Early in 714 Pepin of Herstal and his wife Plectrude sent Saint Willibrord letters of conveyance and protection for the monastery, permitting free election of abbots. The Benedictine foundation served as a refuge for the missionaries working in Frisia and the Netherlands.

It was destroyed by the Vikings in 882 and refounded as a house of secular canonesses, whose first abbess was Saint Amelberga of Susteren, who died about 900.

The Lotharingian King Zwentibold, a benefactor of the abbey and either the father or the brother of the abbesses Benedicta and Cecilia, was buried (according to a later tradition) in Susteren Abbey in about 900.

Also buried there are Saint Wastrada, who died in the mid-8th century, and Saint Gregory of Utrecht (d. about 775/777), a companion of Saint Boniface in his missions to Friesia, and later abbot of the Martinsstift in Utrecht.

Susteren

Susteren (Limburgish: Zöstere) is a city in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Echt-Susteren, about 7 km northwest of Sittard. It was a separate municipality until 2003, when it was merged with Echt. Susteren received town privileges in 1276.

Susteren harboured the Benedictine Abbey Susteren, that was founded in the 8th century and was closed at the end of the 18th century. Its Romanesque church was raised to the status of a basilica in 2007 by pope Benedict XVI. There is a museum ‘t Stift next to the church. Other sights are the castle Eyckholt, the mill Dieterdermolen and typical River Meuse valley farms like the Hommelhof.

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Coordinates: 51°04′N 5°52′E / 51.067°N 5.867°E / 51.067; 5.867