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{{GZ|There was in the eleventh, but especially in the twelfth century, reaching over into the thirteenth century, an actually wonderful school, in which there were teachers who knew perfectly well how in the preceding centuries the pupils had been led to experience the spiritual. It was the school of Chartres, where above all a ray of the still living wisdom of Peter of Compostella, who worked in Spain, who cultivated a living mysterious Christianity in Spain, which still spoke of Christ's helper, nature, which still spoke of the fact that only when this nature has introduced man to the elements, to the world of the planets, to the world of the stars, only then will man become mature enough to get to know the seven helpers, as living goddesses: Grammar, Dialectic, Rhetoric, Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy, Music. The pupils got to know them as divine-spiritual figures, alive. In this school of Chartres, for example, Bernhardus Sylvestris taught, who, as if in powerful descriptions, brought into being before his pupils that which was ancient wisdom. John of Chartres, who was also called John of Salisbury, developed views in which he came to terms with Aristotelianism. And with an inspiring force, what was taught in the school of Chartres was transplanted to the Cluniacensian Order. And there was one in particular, in the twelfth century, who actually surpassed all others: Alain of Lille or Alanus ab Insulis.|237|94ff}}
{{GZ|There was in the eleventh, but especially in the twelfth century, reaching over into the thirteenth century, an actually wonderful school, in which there were teachers who knew perfectly well how in the preceding centuries the pupils had been led to experience the spiritual. It was the school of Chartres, where above all a ray of the still living wisdom of Peter of Compostella, who worked in Spain, who cultivated a living mysterious Christianity in Spain, which still spoke of Christ's helper, nature, which still spoke of the fact that only when this nature has introduced man to the elements, to the world of the planets, to the world of the stars, only then will man become mature enough to get to know the seven helpers, as living goddesses: Grammar, Dialectic, Rhetoric, Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy, Music. The pupils got to know them as divine-spiritual figures, alive. In this school of Chartres, for example, Bernhardus Sylvestris taught, who, as if in powerful descriptions, brought into being before his pupils that which was ancient wisdom. John of Chartres, who was also called John of Salisbury, developed views in which he came to terms with Aristotelianism. And with an inspiring force, what was taught in the school of Chartres was transplanted to the Cluniacensian Order. And there was one in particular, in the twelfth century, who actually surpassed all others: Alain of Lille or Alanus ab Insulis.|237|94ff}}
== Pre-Christian Mysteries in Chartres ==
[[w:Chartres|Chartres]] is distinguished by the intersection of important [[ether]]ic currents of power, as is true to some degree for every place of worship, but here to a very special degree. In fact, even for the [[Druid]]s, the later Chartres, situated in the middle of what was then [[w:Gaul|Gaul]], was a central place of worship, where the "virgo paritura" - the virgin who gives birth - was worshipped. In a grotto at the top of the hill of Chartres there is said to have been a statue of the Virgin with the child on her lap. [[Rudolf Steiner]] said of the Irish-Celtic places of worship that the [[Mystery of Golgotha]] was experienced there in spiritual vision. Here in Chartres, in particular, the birth of [[Christ]] was experienced and so the ground was already prepared for the reception of [[Christianity]]. In a certain sense, the people here were already Christians before Christianity came to them externally - and when it came externally, it was able to connect seamlessly with the tradition cultivated here. Thus the Druidic mystery schools passed directly into the Roman Christian schools, prepared by [[w:Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]]'s Gallic campaign, which brought the Roman element here.


== Literature ==
== Literature ==

Revision as of 17:19, 19 July 2021

The Gothic Cathedral of Chartres in its present form.

The School of Chartres was one of the most important intellectual centres north of the Alps for around 200 years from about the year 1000.

Rudolf Steiner characterised the School of Chartres thus:

„There was in the eleventh, but especially in the twelfth century, reaching over into the thirteenth century, an actually wonderful school, in which there were teachers who knew perfectly well how in the preceding centuries the pupils had been led to experience the spiritual. It was the school of Chartres, where above all a ray of the still living wisdom of Peter of Compostella, who worked in Spain, who cultivated a living mysterious Christianity in Spain, which still spoke of Christ's helper, nature, which still spoke of the fact that only when this nature has introduced man to the elements, to the world of the planets, to the world of the stars, only then will man become mature enough to get to know the seven helpers, as living goddesses: Grammar, Dialectic, Rhetoric, Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy, Music. The pupils got to know them as divine-spiritual figures, alive. In this school of Chartres, for example, Bernhardus Sylvestris taught, who, as if in powerful descriptions, brought into being before his pupils that which was ancient wisdom. John of Chartres, who was also called John of Salisbury, developed views in which he came to terms with Aristotelianism. And with an inspiring force, what was taught in the school of Chartres was transplanted to the Cluniacensian Order. And there was one in particular, in the twelfth century, who actually surpassed all others: Alain of Lille or Alanus ab Insulis.“ (Lit.:GA 237, p. 94ff)

Pre-Christian Mysteries in Chartres

Chartres is distinguished by the intersection of important etheric currents of power, as is true to some degree for every place of worship, but here to a very special degree. In fact, even for the Druids, the later Chartres, situated in the middle of what was then Gaul, was a central place of worship, where the "virgo paritura" - the virgin who gives birth - was worshipped. In a grotto at the top of the hill of Chartres there is said to have been a statue of the Virgin with the child on her lap. Rudolf Steiner said of the Irish-Celtic places of worship that the Mystery of Golgotha was experienced there in spiritual vision. Here in Chartres, in particular, the birth of Christ was experienced and so the ground was already prepared for the reception of Christianity. In a certain sense, the people here were already Christians before Christianity came to them externally - and when it came externally, it was able to connect seamlessly with the tradition cultivated here. Thus the Druidic mystery schools passed directly into the Roman Christian schools, prepared by Julius Caesar's Gallic campaign, which brought the Roman element here.

Literature
References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated.
Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com.
Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books
A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works
Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English.
Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold
steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA)
Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.
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