The holy abbots Robert of Molesme, Alberic and Stephen Harding gave the Benedictine tradition a particular form when in 1098 they built the New Monastery of Citeaux, and founded the Cistercian Order. About 1125, Saint Stephen established the nuns' monastery of "Tart", as Citeaux's own daughter house, entrusted to the pastoral care of the abbot of this monastery. ... Under the influence of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux and others the ideal of this reform spread and monasteries of monks and nuns following the Cistercian way of life multiplied even beyond western Europe. In 1892 the three congregations of the Strict Observance combined to form a single order, now called the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance.
This Order is a monastic institute wholly ordered to contemplation. The monks and nuns dedicate themselves to the worship of God in a hidden life within the monastery under the Rule of St Benedict. They lead a monastic way of life in solitude and silence, in assiduous prayer and joyful penitence as defined in these Constitutions, thus rendering to the divine majesty a service that is at once humble and noble.
There are now 12 monasteries of monks and 5 of nuns in the United States Cisterican Order.
Monks:
- St. Joseph's Abbey, Spencer, Massachusetts 01562
- Genesee Abbey, Piffard, New York 14533
- Holy Cross Abbey, Berryville, Virginia 22611
- Our Lady of Mepkin Abbey, Moncks Corner, South Carolina 29461
- Holy Spirit Abbey, Conyers, Georgia 30208
- Gethsemani Abbey, Trappist, Kentucky 40051
- New Melleray Abbey, Dubuque, Iowa 52001
- Assumption Abbey, Ava, Missouri 65608
- St Benedict's Monastery, Snowmass, Colorado 81654
- Holy Trinity Abbey, Huntsville, Utah 84317
- Abbey of New Clairvaux, Vina, California 96092
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Abbey, Lafayette, Oregon 97127
Nuns:
- Mount Saint Mary's Abbey, Wrentham, Massachusetts 02093
- Redwoods Monastery, Whitethorn, California 95489
- Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey, Dubuque, Iowa 52001
- Santa Rita Abbey, Sonoita, Arizona 85637
- Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, Crozet, Virginia 22932