Matěj Aleš Ungar
(1622 - 1701) | Abbot in Zlatá Koruna monastery |
When he finished his
studies and graduated with a doctorate of philosophy in 1654, he
entered the Cistercian religious order in the Zlatá
Koruna monastery, and in 1656 he was appointed a parish priest
in the Mary holy place in Kájov
that had been owned by the Cistercians of Zlatá Koruna from 1263.
He could testify his abilities for the first time here. He
renovated, improved and extended the dilapidating vicarage and
church as well as revived the omitted Mary respect. His ravishing
Czech and German sermons attracted lots of pilgrims. He was elected
abbot of Zlatá Koruna in 1663, but he still came back to Kájov very
often to served the Mary piousness. He finished the reconstruction
of the monastery church in Zlatá Koruna, reconstituted a larger
part of the Convent (the ruined monastery was still destroyed from
the Hussite wars) and he increased rents in the monastery. He
successfully fought in the restitution battle for the monastery
properties against the Eggenbergs
who were greedy sponsors of the monastery. In spite of the Turkish
danger and a high war tax, Ungar was able to successfully keep
monks in the monastery in exemplary discipline. Under his care the
Zlatá Koruna monastery was a great example to all monasteries in
the Cistercian province in the Český Krumlov district. The resident
monks left for other Cistercian monasteries to hold high and
significant posts (abbot or provost).
(jh)