Judy Cowfer, age 15, of Haggerstown,  Md., for her question:

WHEN WAS THE FIRST ABBEY ESTABLISHED?

An abbey is a self contained community of monks ruled by an abbot or of nuns ruled by an abbess. Within the abbey walls were the abbey church, the dormitory, the refectory or dining hall and the guest house for travelers.

One of the oldest and greatest of the medieval abbeys was Monte Cassino, founded by St. Benedict in 529 A.D. It is located between Rome and Naples.

In 1866 when Italy dissolved many of its monasteries, Monte Cassino became a national monument. Its buildings held a monastery, a school for laymen and two seminaries. During World War II, the Allied advance was held up at Cassino and the abbey was bombarded. However, most of its treasures were saved. By 1952 the Italian government had rebuilt it.

The abbeys of the Middle Ages were peaceful retreats for scholars and were the chief centers for Christian piety and learning.

Of the monastic orders in the West, among the most prominent are the Benedictines, Carthusians, Cistercians and Premonstratensians.