History

In 1200 two brothers, Gomez Roman, an abbot, and his brother Naron Roman rebuilt, outside Arévalo, a monastery which took the name of “The monastery of Gomez Roman for many centuries . At times it held 200 nuns.

In 1524 the community, composed of 60 nuns, 15 lay sisters and 4 chaplains, moved to the center of Arévalo to the royal palace of Dom Juan II, which his son, the Emperor Charles V, gave to the nuns. It was called the monastery of Santa Maria la Real.

The monastery enjoyed a good spirituality, forming holy nuns who gave depth and maturity to the community and their successors. One such was Mother Catherine of the Holy Spirit, who was born in Arévalo in 1578 and died in 1631. She embodied all the virtues and died in the odor of sanctity. From 1805 she was offered to the veneration of the faithful who spontaneously honored her  because of her life and aura of sanctity.

In 1949, wishing to live the Rule of St. Benedict more perfectly, the community asked to be incorporated into the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. Their request was granted by the General Chapter and took place on 8 December 1951. It was the first act of Dom Gabriel Sortais as he entered into his duties as Abbot General.

Because of repairs needed for the monastery, a new transfer was suggested to the community.It was done by moving north to 4 kilometers from the Villa of Arévalo and building a new monastery This is the third transfer that the community of 40 nuns and 2 chaplains endured. It took place on 18 July 1973.