Abbot Emeritus of Montserrat, Sebastià Bardolet, dies at 91.
His abbacy was characterized by the renovation of the monastery buildings, especially the reform of the basilica
BarcelonaAbbot Emeritus Sebastià Bardolet died this Tuesday at the age of 91, the Montserrat Abbey announced in a statement. "During his years of monastic life, he carried out various services within the community, as prefect of the Montserrat Choir from 1968 to 1977 and prior of the abbey from 1978 to 1989," the abbey noted.
After a period as an altar boy in the 1940s, Bardolet (Torelló, 1934) entered the monastery as a novice in 1953, until he received the priestly ministry in 1960. He then studied music at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome. In 1989, he was elected abbot of Montserrat upon the resignation of Abbot Cassià Just, a position he held until his resignation in 2000, when he was succeeded by Josep Maria Soler.
During his abbotship, Bardolet prioritized the renovation of monastery buildings, such as the basilica, and of the Holy Cave after the fire of 1994. In fact, in 1997, he created the Montserrat Abbey Foundation 2025, aimed at promoting the restoration of the architectural complex.
The funeral, presided over by Abbot Manel Gasch, will be on Thursday, September 18, at the Basilica of Santa Maria de Montserrat.