| Averbode: Norbertijnenabdij |
Premonstratensian abbey; diocese of Luik (Mon.Praem. II, p. 270), circarie Brabant, daughter abbey of Michielsabdij. Founded 1134 by count Arnould de Looz. Already in the 12th century there was a scriptorium (Lefèvre: L'ancienne bibliothèque ...).
Patron saints: Maria and Johannes Baptista.
Among the parish churches served by Averbode: Venlo: Martinuskerk; Rotselaar: Pieterskerk (see: De abdij van Averbode (Averbode 1980), p. 44).
The liturgical manuscripts are mentioned in R. van Waefelghem: Répertoire ..., pp. 15-17 (nr. 27). Many of the manuscripts of the medieval abbey are now in the abbey archive.
 | Luik, UB, nr 253, Exemplare missarum (Gospel readings; Historische schoonheid van Averbode, pp. 172-173, nr. 101) |
| | Luik, UB, 363, Evangeliarium (12th century) |
| | B-AVERBna IV 64, Missale confessorum, 1st half 16th century |
| | B-AVERBna IV 91, Liturgy of the dead, 16th century |
| | B-AVERBna IV 133, Passions, 1511 |
| | B-AVERBna IV 411, Collectarius, intonation book etc., 1493 |
| | B-AVERBna IV 412, Antiphoner winter part, 1st half 16th century |
| | B-AVERBna IV 413, Antiphoner summer part, 1st half 16th century |
| | B-AVERBna IV 419, Graduale, 15th century |
| | B-AVERBna IV 430, Antiphoner winter part, 15th century |
| | B-AVERBna IV 434, Processionale, 16th century |
| | B-Br 1004, Horae, 15th century, Glorieux-de Gand: Provenance monastique ..., nr. 56, p. 573 |
In addition, many of the fragments preserved in the abbey's archive must be from the abbey's liturgical manuscripts (e.g. IV 414). B-Br IV 625 nr 10 bears the name of one of the abbots of the abbey.
 | Monasticon Belge IV/3, pp. 621-676 |
| | Lefèvre: L'ancienne bibliothèque de l'abbaye d'Averbode d'après les sources d'archives, in: Acta Praemonstr. 36 (1960), pp, 62-112, 317-336 |
| | Lefèvre: Transcriptions, enluminures et reliures |
| | Smeyers & Muyle, in: Arca Lovaniensis 7 (Jaarboek 1978), p. 335: the Brethren of Common Life of St Maartensdal in Leuven worked for Averbode, and Maria van Bel painted miniatures in the Averbode manuscripts; for Maria van Bel also Smeyers 1973, p. 127 |
| | Smeyers: De liturgische handschriften der abdij Averbode (mainly on the Missale Confessorum) |
| | Historische schoonheid van Averbode, pp. 165-184 |
| | Kunst uit Norbertijner abdijen in Brabant |
The abbey's archive holds a number of manuscripts. Probably many of these have been property of the medieval abbey, though not all of them show internal evidence.
 | B-AVERBna IV 64, Missale confessorum of Averbode |
| | B-AVERBna IV 91, Liturgy of the dead |
| | B-AVERBna IV 133, Passions, 1511 |
| | B-AVERBna IV 411, Collectarius, intonation book etc., 1493, for Averbode |
| | B-AVERBna IV 412, Antiphoner winter part, belonging to Averbode, 1st half 16th century |
| | B-AVERBna IV 413, Antiphoner summer part, 1st half 16th century |
| | B-AVERBna IV 414, Fragments |
| | B-AVERBna IV 415, Fragments |
| | B-AVERBna IV 416, Fragments |
| | B-AVERBna IV 417, 3 boxes with fragments |
| | B-AVERBna IV 418, Office and Mass chants, 1550, for the Lambertuskerk of Hechtel |
| | B-AVERBna IV 419, Graduale, 15th century, Averbode |
| | B-AVERBna IV 430, Antiphoner winter part, 15th century |
| | B-AVERBna IV 431, Fragments |
| | B-AVERBna IV 432, Fragments |
| | B-AVERBna IV 434, Processionale of Averbode |
There are some 16th century manuscripts for profession, election of an abbot etc.
Besides there are post-medieval manuscripts: B-AVERBna IV 421 (Mass and Office chants); B-AVERBna IV 422 (antiphonarium de sanctis); B-AVERBna IV 423 (antiphonarium de sanctis); B-AVERBna IV 424-IV 427 (4 very large choir books for the Divine Office, ca 1672); B-AVERBna IV 428 (antiphonarium); B-AVERBna IV 429 (antiphonarium de tempore); B-AVERBna IV 433 (Processionale for a nuns convent); B-AVERBna IV 435 (Intonation book, according to the text on p. 1 premonstratensian); B-AVERBna IV 436 (choir book, 1777); B-AVERBna IV 437a-b-c (3-part Lamentations for Holy Week), and many others.
And imprints: B-AVERBna IV 420.