Saint-Vincent de Chantelle Abbey
The Saint-Vincent Abbey is a Benedictine convent in Chantelle in the French department of Allier . The buildings are listed as Monument Historique .
history
There has been a monastery in Chantelle since 937, dedicated to Saint Vincent of Valencia , deacon . Ainaud and Rothilde, who founded the monastery, entrusted it to Canon Regulars . The deed of foundation was co-signed by Odo von Cluny as a witness, it has been preserved and is now kept in the archive of the Puy de Dôme .
At the end of the 11th century, the monks built the Romanesque church that has been preserved to this day. In the 15th century the monastery buildings were completely renovated in the late Gothic style. It is worth mentioning the special location of the monastery: on a sloping rocky promontory above the river Bouble , the monastery was surrounded by the walls of the castle of the Bourbon dukes, which was located slightly above.
Anne de Beaujeu ruled from here from 1483 to 1491 for her underage brother Charles VIII. In 1635, Louis XIII. and Cardinal Richelieu grind the castle of the Bourbons , only a few fortress walls, two towers and remains of the moat, which are now used as gardens, have been preserved. The monastery with its church was spared.
During the French Revolution, the monastery was closed and sold, and the church was used as a storage room.
It was not until October 11, 1853 that monastic life began again in Chantelle. 17 Benedictine nuns came from the Pradines Benedictine Abbey and rebuilt the very dilapidated monastery. At the beginning, the sisters ran a school for the local girls, some girls lived as boarding school students within the enclosure. This model came to an end in 1905 with the law separating church and state . During the Second World War, numerous children came to the countryside from Paris because of the poor supply situation, and the sisters took part in their accommodation and care.
Community
Benedictine nuns have been living in this place for 165 years, currently (2019) ten sisters belong to the community. The monastery belongs to the Coeur Immaculé de Marie Federation with seven other communities .
In addition to the choir prayer, hospitality is of particular importance. In addition to pilgrims and other seekers of God, homeless people also receive accommodation adapted to their needs for two to three nights.
Since 1954, the sisters have been running a company specializing in natural cosmetics, with the support of a few employees today. Under the name Les Bénédictines de Chantelle , over 45 different items are produced, bottled and directly marketed within the abbey. There are also numerous sales points within France and abroad, as well as online shipping. Over 12 tons of handcrafted, natural cosmetics are sold every year. The community lives from the proceeds and the listed buildings can be maintained.
French television has broadcast various reports about the abbey in the past.
literature
- Odile Travers: Chantelle: Son château, son prieuré, son abbaye de Bénédictines . Editions G. de Bussac 1975, ISBN 978-2402270069
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ entry no. PA00093035 in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French).
- ↑ Example
Coordinates: 46 ° 14 ′ 30.8 ″ N , 3 ° 9 ′ 7.9 ″ E