Flône Abbey
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Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, is located on the banks of the Meuse River
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...
at Flône (Amay
Amay
Amay is a Belgian municipality located in the Walloon province of Liège. On January 1, 2006, Amay had a total population of 13,144. The total area is 27.61 km² which gives a population density of approximately 476 inhabitants per km²...
), in the province of Liège
Liège (province)
Liège is the easternmost province of Belgium and belongs to the Walloon Region. It is an area of French and German ethnicity. It borders on the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and in Belgium the provinces of Luxembourg, Namur, Walloon Brabant , and those of Flemish Brabant and Limburg . Its...
(Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
). It was founded in 1075.
In 1075, three lay brothers decided to devote themselves to the religious life and established themselves on land donated by Henry I of Verdun
Henri de Verdun
Henri de Verdun was bishop of Liège from 1075 to 1091. He owed his election to the influence of his relative Godefroid le Bossu, duke of Lower Lorraine, with the Emperor Henry IV...
, Bishop of Liège, near the village of Flône. The site would serve as a convenient resting-place for travelers on the Tongres-Amay-Arlon road, and the lay brothers built a water mill and an oratory
Oratory
Oratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus...
dedicated to Saint Matthew.
In 1189, the site became an abbey and became associated with the order of the Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
regular canons. A brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
was established in 1550 during the administration of Abbot Philippe d'Orjo (d. 1555), whose tomb is conserved in the church. In 1568, the abbey was plundered and destroyed by the Calvinist troops of William the Silent
William the Silent
William I, Prince of Orange , also widely known as William the Silent , or simply William of Orange , was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. He was born in the House of...
.
Thomas de Vinalmont (1608-1623) built the dovecote
Dovecote
A dovecote or dovecot is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be square or circular free-standing structures or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest. Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in...
, porch, and mill, and under the Abbot Guillaume de Hemricourt (1636-1670) and his nephew Abbot Dieudonné de Hemricourt (1670-1692), the church, convent, and tour d'angle (junction tower) were built, the last of which became the emblematic image of the old abbey. These buildings formed a double court, at the center of which can be found the church of Saint-Matthieu. The Church of Saint-Matthieu, formerly the abbey church and now the parish church of Flône, contains five tombstones, of black marble, dedicated to various prelates of Flône; 17th century baptismal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
s; 17th century choral stalls; and two tableaux by Jean Del Cour
Jean Del Cour
Jean Delcour, or Del Cour , was a Flemish Baroque sculptor from Liège.-Biography:At the age of 15 he became a sculpture pupil in Liege of the monk Arnold Henrard. After this training he traveled to Rome and became a pupil of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. He was also influenced by Ercole Ferrata...
(1631-1707) on the walls of the apse. These tableaux depict Saint Matthew and St. Augustine of Hippo. The church also contains a pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
built in 1710 by Karel Dillens. The church also contains a reliquary
Reliquary
A reliquary is a container for relics. These may be the physical remains of saints, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures...
associated with the remains associated with St. Denise
Peter, Andrew, Paul, and Denise
Saints Peter, Andrew, Paul, and Denise are venerated as martyrs by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. They were killed in the 3rd century at Lampsacus, Mysia in the Hellespont.-Martyrdom:...
, an early Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
. The relics are visible through small openings; in the modern era this saint is invoked for protection
Patron saints of ailments, illness and dangers
A list of patron saints of ailments, illness and dangers:-A:*Abd-al-Masih - sterile women *Saint Abel - patron of the blind and the lame*Abhai - poisonous reptiles*Agapitus of Palestrina -invoked against colic*Agatha - breast cancer...
against bicycle and motorcycle accidents and headaches.
In the 18th century, Jean-Jerome de Schroots (1725-1742) added a tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
house (maison de la dîme) and his successor Charles Delvaux de Fenffe rebuilt the abbatial palace.
Flône acquired a vast domain and the rights associated with its lands, which included various farms and privileges regarding forests and fisheries.
In 1796, control of the abbey was assumed by the French revolutionary
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
authorities; its lands and goods were confiscated and sold to private individuals.
In 1921, the order known as the Ladies of Christian Education (Dames de l'instruction chrétienne) acquired Flône Abbey and made it their principal house. A boarding school for young girls was opened at the abbey. The institution later introduced co-education. A footbridge was built, which connected it with Château Goffart (built in 1905). There was a fire at the abbey in December 2007, which damaged some of the old woodwork. In 2008, the elementary school at the abbey had more than 400 pupils; there were 800 pupils at the secondary level.