Rochefort Abbey
Encyclopedia
The Trappist Abbey of Rochefort or Abbey of Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy, which belongs to the Cistercians of Strict Observance
, is located in Rochefort
in the province of Namur
(Wallonia, Belgium). The abbey is famous for its spiritual life and its brewery
, which is one of few Trappist beer
breweries in the world. Life in the abbey is characterised by prayer, reading and manual work, the three basic elements of Trappist life. The motto of the abbey is Curvata Resurgo.
of Rochefort
founded a monastery
for Cistercian nuns called Secours de Notre-Dame. In 1464 Louis de la Marck ordered the nuns to leave the monastery which had decayed and they were replaced by monks. The monastery was the latest Daughter-house of the abbey of Abbey of Cîteaux
. During the Eighty Years War the abbey was ravaged by the protestant armies of the Seventeen Provinces
(1568) and the Austria
n armies of John of Austria (1577). Around 1595, the first brewery was founded within the abbey.
In the 17th century the abbey suffered from war, famine
and the plague. On 30 April 1650, an army from Lorraine
, led by baron
Châtelet, invaded the abbey. The monks had to flee to Marche
, as well as in 1652 and 1653.
In 1789 the French revolutionary
army invaded the Austrian Netherlands, and in 1797 the abbey was closed and sold to Lucien-Joseph Poncelet. Poncelet demolished the abbey around 1805 and converted it to a farm. Material of the abbey was used for buildings in Rochefort.
Abbey of Achel
came to the old abbey and on 21 December 1887 the buildings were bought by the monks of Achel. The abbey was restored and new buildings were raised. A new brewery was founded, but it would take until 1952 for the brewery to produce enough beer to be sold.
On 29 December 2010 a large fire destroyed a large part of the abbey. Though the blaze has destroyed much of the building's timber structure, the monks escaped unharmed and the flames didn't reach the beer.
Trappists
The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance , or Trappists, is a Roman Catholic religious order of cloistered contemplative monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict...
, is located in Rochefort
Rochefort, Belgium
Rochefort is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur close to the Ardennes. On January 1, 2006 Rochefort had a total population of 12,038. The total area is 165.27 km² which gives a population density of 73 inhabitants per km²...
in the province of Namur
Namur (province)
Namur is a province of Wallonia, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Walloon provinces of Hainaut, Walloon Brabant, Liège and Luxembourg in Belgium, and on France. Its capital is the city of Namur...
(Wallonia, Belgium). The abbey is famous for its spiritual life and its brewery
Rochefort Brewery
Rochefort Brewery is a Belgian Trappist brewery. It produces three Trappist beers.-Beers:* Rochefort 6 . Reddish colour, very consistent texture with a slightly spicy aroma and an intense taste of caramel, fruit, and hints of raisins...
, which is one of few Trappist beer
Trappist beer
A Trappist beer is a beer brewed by or under control of Trappist monks. There are a total of 174 Trappist monasteries worldwide ; only seven produce Trappist beer and are authorized to label their beers with the Authentic Trappist Product logo that indicates a compliance to the various rules of...
breweries in the world. Life in the abbey is characterised by prayer, reading and manual work, the three basic elements of Trappist life. The motto of the abbey is Curvata Resurgo.
Early history
Around 1230, Gilles de Walcourt, countCount
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of Rochefort
Rochefort, Belgium
Rochefort is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur close to the Ardennes. On January 1, 2006 Rochefort had a total population of 12,038. The total area is 165.27 km² which gives a population density of 73 inhabitants per km²...
founded a monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
for Cistercian nuns called Secours de Notre-Dame. In 1464 Louis de la Marck ordered the nuns to leave the monastery which had decayed and they were replaced by monks. The monastery was the latest Daughter-house of the abbey of Abbey of Cîteaux
Cîteaux Abbey
Cîteaux Abbey is a Roman Catholic abbey located in Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, south of Dijon, France. Today it belongs to the Trappists, or Cistercians of the Strict Observance . The Cistercian order takes its name from this mother house of Cîteaux, earlier Cisteaux, near Nuits-Saint-Georges...
. During the Eighty Years War the abbey was ravaged by the protestant armies of the Seventeen Provinces
Seventeen Provinces
The Seventeen Provinces were a personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 15th century and 16th century, roughly covering the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, a good part of the North of France , and a small part of Western Germany.The Seventeen Provinces were originally held by...
(1568) and the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n armies of John of Austria (1577). Around 1595, the first brewery was founded within the abbey.
In the 17th century the abbey suffered from war, famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
and the plague. On 30 April 1650, an army from Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
, led by baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
Châtelet, invaded the abbey. The monks had to flee to Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
, as well as in 1652 and 1653.
In 1789 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...
army invaded the Austrian Netherlands, and in 1797 the abbey was closed and sold to Lucien-Joseph Poncelet. Poncelet demolished the abbey around 1805 and converted it to a farm. Material of the abbey was used for buildings in Rochefort.
Modern history
On 11 October 1887, father Anselmus Judong from the TrappistTRAPPIST
TRAPPIST is Belgian robotic telescope in Chile which came online in 2010, and is an acronym for TRAnsiting Planets and PlanetesImals Small Telescope, so named in homage to Trappist beer produced in the Belgian region. Situated high in the Chilean mountains at La Silla Observatory, it is actually...
Abbey of Achel
Achel Abbey
The Trappist Abbey of Achel or Saint Benedictus-Abbey or also Achelse Kluis , which belongs to the Cistercians of Strict Observance, is located in Achel in the Campine region of the province of Limburg . The abbey is famous for its spiritual life and its brewery, which is one of few Trappist beer...
came to the old abbey and on 21 December 1887 the buildings were bought by the monks of Achel. The abbey was restored and new buildings were raised. A new brewery was founded, but it would take until 1952 for the brewery to produce enough beer to be sold.
On 29 December 2010 a large fire destroyed a large part of the abbey. Though the blaze has destroyed much of the building's timber structure, the monks escaped unharmed and the flames didn't reach the beer.
Source
- A. Fourneau, L’abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy à Rochefort : Histoire d’une communauté cistercienne en terre de Famenne, 239 p., Rochefort, 2002
- J. Van Remoortere, Ippa's Abdijengids voor Belgie, Lannoo, 1990
External links
- Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy (French)