History Cambron Abbey

1 history

1.1 heroic beginnings
1.2 century of knowledge
1.3 notre-dame de cambron
1.4 renaissance
1.5 17th , 18th centuries
1.6 dissolution of abbey

history
heroic beginnings

twelve monks clairvaux arrived @ cambron on august 1, 1148. sent st. bernard, abbot of clairvaux, @ invitation of anselm of trazegnies, lord of péronnes-lez-binche , canon , treasurer of collegiate chapter of soignies, offered land on banks of dender foundation of abbey. living conditions rudimentary. however, cistercian order had become prestigious. cistercian, abbot of tre fontaine, had been elected pope eugene iii.

according Émile poumon, st. bernard stayed in hainaut in 1148, when abbey founded. st. bernard visited cambron in 1150, time monks facing significant difficulties. endowment anselm of trazegnies contested brother gilles of silly. abbey, however, managed win case. first abbots skilled administrators, religious men, brought temporal competence , spiritual vigor. fastré de gaviamez, second successor st. bernard, successful abbot.

shortly after foundation, abbey grew substantially. became 1 of wealthiest monasteries of hainault , variously founded, or given supervision of, several daughter houses: abbeys of fontenelle @ valenciennes (1212), nieuwenbosch near ghent (1215), Épinlieu @ mons (1216), beaupré near mechelen (1221), le refuge @ ath (1224), le verger @ cambrai (1225) , baudeloo @ saint-nicolas (1225).

two bishops, attracted holiness of site, decided retire there. didier, bishop of thérouanne, wished consecrate last years of life prayer , contemplation. retired cambron, died in 1196. other, henry, worldly , corrupt bishop received terrifying vision of punishments of hell. reformed himself, renounced worldly affairs, , spent rest of life simple monk @ cambron.

when fastré of gaviamez promoted clairvaux, gérard of burgundy (a relative of st. bernard) replaced him @ cambron. retired after 8 years. daniel de grammont, blessed, elected third abbot, , served until death in 1196.

century of knowledge

at end of 13th century, baudouin of boussu, doctor of theology, appointed succeed thomas d aquin @ university of paris. wrote commentary on book of sentences, , left behind collections of sermons. eleventh abbot of cambron, great promoter , organizer of theological studies. cambron has since produced numerous theologians , intellectuals. several enjoy great renown.

notre-dame de cambron

in 1322 there serious incident @ cambron. image of virgin mary profaned. held suspicion jewish perpetrator had falsified conversion christianity gain access image. affair caused significant unrest, , provoked sympathy of many christians. there ceremonies held repair image. devotion our lady of cambron begun. after request king of france philip of valois, pope benedict xii issued papal bull granting indulgences pilgrims cambron. pilgrimage virgin of cambron begun. solemn procession takes place each year on third sunday of easter.

among pilgrims , visitors several important figures, including emperor maximilian i, who, passing through belgium in 16th century, visited sanctuary of our lady of cambron. gave abbey sufficient funds commission restoration of painted image.

in 1581, under abbot robert d ostelart, troop of 600 huguenots threatened assault abbey. however, left area without doing damage. seemingly miraculous circumstance attributed monks protection of our lady of cambron. renewed devotion virgin.

renaissance

by end of 14th century, there more 70 monks @ cambron pursuing abbey s charitable mission. monks increasingly recruited aid of lay-brothers tend fields. contribution of agricultural techniques local peasantry substantially improved both status of rural class , local economy.

after facing difficulties in 15th century, abbey contributed in 16th century renaissance in arts , in theology. master of novices andré enobarb, distinguished humanist corresponded erasmus, wrote latin tragedy miracles of our lady of cambron. abbot robert d ostelart (d. 1613), supported college in ath , provided scholarships theology students @ leuven. there many other eminent monks @ cambron. jean d assignies , gregory de lattefleur both later become abbot of nizelles. baudouin moreau, author of famous commentary on rule of st. benedict, became emissary of cistercian order in rome. jean farinart, of chièvres, succeeded robert d ostelart abbot, excellent theologian , doctor of theology @ douai. antoine le waitte, author of history of cambron abbey (1672), abbey s librarian , expanded collections.

17th , 18th centuries

by 17th century, abbey had become rich years of gifts, legacies, , productive agriculture. abbey enjoyed great renown, strict adherence monastic life had begun loosen. abbey s wealth attracted envy of others. @ end of 17th century, wars of king louis xiv devastated province of hainaut , set off abbey s first period of decline.

at beginning of 18th century, period of peace allowed new prosperity, , spate of construction , renovation. majority of structures still visible @ site today date period. entrance gate of abbey given statuary niche held image of virgin mary. abbey s tower, built under direction of architect jean-françois wincqz, constructed in pure neoclassical style. carriage house, 5 stalls , dovecote in center, unique. monumental staircase evokes garden of palace more monastery.

dissolution of abbey

the abbey still prosperous in 1782, @ time had 58 monks. in 1783, holy roman emperor joseph ii, so-called enlightened despot, classified cambron abbey 1 of useless monasteries , convents. therefore dissolved. decision took effect in 1789. on may 27, 1789, monks expelled abbey , went exile in netherlands.

the waning of austrian power, hastened brabant revolution, , establishment of short-lived unified belgian states, allowed monks return abbey time beginning in december 1789. of buildings had been looted. subsequent french occupation put end 9 centuries of cistercian life. expelled revolutionary government, monks left abbey in 1797. 44th , final abbot of cambron, florent pépin, died in netherlands on november 16, 1795. abbey s assets sold , buildings torn down succeeding owners.

it later sold counts of val de beaulieu, built large château on site , property remained until 1993. sold domb family, set zoo here, present pairi daiza.

in 1982 declared protected area.