The Abbaye de la Fille-Dieu is a

Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

monastery located near the town of Romont in the

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...

Canton of Fribourg The canton of Fribourg, also canton of Freiburg (french: Canton de Fribourg ; german: Kanton Freiburg ; frp, Canton de Fribôrg rm, Chantun Friburg it, Canton Friburgo) is located in western Switzerland. The canton is bilingual, with French ...

. Founded as a

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

priory in 1268, and continuously occupied by a community of nuns since its establishment, the alpine abbey is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. Heavily altered through its history, Fille-Dieu was restructured by economic turmoil, fire, additions and unsympathetic alterations. In 1906 the abbey became affiliated with the

Trappists The Trappists, officially known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance ( la, Ordo Cisterciensis Strictioris Observantiae, abbreviated as OCSO) and originally named the Order of Reformed Cistercians of Our Lady of La Trappe, are a ...

, and between 1990 and 1996 an internationally notable restoration was undertaken, modernising the monastic buildings, restoring the abbey church to its original volume, and preserving its rediscovered medieval murals, with the only contemporary element a suite of stained glass windows commissioned from the British artist

Brian Clarke Brian Clarke (born 2 July 1953) is a British painter, architectural artist and printmaker, known for his large-scale stained glass and mosaic projects, symbolist paintings, set designs, and collaborations with major figures in Modern and conte ...

. Further restoration of the abbey continues today.

Early history

In 1268, the Bishop of Lausanne, Jean de Cossonay, visited a small community of women who, in 1265, had founded a house of prayer near Romont. He authorised Juliette, Pernette and Cécile de Villa to erect a monastery on the site and gave it the name 'Fille-Dieu'.

Modern history

In 1906, the abbey joined the Cistercian Order of Strict Observance, colloquially known as Trappists.

Restoration

Stained glass

In 2009, the stained glass of the oculus window of the abbey was destroyed in a hailstorm. The artist, Brian Clarke, had been dissatisfied with the 1996 resolution of the window in his original programme of works, and this "sign of God" presented an opportunity to design and fabricate a replacement, for which he was commissioned. The new window was inaugurated and blessed in 2010, and the design for the window was presented to the Swiss National Museum of Stained Glass in Romont.

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