The Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre is a former

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 ...

monastery in central France, dedicated to its founder Saint

Germain of Auxerre Germanus of Auxerre ( la, Germanus Antissiodorensis; cy, Garmon Sant; french: Saint Germain l'Auxerrois; 378 – c. 442–448 AD) was a western Roman clergyman who was bishop of Autissiodorum in Late Antique Gaul. He abandoned a career as a h ...

, the bishop of Auxerre, who died in 448. It was founded on the site of an oratory built by Germanus in honor of Saint Maurice.

History

Bishop Germain was buried in the Oratory of Saint Maurice, which he had built. About the year 500, it was rebuilt as a basilica, by Queen Clotilda, wife of Clovis, in honor of the bishop. The tomb was below the church, under the apse. A monastery was established that followed the Benedictine rule.''Historia Selebiensis Monasterii'', (Janet Burton, Lynda Lockyer, eds.), OUP Oxford, 2013, p. xxii
In 850 Abbot Conrad, brother-in-law of

Louis the Pious Louis the Pious (german: Ludwig der Fromme; french: Louis le Pieux; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aqui ...

, had a crypt built. Attached to the crypt was a circular oratory. Conrad's nephew, Emperor

Charles the Bald Charles the Bald (french: Charles le Chauve; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as Charles II, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), king of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a ser ...

, was present at the translation of the relics of Germanus. The abbey reached the apex of its cultural importance during the

Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty (; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charlemagne, grandson of mayor Charles Martel and a descendant of the Arnulfing and Pippin ...

era; the source for its early history is an account of the ''Miracula Sancti Germani Episcopi Autissiodorensis'' ("Miracles of Saint Germain, Bishop of Auxerre") written before ''ca''. 880. The earliest surviving architectural remains are also of the ninth century. The abbey had a noted school. From 876 to 883

Remigius of Auxerre Remigius (Remi) of Auxerre ( la, Remigius Autissiodorensis; c. 841 – 908) was a Benedictine monk during the Carolingian period, a teacher of Latin grammar, and a prolific author of commentaries on classical Greek and Latin texts. He is also accr ...

was master of the school. Later,

Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), was an English nobleman who served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then ...

studied there after completing his law courses in Bologna.Barlow
Becket, Thomas (1120?–1170)
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' Monk and chronicler, Rodulfus Glaber, spent time at St Germain, where, he said, foreign monks were always accepted with respect. The abbey was twice reformed, first by

Majolus of Cluny Majolus of Cluny (Maieul, Mayeul, Mayeule) (c. 906 – May 11, 994) was the fourth abbot of Cluny. Majolus was very active in reforming individual communities of monks and canons; first, as a personal commission, requested and authorized by the E ...

and his disciple Heldric, at the request of

Henry I, Duke of Burgundy Henry I (946 – 15 October 1002), called the Great, was Duke of Burgundy from 965 to his death and Count of Nevers through his first marriage. He is sometimes known as Odo-Henry or Otto-Henry (in French ''Eudes-Henri''), since his birth name was ...

, and in 1029 by the Congregation of Saint Maur.Goyau, Georges. "Sens." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 25 June 2019 A fire consumed much of the abbey in 1064; the Merovingian nave was rebuilt. In 1069, monks from St. Germain founded

Selby Abbey Selby Abbey is an Anglican parish church in the town of Selby, North Yorkshire, England. It is Grade I listed. Monastic history It is one of the relatively few surviving abbey churches of the medieval period, and, although not a cathedral, ...

in North Yorkshire. Napoleon turned the establishment into a hospital. In 1927, beneath the 17th-century frescoed plaster walls of the crypt, were discovered ninth-century wall frescoes, the only surviving large-scale paintings of their date in France to compare to the

illuminated manuscripts An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared document where the text is often supplemented with flourishes such as borders and miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Church for prayers, liturgical services and psalms, the ...

. During the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

, several bays of the

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

were demolished and the secularized abbey was used as a hospital. The former nave extended beneath the present forecourt. In the late twentieth century the abbey's residential and service buildings were remodeled as a museum, presenting prehistoric, Gallo-Roman and medieval finds from Auxerre. An exhibition in 1990 brought the abbey's cultural impact into focus. The former abbey church remains in use for worship at stated times.

Known abbots

Abbaye Saint-Germain d'Auxerre dans Monasticon Gallicanum

* ? - 622: Palladius of Auxerre * 800? - 840?: Saint Abbo, Bishop of Auxerre († December 3, 860) * 850? - †864:

Conrad I, Count of Auxerre Conrad I the Elder (died about 864) was the count of several counties, most notably the Aargau and Auxerre, around Lake Constance, as well as Paris from 859 to 862/864. He was also the lay abbot of Saint-Germaine in Auxerre. Conrad's father was Wel ...

* .. - 886? : Abbot Hugh († May 12, 886) * 894-921: Richard Duke of Bourgogne11. ? -? : Heldric7,12 († 999), contemporary of St. Sévin Bishop of Sens. * 986 - 1009: Heldric of Cluny * 1010-1020: Achard * 1020 - 1032: Theobold * 1032 - 1052: Odo of Auxerre * 1052 - 1064: Prior Boso * 1064 - 1074: Walter from Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire * 1075 - 1085: Roland * 1085 - 1096: Guibert * 1096-1100: Robert * 1100-1115: Hugues de Montaigu, son of Dalmace Semur said Jeune14 approve this year a charter for the benefit of the Priory of Saint-Marcel Fleurey-sur-Ouche, signed by Duke Hugh II Bourgogne15. It will be bishop of Auxerre. * 1115 - 1148: Gervais * 1148 - 1174: Harduin * 1174 - 1188: Humbert * 1188 - 1208: Rudolph * 1st half of the thirteenth century: Renaud Jocenal (alive May 13, 1222) * 1285 - 1309: Guy Munois * 1309 - 1334: Left Dignon Chéu * 1334 - 1352: Étienne 1 Chitry * 1352 - 1362: William Grimoard, future Pope Urban VWebster, Douglas Raymund. "Pope Bl. Urban V"
The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 25 June 2019 * 1362 - 1381: Stephen II Chitry * 1381 - 1408: Hugues V of Ballore * 1409 - 1422: John II of Nanton * 1422/1423 - 1453: Hervé de Lugny * 1453 - 1495: Hugues VI Tyard or Thiard * 1542: Louis Lorraine17 * 1731: Dom Leonardo Le Texier, Grand Prior (1731). * 1783: Dom Rosman

Notes

References

*Christian Sapin, ''La Bourgogne préromane'' (Paris, 1986), pp. 41–63 (on the early building project) *''Abbaye Saint-Germain d'Auxerre: intellectuels et artistes dans l'Europe carolingienne, IXe - XIe siecles'' (Auxerre, 1990) Exhibition catalogue. *''Auxerre et les prémices de l'art roman'' (Auxerre, 1999) Exhibition catalogue. *Noëlle Deflou-Leca, Saint-Germain d'Auxerre et ses dépendances (Ve-XIIIe siècle), PSE, 2010, p773. *Constance Britain-Bouchard, "Sword, Miter and Cloister", Cornell University Press 1987

External links

Culture.gouv.fr: Saint-Germain d'Auxerre

{{DEFAULTSORT:Auxerre, Saint-Germain d' Benedictine monasteries in France 5th-century establishments in sub-Roman Gaul 18th-century disestablishments in France Buildings and structures in Yonne

History

Known abbots

See also

Notes

References

External links