The Abbey of Saint-Méen otherwise the Abbey of Saint Jean de Gaël (, later ''Abbaye de Saint-Méen'') is a
monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
in
Saint-Méen-le-Grand
Saint-Méen-le-Grand (; ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Saent-Men'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine Departments of France, department in Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in northwestern France.
It is located west of ...
in
Brittany
Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
. It was founded in the 6th century by Saint
Mewan
Mewan (, , )Mavenus, Mevenus, Mevennus, Meven, Mewan, Maine. (''fl.'' 6th century) was a Celtic saint active in Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. Most documentation of his life can be found in the Breton ''Vita Meveni'', perhaps written in 1084 by I ...
(known in French as ''Méen''), after whom it was eventually named.
The original foundation had fallen into disuse by the end of the 8th century. Hélocar,
bishop of Alet, refounded it in 818. It was destroyed by
Vikings
Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9â ...
in 919. In 1024, it was reconstructed as a
Benedictine
The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
monastery.
It briefly housed the remains of
Saint Petroc
Petroc or Petrock (; ; ; ) was a British prince and Christian saint.
Probably born in South Wales, he primarily ministered to the Britons of Devon (Dewnens) and Cornwall (Kernow) then forming the kingdom of Dumnonia where he is associated with ...
after a thief gave them to the abbey in 1177. In the 17th century it passed through the hands of the
Maurists, the
Oratorians An Oratorian is a member of one of the following religious orders:
* Oratory of Saint Philip Neri (Roman Catholic), who use the postnominal letters C.O.
* Oratory of Jesus (Roman Catholic)
* Oratory of the Good Shepherd (Anglican)
* Teologisk Orator ...
and the
Lazarists
The Congregation of the Mission (), abbreviated CM and commonly called the Vincentians or Lazarists, is a Catholic society of apostolic life of pontifical right for men founded by Vincent de Paul. It is associated with the Vincentian Family, ...
. The abbey was secularized in 1658. After 1790, the buildings housed the gendarmerie, a barracks, a school, a
minor seminary
A minor seminary or high school seminary is a secondary day or boarding school created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming Priesthood (Catholic Church), Catholic priests. They are generally ...
, a prison and a refugee shelter. It was converted to social housing between 1975 and 1980.
[ The former abbey church is now the parish church.
]
References
Benedictine monasteries in France
Buildings and structures in Ille-et-Vilaine
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