From the farm... to the abbey!
It was 1967 when a group of Benedictine nuns arrived in Provence to found the Abbey of Jouques. In this little corner of paradise, the number of vocations was such that the community grew rapidly, and a solution had to be found soon!
Finally, in 1992, part of the community of the Abbey of Jouques was detached and moved to the Hautes-Alpes, in Rosans. There, the Benedictine nuns found an old farm, whose name was a nod to their founder: "Baudon", which means Benedict. Shovels and pickaxes in hand, they set out to renovate the place! Thanks to their determination but also to many donors, monastic life could begin in 1999. Very quickly, Rosans shines, and the community grows more and more.
In 2002, the monastery officially became an abbey: an abbess was elected, and the community became independent from the abbey of Jouques, even if they remained sisters at heart!
The abbey then took the name of the Abbey of Our Lady of Mercy of Rosans.
In Rosans, there is too much fruit to be idle!
Today, the community of Rosans Abbey still numbers 28 nuns, and their daily life is punctuated by the rule of Saint Benedict: Ora et labora (prayer and work). Obviously, in addition to their 7 religious offices per day sung in Gregorian, the nuns of Rosans devote much time to manual work and monastic crafts. This is all new for them, but they are dynamic, and have chosen a large place for agricultural work, directly in contact with nature, "God's creation"! Here they are :
- picking fruit to make compotes or jars
- near the beehives to extract a good honey
- in the fields to harvest their small spelt, etc...
You can find the products of the Rosans Abbey online, or on site.
"Our Lady of Mercy"
Do you know where the name of the abbey comes from (Our Lady of Mercy)? In fact, it recalls the devotion of one of the first sisters to divine mercy? For the record, to continue to perpetuate this devotion, a candle burns permanently in front of the statue of Our Lady of Mercy, in the chapel of the abbey! Also, they celebrate every year the Sunday of Mercy. In 2022, it will be on April 24.
Abbey of Our Lady of Mercy of Rosans
Baudon
05150 Rosans
http://www.abbayederosans.fr/
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