Abbey of St Vincent

The Abbey of St. Vincent

The Abbey of St. Vincent, also known as the Royal Abbey of St. Vincent (French: Abbaye Saint-Vincent de Senlis), was a significant monastery of canons regular located in Senlis, Oise, France. Its history spans from its founding in 1065 by Queen Anne of Kiev, the widow of King Henry I of France, to its dissolution during the French Revolution in 1791.

Foundations and Early Growth

Queen Anne of Kiev established the abbey in 1065, possibly on the site of an ancient chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist that had been destroyed by Norman invasions. She founded it to fulfill a vow made during her marriage to King Henry I. The monastery church was dedicated in October 1065 under the patronage of the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Baptist, and St. Vincent of Saragossa. Queen Anne's son, King Philip I, later elevated it to the status of a royal abbey, granting it independence and lands.

After the founding, Queen Anne resided at the abbey. Upon her second husband's death, she requested her son, Philip I, to assume patronage, which he did, bestowing further lands. This patronage continued through his son, King Louis VI.

Affiliation and Scholarly Reputation

During the 12th century, the abbey experienced a period of renewed vigor, partly due to the efforts of Abbot Baudouin, who established a school for boys in 1124. To enhance its academic standing, the canons affiliated with the esteemed Royal Abbey of St. Victor in Paris, a renowned center of learning. This affiliation, formally approved by King Louis VI in 1138, made the Abbey of St. Vincent part of the Congregation of St. Victor. The royal family's favor towards this congregation was evident when King Louis VIII, upon his death in 1226, bequeathed substantial sums to its member houses.

The abbey maintained an excellent reputation for the virtue of its canons and offered hospitality to donors and queens of France. During the 12th and 13th centuries, it expanded significantly, founding eight conventual priories across northern France, many linked to parishes under the abbey's spiritual care. The abbey diligently worked to maintain its independence from local ecclesiastical and civil authorities.

Decline, Reform, and the Genofévains

A period of decline began after the death of Abbot Nicolas Foulon in 1491, exacerbated by the establishment of commendatory abbots who controlled the abbey's revenues, leading to a significant deterioration of community life by the end of the 16th century.

This decline was eventually halted by a reform movement initiated by a young novice, Charles Faure. With the support of Cardinal François de La Rochefoucauld, who was also the commendatory abbot, Faure and his companions worked to revive the rigorous observance of the Rule of St. Augustine. This reform effort gained momentum, and by 1622, Cardinal de La Rochefoucauld, with the backing of King Louis XIII and Pope Gregory XV, initiated a broader reform of religious communities in France. The Abbey of St. Genevieve in Paris was designated as the motherhouse for this new movement, which became known as the Congregation of France, with its members called Genofévains.

Charles Faure was elected Prior General of the new congregation in 1623, and the Abbey of St. Vincent played a crucial role in its development, hosting the first General Chapter in 1628. The congregation continued to hold its General Chapters at St. Vincent every three years to honor its foundational role.

Dissolution and Later Use

The commendatory abbots continued to manage the abbey until the French Revolution. In 1791, the canons were ordered to leave, and the abbey was suppressed. The buildings were seized by the revolutionary government and served as a military hospital, barracks, and prison. Later, they were rented to a manufacturer for a spinning mill and, by 1835, were slated for demolition. However, three canons from Beauvais managed to purchase the property in 1836 and opened a school for boys, preserving the site in a new capacity.