| Affligem Abbey | |
|---|---|
Abdij Affligem (Dutch) | |
 The Abbey of Affligem | |
 Interactive map of Affligem Abbey | |
| General information | |
| Type | Abbey |
| Location | Affligem,Flemish Brabant, Belgium |
| Construction started | 1086 |
Affligem Abbey (Dutch:Abdij Affligem,French:Abbaye d'Affligem) is aBenedictineabbey in the historic village ofHekelgem, now in the municipality ofAffligem,Flemish Brabant,Belgium, 19 km (12 mi) to the north-west ofBrussels. Dedicated in 1086, it was the most important monastery in theDuchy of Brabant and therefore often calledPrimaria Brabantiae.
On 28 June 1062, an hermitical fraternity was founded in Affligem by six knights who repented of their violent way of life.Hermann II,Count Palatine ofLotharingia (1061–1085) and his guardian,Anno II, archbishop of Cologne (d. 1075) donated the foundation grounds. On this land, the first abbey church, dedicated toSaint Peter, was erected in 1083.[1] TheBenedictine Rule was adopted in 1085, followed by the formal dedication of the abbey in 1086.[2]
The first abbot of the abbey was Fulgentius (1088–1122), a monk of Saint-Vanne Abbey in Verdun, originally fromFrasnes, inWalloon Brabant.John Cotton, whoseDe musica (c. 1100-1121) is one of the earliest musical theses, is also referred to as ' Johannes Affligemensis' because he dedicatedDe musica to abbot Fulgentius.[3]
The counts ofBrabant, also counts ofLeuven, became their protectors (Vögte) in 1085/1086. A number of their family members are buried in the abbey church, including QueenAdeliza of England (d. 1151), as well as her father DukeGodfrey I of Leuven (d. 1139). Queen Adeliza was buried in the abbey church in 1151, near the clockwork.[a]
During the 12th century, the abbey became known for the strict adoption of theCluniac observance. Several monasteries were founded by the monks of Affligem or assigned to the abbot of Affligem by their founder.Maria Laach Abbey in theRhineland-Palatinate in Germany, was founded in 1093 as a priory of Affligem by the first Count Palatine of the RhineHeinrich II von Laach and his wifeAdelaide of Weimar-Orlamünde, widow ofHermann II of Lotharingia.Bernard of Clairvaux visited Affligem in 1146, where it is said his greeting to theBlessed Virgin was miraculously answered.[2] In memory of this event, he donated his staff and chalice to the abbey (still preserved in the abbey).
In 1523, Affligem joined theBursfelde Congregation, a union of Benedictine monasteries formed in the 15th century for the stricter observance of the Benedictine rule. In 1569, the Archbishop ofMechelen became secular abbot and the spiritual duty was exercised by aprovost (praepositus), a measure that lasted until the dissolution of the abbey in 1796.[2] In 1580 the abbey was destroyed by soldiers ofWilliam the Silent, but subsequently rebuilt.
ArchbishopJacobus Boonen introduced theMonte Cassino observance. At his insistence, the Prior of Affligem,Benedict van Haeften, founded in 1627 a new congregation,B. M. V. in Templo Praesentata, which included Affligem and several other Belgian monasteries, affiliated to theCongregation of St. Vanne, which had a stricter constitution than Bursfeld. It was dissolved in 1654. Haeften commissionedRubens andDe Crayer to decorate the church and the monastery in Affligem.
In 1796, during theFrench occupation, the monks were chased away from the abbey, part of the buildings destroyed and the lands confiscated. The last provost,Beda Regaus, preserved the miraculous image ofOur Lady, as well as the staff and chalice ofSaint Bernard. These came into the possession of a Benedictine monk, Veremund Daens, who in 1838 established anew foundation at Dendermonde.
In 1869/70, Affligem Abbey was re-established and agricultural activity resumed. A new church was erected in 1880. The brewery was re-opened in 1885, followed by a new dairy and cheese farm in the mid-1890s. DuringWorld War I, copper fittings and fixtures were requisitioned, but the brewery resumed operation in 1921. The brewery was destroyed inWorld War II. The brand name is used under license from the monks of Affligem, by the Op-Ale brewery in the neighbouring village ofOpwijk, now owned byHeineken and renamed Affligem Brewery.[5]
Affligem Abbey is a member of the Flemish Province of theSubiaco Cassinese Congregation within theBenedictine Confederation.
During its nine hundred years of existence, the abbey church did not escape war. Located on the border with the county of Flanders, it was in the 14th century destroyed twice by troops of the county of Flanders (War of the Brabantian Succession). In the process, the Romanesque basilical church lost three of its original five towers. In 1580, the abbey was set on fire by the troops ofWilliam the Silent.
The monastery experienced a new flowering under provostBenedictus van Haeften († 1648). To embellish the restored building, he called on the famous painters Peter Paul Rubens and Gaspar de Crayer. For the abbey church, prominent Antwerp sculptorJoannes Cardon created the choir stalls. In the late 17th century, the abbey was ravaged once again, this time by the armies ofLouis XIV.
The complex revived in the 18th century thanks to the monumental classicist structures of the famous architectLaurent-Benoît Dewez. In 1768, his plans were approved for the renovation of the convent buildings, grouped around two square courtyards, with integration of the modified west facade of the church as the central element for a long, symmetrically extended façade composition with two risalites under triangular pediments. The foundation stone of the new structure was laid in 1770 and three monastery buildings were sacrificed for the new construction.
The first abbot of the abbey was Fulgentius (1088–1122), a monk of Saint-Vanne Abbey in Verdun. Among his prominent successors may be mentioned:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
Media related toAffligem Abbey at Wikimedia Commons
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Brock, Henry Matthias (1907). "Afflighem". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
50°55′27″N4°06′50″E / 50.9242°N 4.114°E /50.9242; 4.114
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
