Priory of Notre-Dame de Sarrance
Prieuré Notre-Dame de Sarrance / Sarranceo
(Sarrance, Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
In the Aspe valley, between Somport and Oloron, the sanctuary of Notre-Dame de Sarrance was built, where, since the 14th century, an image of the Virgin has been worshipped which, according to tradition, was found by a bull. A chapel was then built and became a pilgrimage centre. A hospital for travellers was also built.
In 1345, the abbot of the Premonstratensian abbey of Saint-Jean de la Castelle (Landes) acquired the sanctuary and the hospital and sent some canons to keep the place as a priory dependent on the abbey. In 1546, Pope Paul III granted it the title of abbey, although the abbot was the same for both houses. In 1569, during the Wars of Religion, the place was occupied and sacked by the Protestants. The image of the Virgin was hidden and the sanctuary was abandoned. It then passed into private hands until 1609, when the Abbot of Saint-Jean de la Castelle bought it and began to restore it.
Despite its modest size, the house recovered and was well maintained until the Revolution, when the assets were sold and the sanctuary became a parish, initially under the care of former Premonstratensian canons. In 1852, the site passed to the Pères de Bétharram and, from 2023, to a new Premonstratensian community, which took charge of the sanctuary and the guest house. Some remains of an ancient Romanesque church have survived, but most of the present buildings date from the 17th century.
Norbert of Xanten
- ARDURA, Bernard (1993). Abbayes, prieurés et monastères de l'ordre de Prémontré. Nancy: Presses U. De Nancy
- BACKMUND, Norbert (1956). Monasticon Praemonstratense Vol. 3. Straubing
- BEAUNIER, Dom (1910). Abbayes et prieurés de l'ancienne France. Vol. 3: Auch, Bordeaux. Abbaye de Ligugé
- DUBARAT, Victor (1892). Documents sur Notre-Dame de Sarrance. Études historiques et religieuses du Diocèse de Bayonne. Pau: Vignancour
- MENJOULET, Maximien (1859). Chronique de Notre-Dame de Sarrance dans la Vallée d'Aspe en Béarn. Oloron: Lacaze
- POUGET, Firmin (1847). Histoire des principaux sanctuaires de la mère de Dieu. Lió: Librairie Catholique
- SAINT-MAUR, Congregació de (1715). Gallia Christiana in provincias ecclesiasticas distributa. Vol. 1. París: Coignard
Sarrance and the priory are located in the Aspe valley, between Somport and Oloron-Sainte-Marie