Priory of Sainte-Marie de Moustiers
Prieuré Sainte-Marie de Moustiers / Monasterium
(Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)
From a very remote time, around the 5th century, it seems that this place had been occupied by a monastic community related to Lérins, which would have settled in the natural shelters of the rock. In 1052, Bishop Bertrand of Riez handed over the church of Sainte-Marie and other properties to the cleric Riculf, who established a community of canons there.
In 1096, another bishop of Riez gave the canonical community to the Abbey of Lérins (Alpes-Maritimes); in the donation, the house is mentioned by the name Monasterium. Despite belonging to that Benedictine abbey, the community of canons likely did not disappear, and in 1112, the canons who cared for it are mentioned. In 1125, the chapter of Riez tried to reclaim ownership of the place, but Pope Honorius II confirmed its possession to Lérins.
When Lérins definitively obtained ownership of Moustiers, this house became the seat of a very economically important priory with a relatively large community. Since the 14th century, it was governed under a commendatory regime. By the 16th century, there was no longer a community, although it retained the title of priory until its secularization in 1787. A beautiful church, now parish, with a single nave, built between the 12th and 13th centuries, is preserved. In the 14th century, a new three-nave chancel was built. It also preserves a notable Romanesque bell tower.
Altar, ancient sarcophagus
Armorial général de France. Provence (s. XVIII)
Bibliothèque nationale de France
- BESSE, J.-M. (1909). Abbayes et prieurés de l'ancienne France. Vol. 2: Provinces ecclésiastiques d’Aix, d’Arles, Avignon et Embrun. Abbaye de Ligugé
- LABROUSSE, Mireille; i altres (2005). Histoire de l’abbaye de Lérins. Cahiers Cisterciens. A. Bellefontaine
- MORIS, Henri; i altres (1883-1905). Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Lérins, 1 i 2. Lérins, París: Champion
- THIRION, Jacques (1980). Alpes romanes. La Pierre-qui-Vire: Zodiaque
The priory church is located in the centre of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie