Azille Monastery

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The Poor Clares before the Canonesses: the history of Saint Clare Monastery

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The history of Azille Monastery dates back to 1361, when Isabelle de Lévis-Mirepoix, an important figure in the Languedoc region, resolved to found a monastic community in a context of religious renewal and the development of monastic orders in Europe. She immediately entrusted it to the Poor Clares order, a Franciscan women's order devoted to poverty and contemplation. Following the Rule of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Poor Clares had an essential social role as they were responsible for the education of many young girls in the region. But their role was also economic: the monastery owned lands and vineyards. Finally, it was through their charity that they brought aid to the poor and the sick. In 1477, the Poor Clares of Carcassonne joined the Azille community.

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The wars of religion and the economic crisis that struck France in the 16th century precipitated the monastery onto a path of decline, with the number of religious gradually decreasing. The French Revolution would be the monastery's downfall: in 1792, the Poor Clares were dispersed, in 1793, the monastery was sold at auction as national property, and the other conventual assets were degraded and pillaged. In 1891, the Poor Clares regained possession of the monastery.

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It was in 1947 that the monastery church was classified as a historic monument, the main vestige of the entire complex of buildings. It was in 2008 that the Canonesses of the Mother of God, belonging to the same family as the Canons of the Mother of God of the nearby abbey of Lagrasse, settled in Azille.

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The Canonesses: a community, a family

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The community of Canonesses of the Mother of God settled in Azille, in the Diocese of Carcassonne and Narbonne. The sisters live under the Rule of Saint Augustine, according to the canonical charism which is expressed through fraternal life, contemplative life, and missionary service. The community has been recognized under pontifical right since 2000 and currently has 22 members.

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"One heart, one soul, oriented toward God": the opening words of the Rule invite the Canonesses, according to Saint Augustine's design when he founded his community of clerics in the 4th century, on the one hand to live in unity, in the image of the Trinity, model of all family, and on the other hand, to devote themselves to seeking God, especially in communal prayer around the altar and silent prayer. Indeed, a Canoness dedicates herself first to the liturgy, at the center of which is the Mass. She brings life and song to her church through praise. And it is from there that her apostolate springs forth. Whether it is to walk in Christ's footsteps or to give Him to the people of our time, solid formation is also necessary: study therefore takes a notable place in the life of each sister and of the community.

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The Canonesses also place themselves at the service of the Church. In the Augustinian perspective, it is first the community, as such, that as a whole is missionary, through the outpouring of its life of charity to the outside world, in the maternal manner of Mary, "figure and model of the Church." While the monastery has an internal enclosure that both protects and strengthens it, it is also a place of welcome for all those who wish to come and find renewal: retreats, individual or group, times of rest in a conducive environment, in the shadow of community life. Furthermore, the community remains available to the various needs of the Church, in the diocese or beyond: the sisters can be sent to young people, children, families, elderly people, through camps, pilgrimages, catechism classes, family sessions, etc. This missionary dimension through works of apostolate is meant to continue growing. It develops as the Lord brings workers to his harvest.

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The Canonesses devote a large part of their time to manual work, particularly to making cassocks, bottling honey produced locally, and preparing other monastic products including various syrups (thyme, rosemary, dill, and mint). And, more recently, a rosé wine in collaboration with a local winemaker, called "Parcelle de Joie" (Plot of Joy).

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Finally, an art they apply themselves to cultivating is that of their voices: the Canonesses apply themselves to mastering Gregorian chant, regularly participating in Solesmes school sessions. They also readily sing in polyphony. They have thus produced a CD of their own composition: Saint Augustin, à la recherche du bonheur (Saint Augustine, in search of happiness), to make known this great saint so suited to our time.

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