Abbey of Molesme

Molesme Abbey was a well-known Benedictine monastery in Molesme, in Laignes, Côte-d'Or, Burgundy, on the border of the Dioceses of Langres and Troyes.

Molesme Abbey was founded in 1075 by Robert, afterwards known as Robert of Molesme and Saint Robert. He had previously been abbot of the abbey of Saint-Michel, Tonnerre, which had gained a reputation for laxity in observance. He was unable to reform the monks and had returned to his previous monastery at Montier-en-Celle. At about this time he consented to repeated requests from a group of hermits to lead them in founding a new community of rigour and austerity of life. They settled in 1075 on a piece of land in the present Molesme, once the site of the Gallo-Roman settlement of Vertilium, on a hillside by the River Leignes given to Robert by Hugo de Norlennac, where they built a house and chapel from the branches of trees. Here the community lived in extreme poverty until a bishop visited them, and, seeing their need, sent them a supply of food and clothing.

News of the rigour of the new foundation and of the holiness of its members soon spread, and attracted many members of noble families, who in many cases brought with them their worldly possessions. These gifts, together with the many benefactions the new abbey received, enabled the community to build a magnificent church, as well as suitable monastic buildings.

Among the many who were inspired to join Robert at Molesme were Stephen Harding, future leader of the Cistercians, and Bruno of Cologne, future founder of the Carthusian Order.

The increase in numbers and wealth however caused a temporary loss of rigour, in that many of the new monks were not keen to work in the fields, preferring to live on the alms given them. This dissatisfaction reached the point of open rebellion and Robert therefore left Molesme in 1098, accompanied by only the most fervent religious, and this time founded Cîteaux Abbey, which although it was originally intended as a Benedictine monastery, became the first and mother-house of the Cistercian Order.

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