Dômerie d\' Aubrac

Dômerie d' Aubrac. Commune of Saint-Chély-in Aubrac, on the plate of Aubrac

“ In loco horroris and vastae solitudinis ”.
It was a place of horror and deep loneliness. This inscription borrowed from the canticle of Moïse (the Bible, Deutéronome chapter 32 verse 10) was engraved on the pediment of the door of Western frontage of the monastery of Aubrac.

Situation

Formerly, the Aubrac was a forest dark and deep which covered all the mountain and extended far in the plain. The wolves and the wild boars were the only inhabitants of these wild places. However a broad way entirely paved, traced by the Romain S crossed the forest in all its width. It was a section of very main road which connected Lyon to Toulouse by Javols, celebrates it way of Agrippa. Nowadays one finds of them rather obviously the traces in all the crossing of the plate and it is probable that this route was the only one that one could try to follow at the favorable season, because in winter the risks to be mislaid were very great. Snow recovered thick white coat very, the very frequent fog made the orientation extremely difficult. Moreover, at the beginning of the the Middle Ages, bands of robbers infested trimmings and the travellers ventured in the mountain only in group in order to better defend themselves against probable attacks.

The Pilgrimage of Compostelle

Sur the Via Podiensis of the Pilgrimage of Saint-Jacques-to-Compostelle .

One comes from Nasbinals, the next stage being Saint-Chély-in Aubrac .

History

En 1120, a Viscount of the Flandres, Adalard, going in pilgrimage Puy to Compostelle, is attacked by gangsters at the point highest of its voyage. With the return, it is a terrible snowstorm which on the spot nails it exactly at the same place. It understands that it is a sign of God and makes the wish, if it escapes this new danger, build an old people's home in order to assist “ those which pass by there going to visit the churches of Notre-Dame of Rocamadour, of Santiago, of San Salvador of Oviedo, San Domingo of Estrémadure and many the other saints, as those which go to the sepulchre of Our Lord ”

Thus the first hospital, of which there remain today nothing any more, was founded, “the Hospice Notre-Dame of the Poor ” by Adalard and some companions. It was to become for long centuries the providence of the travellers, the poor, pilgrims and to render signal services in all the area.

As of its construction, the lords of the region made gifts of considerable fields. The lord of Apcher gave him the grounds of Montivernoux, Fage, Grandval and other parts in the neighborhoods of Fournels. The baron de Canilhac, yielded to him fields in the north of Trélans, Hermaux and Salces, while the lord of Peyre, gave to the monks “all the territories of the mountains located between Bès and the Hospital” .

With died of Adalard, in 1135, the community of priests, who had come to settle there, had to manage important goods. It was bound by the rule of Augustin saint.

The monastery which included/understood around the church the hospital buildings and various dependences, of which conventual buildings and a cemetery, was surrounded by an enclosure. The main entrance was with setting and once penetrated inside the wall, the pilgrims found a large door carriage known as " carry of Miche" , thus named because was done, at this place, distribution of the bread to all the people who came to ask some. All had right without restriction there. There existed moreover a vault contiguous to the hospital, a cloister, and an inn.

At the beginning of the 14th century, 120 brothers and 30 sisters were occupied with the care of the institution or of the pilgrims, 4 knights ensured protection on the road and 15 priests undertook the religious offices.

At the 18th century, the “Dômerie d' Aubrac”, name given to the monasteries whose abbot had the title of dom, counted, with its commanderies, 80 more members.

Drawn from the cartulaire of Conches

In the first years of the 12th century, Adalard bequeaths of sound living the hospital of Aubrac, as all the dependences with the Boniface Abbot who gives him the manse of Malesagne, (commune of Terns: Cantal).

Dubious of the future of its foundation, Adalard had had in thought to entrust to the monks Conques the load of the hospital of Aubrac which with the contribution of the gift of Malesagne made increase the incomes…

But after the establishment was established, it made with Conques of new conventions which are not known.

The Prior

Elected to life by his brothers, the prior of the community carried also the title of Dom - abbreviation of Latin Dominus -, who was worth at the hospital of Aubrac the name of domery. The statutes set up as of 1162, defining its internal structures envisaged the meeting of a general chapter when it was necessary to proceed to the election of new Dom or to decide admission of a new brother.

These statutes appointed also various claustral officers, the such chambrier, in charge of the purchase of fabric and the control of the clothes industry of clothing, the sexton, on whom fell the material organization of the worship, the cantor, who taught the song and directed it during the offices, or the male nurse, charged with the patients of the order and the inspection with the sick hosts of the hospital.

Service of the monastery

It was ensured by five kinds of people:

the monks priests, in theory twelve, who assured the offices and led a life to contemplative half.
the religious knights, who guided and protected the pilgrims.
brothers, for the service of the poor. Pronouncing the wishes, the brothers, who they are laic or clerks, were allowed in the community at the end one year of noviciate, on favorable decision of the general chapter. It is with them that the material good walk of the hospital fell.
the ladies of quality, generally of noble extraction, which carried the religious costume and lavished spiritual and material care, in particular the care with the patients.
Donats which exploited the many farms. Composed of laic having voluntarily made gift of their person and their goods at the hospital, and having pronounced, with their entry, the wishes of poverty, obedience and chastity.

The reception of the Pilgrims

The Pèlerin was received by the “dom” which presented water to him to wash the hands. Then one offered lodging and food to him after him to have lavished some body care: rectal injection of the feet and cleaning of clothing to remove them of the lice and the stains, and a good bed was prepared to them. Useful, these gestures had also value of symbol: according to the Writing, to accommodate poor, it is to accommodate Christ.

A special building accommodated the sick pilgrims, who could count on the devotion and the care of the monks. These patients profited from a more required and abundant food (a Aligot), marrowy beds, of a good lighting, and a divine service ensured their bedside; the duration of their stay was not limited and if they travelled in group, it was allowed their companions to remain until their cure.

In spite of this solicitude, it happened that the hospital constitutes, for certain pilgrims, the last stage of their peregrination. “ Assistance of alive the ” but also “ hello of dead the ”, according to the terms of the Guide of the Pilgrim, the domery took care then of their burial, ultimate work of mercy in favor of the walkers of God.

In connection with the old people's homes, bearing structure of the organization of the medieval pilgrimages, the author of the Guide of the Pilgrim, Aimery Picaud, written: “ They are holy places, houses of God, comfort of the travellers, rest of poor, consolation of the patients, hello of late and help of the alive ones. Whoever will have built one of these places will reach the kingdom of God without any doubt. ”

The Bell of Lost

The tower which belonged to the defensive buildings and which is used now as bell-tower shelters a large bell, the only survivor of the five which existed. It is celebrates it Maria known as the " bell of lost the ". It was actuated during long hours of the day and night in times of snow and fog to bring back the stray travellers and pilgrims.

Its chime was perceptible with several miles, it still functions on some occasions. Broken in 1595 at the time of the attack of the members of a league, it was remelted in 1668 under Louis-Antoine de Noailles, then still in 1772 under Sickarius Gintrac, it always carries the inscription “ Wandering, Revoco . ”

The religious enthusiasm which animated the Christians during their innumerable voyages finds a reflection eloquent in the Latin inscription which one can read on the bell of Perdus: Deo giubila/Clero laid/Doemones fuga/Wandering revoco (It rents God/Chante for the priest/Chasse the demons/Ramène the stray ones).

Twice, the inhabitants of Saint-Chély removed this famous bell and transported it in their church. They descended it first once in 1841, they had to go up it in Aubrac in 1846. They made a second attempt in 1848, but as the preceding time they was condemned to position it back on June 9th of the same year.

The tower known as of the English

High 30 m, restored in lodging of stage, its name must with the fact which was built precisely at the time or the English, Masters of Guyenne, got a foothold in Rouergue. In 1353, Lasting Olivier made build in haste, to defend oneself against them, this imposing tower, but unfortunately ineffective, it could not resist the invasion of a band of truck drivers who attacked the monastery in 1360 under the control of Berducat d' Albret.

A few years later, in 1385, they were to still return, after having set fire to the church of Saint-Chély, they held to ransom the monks who had to pay to release the enormous sum from thousand gold guilders.

It is about at that time that the monastery took the name of domery.

Dômerie today

What remains nowadays as vestiges of what was the providence of the pilgrims at the same time as travellers, the poor and the unhappy ones?

The church, which still preserves great outdoors in spite of its moving state by destitution, its architecture of transition romano-Gothic is what remains construction finished in 1220 under the ministry of Etienne II. It is flanked of eight buttresses, the thickness of the side wall is of two meters, the vault is supported by arches resting on transoms in pendant, the stone of size is installed perfectly. There was splendid jubé which completely disappeared.

A house, 15th century, become forest house, remains of a dependence of the monastery. One can especially admire there a very beautiful chimney of Renaissance style. It must still exist of old vaults, but a regrettable levelling off dissimulates them, as well as a sculpture which passed to be the head of Adalard.

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