CRIPTA MEROVINGIA DE LA ABADÍA DE JOUARRE

The abbey of Jouarre is a foundation from the 7th century, around 630, made by the abbess Theodochilda or Telchilda. Under the inspiration of the Irish monk Columban. It was born as a dual monastery, with a community of nuns and another of monks, but under the authority of the abbess. She achieved immunity from the bishop of Meaux, with direct obedience to the Pope. Other sources attribute the foundation to the venerable Adon, brother of the bishop of Rouen. From this monastery other foundations were made such as Notre Dame de Soissons or the Chelles Abbey.

The monarchy created a kingdom in northern Gaul and Belgium in the 5th century and in 507, King Clovis or Clovis defeated the Visigoths of Alaric II in Vouillé and expanded his kingdom to the Pyrenees, except for the region of Septimania or Gaul Narbonense. In 534 they defeated the Burgundians and annexed their territory.

Clovis’ conversion to Catholicism allowed the Germanic and Gallo-Roman communities to merge.

In 751 the last Merovingian king, Childeric III, was deposed by the palace steward Pepin the Short, who began the Carolingian dynasty.

The abbey of Jouarre was founded around the middle of the 7th century, by the abbess Theodochilda or Telchilda or by the venerable Adon, bishop of Rouen, in both cases around 630 or 634. The double monastery has a community of nuns and another of monks, but under the authority of the abbess, who obtained immunity from the bishop of Meaux. The Merovingian crypts are dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul with the purpose of serving as burial sites for the founders and their families. Of the Romanesque church, only the Romanesque bullring from the 11th century remains, while the current abbey church is a work from the 18th century, renovated in the 19th and today is the headquarters of a community of Benedictines.

At the end of the 9th century the abbey received the relics of San Potenciano and was transformed into a pilgrimage focus. In 1131 he received a visit from Pope Innocent II. A fortified town was created around the abbey.

In 1427 the Romanesque church was destroyed during the Hundred Years’ War. In 1572, within the religious wars, the abbess converted to Protestantism and fled to Germany. In the 18th century the abbey was recovered, but during the French Revolution the church was demolished and its assets were sold. In 1821 the nuns returned and in 1860 they built a new church. From 1914 to 1919 the community abandoned the abbey during World War I.

The north crypt was dedicated to Saint Paul. Initiated by the venerable Adon, it served as a burial site for the first abbesses: Theodechilde, Aguilberte and Baide of the same family, Mode, Adon’s mother-in-law, Aguillbert, bishop of Paris. The south crypt is due to Saint Ebrégisile, brother of Agilberto. The columns are reused from monuments Gallo-Roman, but the capitals are Merovingian. The columns are made of veined marble and the capitals are decorated with plant themes. They are made of white Pyrenean marble. The decorative themes are acanthus, grooves, rosaceae, etc.

The sarcophagi present varied decorations that are related to different parts of the Mediterranean area, whether Byzantine, North African or Coptic. The sarcophagus of Teodequilda has a gabled roof and on the front it has a decoration of scallops, with an inscription between both bands. The sarcophagus of Bishop Aguilberto also has a gabled roof and on the front the decoration presents figurative scenes of the Last Judgment. It presents on one of its smaller sides a sculptural representation with Christ in Majesty inside the mystical mandorla and on the sides the representation of the Tetramorphs, the four Evangelists and angels.

Francisco Javier Fernández Gamero for URBS REGIA

​

H. Triercelin (1861): El monasterio de Jouarre hasta la revolución.
Y. Christ (Les cryptes merovongiennes de l`abbaye de Jouarre. Paris.
Marquesa de Meille (1971): Les cryptes de Jouarre. Paris.
B. A. Watkinson (1990): “Lorch, Jouarre y el aparato decorativo del Valle del Loira”, en Cahier de civilitation medievale, nº 129, 49-83.

Abadía de Notre-Dame Jouarre