–
Vaucelles Abbey, near Cambrai, was founded by Cistercian monks. (© AS Hourdeaux / Croix du Nord)
The book lifts the veil on an unknown building. The team started with very few documents, as Jean-Marie Duhamel recalls. “For the images of the abbey in the past, we only had two engravings, one from the 14th century and one from the 18th century! “
Forgotten anecdotes
Among the anecdotes forgotten until then, we can cite the links between the founders of the abbey and the crusade against the Cathars. “There were pyres against the Cathar heretics in our region, but not directly in Vaucelles,” explains Jean-Marie Duhamel. Witchcraft trials were also conducted not far from the place.
At the end of the 12th century, three feudal families close to the Kings of France were very involved in Vaucelles, so that of Oisy and Montmirail.
“Vaucelles was also a place of diplomatic negotiations in the 16th century. France and Spain notably signed a truce there. It was Admiral Coligny, who was subsequently one of the first victims of Saint Bartholomew, who negotiated with the emissary of Charles V, ”recalls Jean-Marie Duhamel.
We can also discover in images exceptional archival documents, never shown, such as the seal of the 12th century charter, magnificent.
Dominican brother Rémy Vallejo participated in the work. He recalls that it was Bernard de Clairvaux himself who founded the abbey.
He was one of the most important figures of the 12th century, he is considered one of the fathers of the Church. Vaucelles is not just stones, it recalls the words of the monks which still resonate …