Our day
A community of Cistercian monks has been living in Sénanque since 1148, following the Rule of St. Benedict in the purest monastic tradition.
Seven times a day, the community gathers in the abbey church to celebrate the Divine Office.
The brothers of Sénanque dedicate their lives to prayer and labour.
The services
Liturgy of the Hours
Vigils : night comes to an end in the expectation of Christ’s return.
Lauds: Christ leaves the night of the tomb to enlighten the world and save it from evil.
Terce, Sext, None: these services are called “minor hours”.
Vespers : daylight is fading, the community gathers to thank God for “wonders of the creation”
Compline : the last service before the silence of the night.
“The Lord grants us a quiet night and a perfect end”.
All the services celebrated in Sénanque by the monks are naturally open to the public.
Please, be careful to respect the atmosphere of contemplation and prayers. Shot and sound recording are not allowed.
© Py Rinquin – Abbaye de Sénanque
© Py Rinquin – Abbaye de Sénanque
Horaires des Messes et Offices de Pâques
Jeudi Saint – 14 avril
Vigiles : 4h30
Laudes : 7h45
Tierce : 10h
Sexte : 12h15
None : 14h30
La Cène du Seigneur : 17h30
Vendredi Saint – 15 avril
Vigiles : 4h30
Laudes : 7h45
Tierce : 10h
Sexte : 12h15
None : 14h30
Office de la Croix et des Présanctifiés : 15h
Complies : 19h45
Samedi Saint 16 avril
Vigiles : 4h30
Laudes : 7h45
Tierce : 10h
Sexte : 12h15
None : 14h30
Vêpres : 18h
Vigile Pascale – dimanche 17 avril
Liturgie du Feu Nouveau : 2h15 du matin
Célébrée au chauffoir 12ème. Entrée par la chapelle, allée derrière la boutique monastique. La célébration se poursuivra à la chapelle de l’Abbaye (l’église étant toujours en travaux).
Les places sont limitées.
Le Saint jour de Pâques – dimanche 17 avril
Laudes : 7h45
Messe du jour de Pâques : 10h
Sexte : 12h15
None : 14h30
Vêpres suivies de l’Adoration : 18h
Complies : 20h15
Lundi de Pâques – 18 avril
Vigiles célébrées en privé
Laudes : 8h
Tierce : 10h
Messe : 11h30
None : 14h30
Vêpres suivies de l’Adoration : 18h
Complies : 20h
Initiation à la Lectio Divina
Nous organisons régulièrement des week-end d’initiation à la Lectio Divina. Ci-après les dates pour 2022 :
– Du vendredi 29 avril 16h30 au dimanche 1er mai 15h30
– Du vendredi 20 mai 16h30 au dimanche 22 mai 15h30
Les places sont limitées, aussi nous recommandons une réservation au plus tôt auprès du Frère Hôtelier. Par téléphone au 04 90 72 17 92 ou par mail à frere.hotelier@ndsenanque.org
Our work
Ora et labora (pray and work): even if the sentence does not appear in the Rule of St. Benedict, it sums up perfectly the monastic life, divided into prayer, work and lectio divina (spiritual reading).
“Idleness is the enemy of the soul” Rule of St. Benedict, ch.48. The working time does not divert us from prayer: it is necessary to stimulate silence, to strengthen obedience, to emphasize humility. It is a way to find God too.
Though the prayer is the centre of the life of the monk, a large part of his time is dedicated to work. It is a way to maintain the monastery and to obtain the livelihood of the community.
© Corinne Brisbois
© Py Rinquin – Abbaye de Sénanque
Here in Sénanque we have several farming activities: lavandin growing, apiary, olive grove…
The sale of products made from our essential oil of lavandin, the gathering of our honey and our olive oil, and the monastic hospitality (for spiritual retreats) produce an income which allows the restoration of the abbey.
“When they live by the labor of their hands, as our fathers and the apostles did, then they are really monks”. Rule of St. Benedict, ch.48
Une année avec les Frères de Sénanque
” You, if you see a human being bravely diligent to good works, glowing of joy thank to the ardour of his conversion, don’t doubt of it: faith is living in him ; those are the indubitable proofs.” Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, extract from The Resurrection Of The Lord, sermon two.
Vos intentions de Messe
Vous pouvez nous adresser vos intentions de Messe pour les vivants et les défunts à l’adresse mail : abbaye.communaute@ndsenanque.org
Ou par courrier à :
Abbaye de Sénanque – Père Prieur – 84220 GORDES
Les honoraires proposées par notre diocèse ( l’offrande est libre ) :
Messe : 18 euros
Neuvaine : 170 euros
Trentain grégorien : 540 euros
Nous aider - Faire un don
Vous pouvez nous aider en faisant un don en ligne. Ce don ouvre droit à une réduction d’impôt.
Vous pouvez également adresser directement votre don à l’abbaye :
Abbaye de Sénanque – Père Prieur – 84220 GORDES
Nous vous remercions par avance pour votre aide et votre générosité.
Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation (Confession)
A priest welcomes you if you want to confess. He is available from Tuesday to Saturday between 11 and 11:30. Please contact us by phone or meet us to the guest office, near the church.
Prayer by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
All of you, who see yourselves amid the tides of the world, tossed by storms and tempests rather than walking on the land, do not turn your eyes away from this shining star, unless you want to be overwhelmed by the hurricane.
If temptation storms, or you fall upon the rocks of tribulation, look to the star: Call upon Mary!
If you are tossed by the waves of pride or ambition, detraction or envy, look to the star, call upon Mary.
If anger or avarice or the desires of the flesh dash against the ship o f your soul, turn your eyes to Mary.
If troubled by the enormity of your crimes, ashamed of your guilty conscience, terrified by dread of the judgment, you begin to sink into the gulf of sadness or the abyss of despair, think of Mary.
In dangers, in anguish, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let her name be even on your lips, ever in your heart; and the better to obtain the help of her prayers, imitate the example of her life.
Following her, thou strayest not; invoking her, thou despairest not; thinking of her, thou wanderest not; upheld by her, thou fallest not; shielded by her, thou fearest not; guided by her, thou growest not weary; favored by her, thou reachest the goal.
And thus dost thou experience in thyself how good is that saying: ‘And the Virgin’s name was Mary.’
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, The Holy Name of Mary