CHAISE-DIEU, ABBEY OF

Former benedictine abbey, Haute-Loire department, France, in the Diocese of Le Puy, but formerly in the Diocese of Clermont. Founded in 1046 by Robert of Chaise-Dieu, the abbey was endowed by Popes gregory vii, paschal ii, and eugene iii. After a first "century of saints," it reached the height of its influence during the

second half of the 13th century, when it was second in power and prestige only to cluny as the head of a highly centralized congregation of more than 300 abbeys and priories in France, Spain, and Italy. The congregation began to decline in the 14th century, but this was a period of seigneurial expansion and of reconstruction for the abbey. A new church was built there by Pope clement vi, a former monk of Chaise-Dieu. The gothic structure with three naves of equal height was completed in 1352 and still survives as a parish church. In 1640 Chaise-Dieu was affiliated with the maurists through the influence of richelieu, who held the abbey in commendation. Plundered during the wars of religion, it was suppressed during the french revolution. The church still contains magnificent sculptured choir stalls, a 15th-century danse macabre, and a collection of early 16th-century tapestries. A notable part of the archives is preserved at Le Puy.

Bibliography: l. h. cottineau, Répertoire topobibliographique des abbayes et prieurés (Mâcon 1935–39) 1:667–669. r. van doren, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques, ed. a. baudrillart et al. (Paris 1912–) 12:264–266. p. deschamps and j. leclerq, La Chaise-Dieu (Paris 1946). u. rouchon et al., La Chaise-Dieu, commemoration du IX ^ecentenaire (Le Puy 1952). h. glaser, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche ² ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 1957–65) 2:1001. p. r. gaussin, L'Abbaye de la Chaise-Dieu 1043–1518 (Paris 1962).

[a. h. tegels]