Hautvillers Abbey, or more formally the Abbey of St Peter, Hautvillers (), is a former Benedictine monastery in the Hautvillers commune of the Marne department in north-eastern France. The abbey remained active between 665 and the French Revolution of 1789. It housed the relics of Saint Helena, Empress and mother of Constantine, between 841 and 1819. One of its monks, Dom Pérignon, contributed to the development of sparkling wine in the Champagne region.Histoire du commune, http://www.hautvillers.fr/index.php/fr/tourisme/histoire The building has been classified as a monument of historical value since 1983.
Middle Ages
The abbey was founded in 650 by Saint Nivard, Bishop of Reims. According to legend, a dove indicated where to build an abbeySophie Claeys-Pergament, « L'abbaye de Dom Pérignon entièrement restaurée », L'Union, 10 juillet 2012 that would follow the order of Saint Benedict and Saint Columbanus. The abbey flourishedBruno Decrock et Jean-Marie Pérouse de Montclos (dir.), Champagne-Ardenne, Hachette, coll. « Le guide du patrimoine », septembre 1995 (), p. 192 under the Carolingian dynasty and drew great renown thanks to its manuscripts,Georges Clause (dir.), Jean-François Boulanger, Sylvette Guilbert, Annie Moraine-Osaer-Jacquelin et Jean-Pierre Ravaux, Diocèse de Châlons, Beauchesne, 1989 (, lire en ligne [archive]), p. 15 such as the Ebbo Gospels and perhaps the Utrecht Psalter.
Saint Rieul joined the abbey in 662, before succeeding Saint Nivard as Archbishop of Reims in 669. In 841 a priest from Reims stole the relic of the body of Saint Helena from Rome and the reliquary was transferred to the abbey. The relics attracted pilgrims and the revenues allowed the abbey to purchase lands and vineyards in the vicinity (40 hectares).Franck Ferrand, Au cœur de l'histoire, Europe 1, 28 avril 2011
The remaining relics of St. Helena stayed in the monastery until the French Revolution broke out. The monastery was destroyed but the cellarer was able to hide the relics until they could be safely transported to Paris for public veneration again. They were then entrusted to the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and installed in their church, Saint-Leu-Saint-Gilles de Paris, in 1819.
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