Nestled at the top of a slight hill, just after entering the town, the Priory of Saint-Germain-des-Fossés appears like a miraculous vision. An architectural jewel of the city, this Cluniac site from the second half of the 12th century has been home to a community of religious since the early 2000s, the Brothers of Saint John.
A small community guided by its faith
Six in number, its members divide their time between their duties as parish priest and community life. Those who are nicknamed the “petits-gris” in reference to the anthracite color of their cassocks, try as best they can to animate the daily life of a community which is depopulated by its faithful.
Brother Marie-Géraud accompanied by Brother Jean de Dieu. Apart from reception, they are above all parish priests.
The prior, brother Marie-Géraud, also emphasizes what he considers to be his main mission: spreading the word. “My first task is that of pastor of the parish of Saint-Germain. I am required to celebrate offices, to consecrate baptisms, marriages and burials. »
A job that is increasingly difficult to accomplish in the face of the desertion of volunteers and the faithful. “We know well that the social place of the Church is no longer what it used to be. he observes, lucid. But not discouraged. “It’s up to us to bring the place to life. By reviving interest in the place, we will bring people back. »
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Hence the establishment of cultural actions linked to the history of the priory. “We must try to link the cultural to the religious. We invite people to come a little way towards us. When I arrived, I realized that some Saint-Germain residents didn’t even suspect the site existed. The repatriation of the Pietà is the symbol of this. “The box of prayer intentions is full and the candles are burned. Which makes me think that the operation has its small success. »
The 19th century wrought iron stairs leading to the bedrooms.
Added to this is a reception mission. As soon as they are asked, the monks open the doors of their priory to souls in search of a spiritual retreat.
Without our community spirit, it would lose some of its interest.
In Saint-Germain, the rooms are spartan, the common areas unadorned. Decorated with a crucifix and a few icons, they consist of one or two beds, a small desk and a sink. Like the rest of the place, they invite introspection. “The retreatants come above all to seek a time of peace. They want to be able to reflect on intimate matters that affect their personal life and their faith. »
The living room of the main building of the priory. The prior converses there with the retreatants seeking advice.
To wonder what place the religious occupy in all this. “Without our community, the place would lack warmth. Our guests ask us for advice. We intervene only when the subject concerns their spiritual life. Beyond that, we experience real moments of conviviality with them. »
Although, as with prayer times, silence remains the norm in most activities within the priory. A way to preserve the tranquility of the place and the recollection of the faithful.
A brother among others
Brother Marie-Géraud in front of the door of the main building.
Hospitality with some quid pro quos. “We also share the chores! We ask our residents to help us do the dishes. But we never force them into anything, of course. »
On the spot, one is indeed completely free to wander, to explore the recesses of an ancestral domain. Invited to help oneself in the libraries as much as in the pantry, one would almost have the impression of being a brother of Saint-Jean in his own right.
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A rare sense of welcome that Marie-Géraud intends to maintain. “It is the shared meals, the times of common prayer that give us an esprit de corps. Fraternal life is the foundation on which our vocation rests. »
Once night has fallen, a gentle tranquility takes hold of the place. Far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, only the creaks of a century-old building remain. Cradled in silence, thoughts wander. With the feeling of being out of time.
The Pietà de Saint-Germain, symbol of the priory’s cultural policy.
Strong element of the parish, the Pietà of Saint-Germain sits proudly in the middle of a dozen ex-voto plaques. Initially installed in the church in the center of the village, which owes its nickname of “basilica”, this virgin of pity would have been found in the Allier by sailors in the 19th century. “I found that it fitted in better with the priory than with the basilica. The priory is its true setting,” says Brother Marie-Géraud.
This repatriation is the symbol of the prior’s desire to “link the cultural to the religious. By reviving interest in the place, we will bring people back. When I arrived, some Saint-Germanois did not even suspect the existence of the site. »
Paul Inaudi; Photos: Dominique Parat