The abbey is located on the territory of Forges, about ten kilometers from the town of Chimay. It was founded as a Trappist monastery on July 25, 1850, at the initiative of Reverend Sir Jourdain, pastor of Virelles. Seventeen monks from the monastery of Sint-Sixtus van Westvleteren started to cultivate a piece of land, which had been given to them by Prince Joseph de Chimay. The foundation cross that has been erected states: « Le 25 juillet 1850 les moines cisterciens fondant l’abbaye de Scourmont commencèrent à louer Dieu et à défricher la terre ». In 1871 the monastery became a full-fledged abbey.
The abbey community soon consisted of 80 monks (1858). In 1984 there were still about forty, after 2000 about twenty. The monks live according to the rules of the Trappists, in which prayer (individual or in group), work and rest alternate. Seclusion and silence are important elements here. The monks meet in their church five or six times a day to perform divine services. Guests are welcomed in the guest house.
The monks were expelled from their abbey by the German occupier from May 28 to July 2, 1940 and from April 12, 1942 to September 1, 1944.
The monks contribute to the international journal of the history and spirituality of the Cistercians, Collectanea Cisterciensia, and also publish themselves under the name les Cahiers Scourmontois. Some monks participate in the dialogue with Buddhist and Tibetan monks.
Since 1999 there has also been a 'Lay Community of Cistercians', whose members are associated with the abbey.
(Wikipedia)
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