Frigolet, Monastery of
FRIGOLET, MONASTERY OF
Premonstratensian abbey, Graveson, near Tarascon, France; Diocese of Aix, former Diocese of Avignon (patron, St. Michael). Founded as a cell of the Benedictine Abbey of montmajour in 962, it later became a priory of canons regular of st. augustine who preserved there the old chapel of Notre-Dame du Bon-Remède. hieronymites and Discalced augustinians served Frigolet successively, from 1647, until the monastery was suppressed in 1790. The buildings were preserved and, in 1858, a former Trappist, Edmond Boulbon, restored Frigolet as a house of the primitive observance of the premonstratensians. In 1869 it became an abbey, and a sumptuous church and extensive new buildings were erected. After a short period of prosperity, the community was twice expelled (1880 and 1903). Its first refuge was Storrington, Sussex, England; its second, Leffe, Belgium.
Bibliography: n. backmund, Monasticon Praemonstratense, 3 v. (Straubing 1949–56) 3:337–340. r. gazeau, Catholicisme. Hier, aujourd'hui et demain, ed. g. jacquemet (Paris 1947–) 4:1647–48.
[n. backmund]