If the monks are usually rather silent men, their arrival in Solignac made a great noise. About thirty residents demonstrated this Sunday in front of the abbey during the enthronement of these Benedictine monks by the bishops of Limoges and Dijon. “We are not against these monks, nor anti-ecclesiastical”, maintains Jacques Merzeau, inhabitants of Solignac. “But these men of the Church and the diocese of Limoges refuse to discuss with us from the start, we are in a small village, we have to communicate with each other if we want everything to go well.”
– TV
Open dialogue
At the heart of the demands of the demonstrations, free access to the religious building. This large structure covers 10,000 m2 of surface area and 6 hectares. Until a few weeks ago, locals could admire the architecture and roam freely in the gardens and along the riverbanks. Activities now or soon prohibited. “We had organized concerts. This abbey was a tourist attraction for the village. Our children took part in many activities in the gardens. We are told that from now on it is impossible.”
– TV
The bishop of Limoges, Monsignor Bozo, believes that it will indeed be difficult from now on to live as before. “The monks must pray 7 times a day. The abbey is basically a place of worship and not of culture.” It is the diocese which ceded the structure to these monks. However, Monsignor Bozo does not say he is “closed to discussions with the inhabitants.” “Of course, the inhabitants will be able to see with the priest and the abbot if they can organize a concert but there will not be the same use.”