Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Abbey of Bricquebec, founded on July 13, 1824 by Abbé Bon-Henry Onfroy, is a Cistercian Trappist abbey built on a marshy terrain offered by a local miller. Originally a priory, it was recognized by Rome in 1825 and affiliated with the Order of Cîteaux, under the dependence of the Abbey of Melleray. In 1834 the church was built according to the plans of Canon Charles Robert, and in 1836 the priory officially became an abbey, with Dom Augustin Onfroy as the first abbey. The monks turned the marshes into agricultural land, developing a dairy farm, mills, and a cheese factory renowned for its Bricquebec Trappe.

During the First World War, the abbey hosted the Auxiliary Hospital 117, which cared for French and Belgian soldiers. In the 19th century, she played a major missionary role in Japan, founding several priories such as Tobetsu (1896) and Tenshien (1898), under the leadership of Dom Vital Lehodey. These missions then extended with foundations in Seiboen (1935), Imari (1953), or South Korea (1986). The abbey, still active in 2023, has 9 monks and maintains close ties with its Japanese subsidiaries.

The monastic economy is based on agriculture, pig farming, and a artisanal charcuterie led by Father Marc. Among his notable superiors, Dom Vital Lehodey was distinguished by his spiritual writings, while the history of the abbey was marked by tragedies, such as the successive death of two abbots in 1933 in car accidents. Today, Dom Simon-Marie Nguyen has been its superior since 2024, perpetuating a tradition of monastic life and international influence.

Architecture and community life reflect the Cistercian ideal of simplicity and work. The buildings, built during the 19th century, house a small but dynamic community, engaged in prayer, hospitality, and artisanal production. The abbey remains a place of pilgrimage and spiritual retreat, while bearing witness to a historical heritage linked to the post-revolutionary monastic reconstruction in France.

Local archives and bibliographies, such as Dom Vital Lehodey's books or cheesemaking studies, highlight his economic and spiritual role in Normandy. Its history with Japan, through Trappist missions, makes it a unique example of cultural and religious influence between Europe and Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries.

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