Chartreuse du Val de Benediction Avignon

With the rich Catholic culture of the country, it is to be expected that France will have some breathtaking monasteries. One such great attraction is Chartreuse du Val-de Benediction in Avignon. Of course by using the term ‘breathtaking', one does not definitely suggest that the monasteries were very luxurious or opulent, the men dedicated to the Church lived a simple life, but the architecture and the general ambience of the monasteries do evoke reverence and awe even to this day! Chartreuse du Val-de Benediction was built at the behest of Pope Innocent VI .

The exact year of Pope Innocent VI's birth cannot be ascertained, it was either in 1282 AD or in 1295 AD. He passed away on 12 th September, 1362 AD. The Pope was born as Étienne Aubert . After taking orders, in 1342 AD, he became a Cardinal. He was a Pope at Avignon for ten years from 1352 AD to 1362 AD. He took his duties seriously and worked tirelessly to formulate and implement some new policies. There were many reforms in church administration. Jointly with his legate, Cardinal Albornoz , he tried to sort of the affair in Rome. Rome was in a quandary at that time. Pope Innocent VI was a liberal patron of letters and was fair and just. The Pope is buried in the Carthusian Monastery of Villeneuve les Avignon .

Chartreuse du Val-de Benediction , as mentioned earlier was founded by Pope Innocent VI. It very soon became bigger than its mother priory, the Grande Chartreuse at Isere . Today the church choir is in ruins and this very fact gives a clear view of the fort and tomb of Pope Innocent VI. Prosper Merimee took particular interest in maintaining and preserving them in 1834 AD. The north of the monastic church has Petit Cloitre meaning Little Cloister, and the elongated Cloitre du Cimetiere . Besides these were the cells of the monks.