Responsible for the twentieth century restoration of the ancient Boquen Abbey, built on the edge of Boquen Forest, near Plénée Jugon, Dom Alexis Presse was born in Plouguenast, France, in 1883, and after pursuing studies at Saint-Brieuc, Timadeuc and Rome, he professed his solemn vows with the Cistercian Order on February 16, 1908, and was ordained to the priesthood on the following June 29.
Master of ceremonies and sacristan, novice master of the lay brothers, in 1910, he was named master of students in Rome. Graduating in Iur. Can. in Rome, he taught at the Monastery of Bonnecombe between 1920 and 1923, when he was elected Superior in Tamié on March 8.
On November 25, 1925, Dom Alexis was elected Abbot of Tamié, receiving his abbatial blessing on the following December 15.
Assigned to Boquen in the General Chapter of 1936, after 145 years of neglect, Dom Alexis went to live in the derelict Abbey, and began to restore the buildings and create a new community living to the Cistercian Rule. The miraculous restoration of L'Abbaye de Boquen was literally his life work. In August 1965, the Abbey, lovingly restored, was reconsecrated. But Dom Alexis was so exhausted by his labours that he had to be brought to the consecration service on a stretcher, and died just three months later at Saint-Brieuc, aged 81.
Sadly, that was not the end of the struggle for continuity at the Abbey. Without his inspirational leadership the fragile community disintegrated, and it looked as though Boquen would suffer the fate of so many great sacred buildings in France and simply become a historic building on the tourist trail. But in 1976, a community of nuns of the Order of Bethlehem, the Assumption of the Virgin and Saint Bruno settled at Boquen, and they continue a precarious existence there today.
Master of ceremonies and sacristan, novice master of the lay brothers, in 1910, he was named master of students in Rome. Graduating in Iur. Can. in Rome, he taught at the Monastery of Bonnecombe between 1920 and 1923, when he was elected Superior in Tamié on March 8.
On November 25, 1925, Dom Alexis was elected Abbot of Tamié, receiving his abbatial blessing on the following December 15.
Assigned to Boquen in the General Chapter of 1936, after 145 years of neglect, Dom Alexis went to live in the derelict Abbey, and began to restore the buildings and create a new community living to the Cistercian Rule. The miraculous restoration of L'Abbaye de Boquen was literally his life work. In August 1965, the Abbey, lovingly restored, was reconsecrated. But Dom Alexis was so exhausted by his labours that he had to be brought to the consecration service on a stretcher, and died just three months later at Saint-Brieuc, aged 81.
Sadly, that was not the end of the struggle for continuity at the Abbey. Without his inspirational leadership the fragile community disintegrated, and it looked as though Boquen would suffer the fate of so many great sacred buildings in France and simply become a historic building on the tourist trail. But in 1976, a community of nuns of the Order of Bethlehem, the Assumption of the Virgin and Saint Bruno settled at Boquen, and they continue a precarious existence there today.
Responsible for the twentieth century restoration of the ancient Boquen Abbey, built on the edge of Boquen Forest, near Plénée Jugon, Dom Alexis Presse was born in Plouguenast, France, in 1883, and after pursuing studies at Saint-Brieuc, Timadeuc and Rome, he professed his solemn vows with the Cistercian Order on February 16, 1908, and was ordained to the priesthood on the following June 29.
Master of ceremonies and sacristan, novice master of the lay brothers, in 1910, he was named master of students in Rome. Graduating in Iur. Can. in Rome, he taught at the Monastery of Bonnecombe between 1920 and 1923, when he was elected Superior in Tamié on March 8.
On November 25, 1925, Dom Alexis was elected Abbot of Tamié, receiving his abbatial blessing on the following December 15.
Assigned to Boquen in the General Chapter of 1936, after 145 years of neglect, Dom Alexis went to live in the derelict Abbey, and began to restore the buildings and create a new community living to the Cistercian Rule. The miraculous restoration of L'Abbaye de Boquen was literally his life work. In August 1965, the Abbey, lovingly restored, was reconsecrated. But Dom Alexis was so exhausted by his labours that he had to be brought to the consecration service on a stretcher, and died just three months later at Saint-Brieuc, aged 81.
Sadly, that was not the end of the struggle for continuity at the Abbey. Without his inspirational leadership the fragile community disintegrated, and it looked as though Boquen would suffer the fate of so many great sacred buildings in France and simply become a historic building on the tourist trail. But in 1976, a community of nuns of the Order of Bethlehem, the Assumption of the Virgin and Saint Bruno settled at Boquen, and they continue a precarious existence there today.
Master of ceremonies and sacristan, novice master of the lay brothers, in 1910, he was named master of students in Rome. Graduating in Iur. Can. in Rome, he taught at the Monastery of Bonnecombe between 1920 and 1923, when he was elected Superior in Tamié on March 8.
On November 25, 1925, Dom Alexis was elected Abbot of Tamié, receiving his abbatial blessing on the following December 15.
Assigned to Boquen in the General Chapter of 1936, after 145 years of neglect, Dom Alexis went to live in the derelict Abbey, and began to restore the buildings and create a new community living to the Cistercian Rule. The miraculous restoration of L'Abbaye de Boquen was literally his life work. In August 1965, the Abbey, lovingly restored, was reconsecrated. But Dom Alexis was so exhausted by his labours that he had to be brought to the consecration service on a stretcher, and died just three months later at Saint-Brieuc, aged 81.
Sadly, that was not the end of the struggle for continuity at the Abbey. Without his inspirational leadership the fragile community disintegrated, and it looked as though Boquen would suffer the fate of so many great sacred buildings in France and simply become a historic building on the tourist trail. But in 1976, a community of nuns of the Order of Bethlehem, the Assumption of the Virgin and Saint Bruno settled at Boquen, and they continue a precarious existence there today.
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