Claude Estiennot de la Serre
Encyclopedia
Claude Estiennot de la Serre (or de la Serrée) (1639–1699) was a French Benedictine
scholar of the Congregation of Saint-Maur.
. He joined the Benedictines at Vendôme
and was professed there in 1658. After teaching humanities for a short time to the junior monks at Pontlevoy
, he was, at the instance of Dom Luc d'Achery
, sent to the Abbey of St-Germain-des-Prés, Paris.
There he met Dom Mabillon, whose intimate friend and fellow-worker he became. Together they journeyed on foot through Flanders
, visiting all its chief monastic libraries. In 1670 he was made sub-prior of St-Martin's, Pontoise.
In 1684 he was appointed procurator for his congregation in the Curia Romana, which post required his residence in Rome for the remainder of his life. During the fifteen years he lived in Italy he saw to many matters of ecclesiastical business. He enjoyed the confidence of several popes and other high officials of the Catholic Church.
He died at d. at Rome in 1699, and was buried in the church of the Minims of SS. Trinità de' Monti.
On his way to Rome he visited monasteries and collected literary material, which he sent back to Mabillon, and most of which found its way into the "Annales O.S.B." or the Gallia Christiana
. Though he did not publish much under his own name, he continued to research in the chief libraries of Italy, all of which were open to him, and to forward the results.
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
scholar of the Congregation of Saint-Maur.
Life
He was born at ToutryToutry
Toutry is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.-Population:-References:*...
. He joined the Benedictines at Vendôme
Vendôme
Vendôme is a commune in the Centre region of France.-Administration:Vendôme is the capital of the arrondissement of Vendôme in the Loir-et-Cher department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It has a tribunal of first instance.-Geography:...
and was professed there in 1658. After teaching humanities for a short time to the junior monks at Pontlevoy
Pontlevoy
-Geography:Pontlevoy is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France.The village of Pontlevoy is 14 miles southwest of Blois, in the department of Loir-et-Cher, the eastern part of Touraine. It is a 20 minute drive from the chateaux of Amboise, Cheverny, Chaumont or Chenonceau, and...
, he was, at the instance of Dom Luc d'Achery
Luc d'Achéry
Luc d'Achery was a learned French Benedictine of the Congregation of St. Maur, a specialist in the study and publication of medieval manuscripts.-Life:...
, sent to the Abbey of St-Germain-des-Prés, Paris.
There he met Dom Mabillon, whose intimate friend and fellow-worker he became. Together they journeyed on foot through Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, visiting all its chief monastic libraries. In 1670 he was made sub-prior of St-Martin's, Pontoise.
In 1684 he was appointed procurator for his congregation in the Curia Romana, which post required his residence in Rome for the remainder of his life. During the fifteen years he lived in Italy he saw to many matters of ecclesiastical business. He enjoyed the confidence of several popes and other high officials of the Catholic Church.
He died at d. at Rome in 1699, and was buried in the church of the Minims of SS. Trinità de' Monti.
Works
A history of St-Martin's, Pontoise, in three volumes, was his first published work. Between 1673 and 1682 he compiled his chief work, entitled "Antiquités Bénédictines", in which the monastic traditions of France are treated under the headings of the different dioceses. Besides, he collected sixteen volumes of "Fragments historiques".On his way to Rome he visited monasteries and collected literary material, which he sent back to Mabillon, and most of which found its way into the "Annales O.S.B." or the Gallia Christiana
Gallia Christiana
The Gallia Christiana, a type of work of which there have been several editions, is a documentary catalogue or list, with brief historical notices, of all the Catholic dioceses and abbeys of France from the earliest times, also of their occupants....
. Though he did not publish much under his own name, he continued to research in the chief libraries of Italy, all of which were open to him, and to forward the results.