Friends of the abbey of Saint-Maurin > Aims

Aims

The discovery of important manuscripts of the 11th and 12th centuries – one relating the life of Saint Maurin, the other a collection of processional chants for the monks of the Abbey – enabled the creation of an event in 1997 to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the Abbey church. In 1993, in order to prepare fittingly for this celebration, the association “To develop the patrimony of the Abbey” was created. Since then, it has evolved into an association called “The Friends of the Abbey of Saint Maurin” (les Amis de l’abbaye de Saint-Maurin). Its aim is to preserve and further develop the heritage of the Abbey in as many ways as possible : financial, educational and cultural, such as concerts, exhibitions, talks, walks…

The association is regulated by the law of 1st July 1901. Since 2010 it has been recognised as an organisation of general interest and as such its members and donors qualify for a  tax reduction of 66% of the amount paid.

The association is a member of the European Federation of Cluniac Sites and today numbers 169 members.

The association supported the project that the municipality put forward to develop the ruins of the Abbey through its participation in “Sponsoring heritage projects in Lot-et-Garonne”, organised by the prefecture and the departmental council (conseil général). The project document won through to the shortlist of the five projects of major interest within the theme of the jacquaire patrimony (relating to St James of Compostella). In addition to the preservation of the buildings, our initiative aimed to encourage communication about heritage, through opening a route linking Cluniac sites in the two regions of Acquitaine and Midi-Pyrenees.