MAISON DE LA TRINITÉ CERFROID

The House of the Trinity of Cerfroid was founded by the Provençal Saint John of Matha in 1193. The day after the celebration of his first mass, he was inspired to found the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and Redemption of Captives. He retired to the woods of Cerfroid to live with hermits. The local nobility offered him land and a house for his mission: to redeem Christian prisoners in the East and to carry out works of mercy. In eight centuries, more than 100,000 captives were redeemed by the Trinitarians, including Miguel de Cervantes (author of Don Quixote). Their action was supported by Pope Innocent III in 1198. The present property dates from the 13th century. It was offered by Gaucher III of Châtillon, a close friend of King Philippe Auguste.

The House of the Trinity of Cerfroid will become from then on the head of order of the Trinitarians or Mathurins until the Revolution. The Minister General established his residence there until 1462 and the general chapters of the Order were held there. By the Edict of Montmorecy signed in 1632, King Louis XIII introduced the reformed Trinitarians of the Pontoise congregation and they remained there until 1792. Sold as national property, the property passed from hand to hand and in 1867, the Trinitarian Calixte de la Providence bought it and set up a novitiate and a house for orphans. Due to a lack of vocation, he left the house twenty years later. It was not until 1944 that the titular nuns of Valence took it over and established a housekeeping school for young girls from the surrounding villages. The fathers, who returned to France in 1970, set up a novitiate there in 1986 and, together with the nuns, provided a service of welcome and spiritual guidance.

Today, the House of the Trinity of Cerfroid, cradle of the order of the Trinitarians (apostolic congregation), is located in the heart of a natural and magnificent setting. It is a house where you can stay in a family atmosphere, with sisters, brothers and lay people, happy to welcome you. It offers hospitality to anyone, alone or in a group, who wishes to live one or more days in a place of prayer, for a time of retreat, recollection or rest. The place has a large room with a removable partition for groups and 3 other rooms that can hold from 10 to 20 people. The community chapel is available for guests.