Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene visited the Abbey of Lérins, on the island of Saint-Honorat in the Bay of Cannes, this Saturday, September 14. The princely couple attended the blessing of the new bells of the monastery chapel.
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Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene visit Lérins Abbey
The monastery tower of Lérins Abbey has benefited from substantial renovation work, undertaken several years ago. One of the last stages of the project concerned the Sainte-Croix chapel and the installation of its new bells. This Saturday, September 14, Prince Albert II, 66, and Princess Charlene of Monaco, 46, sailed to Saint-Honorat Island to attend the blessing of the two new bells.
Soon, the bells will be able to ring again in the chapel located on this small island in the Bay of Cannes. The neighboring Sainte-Marguerite Island includes a fort that served as a prison, one of whose famous inmates was the Man in the Iron Mask. Sainte-Marguerite Island, Saint-Honorat Island, Tradelière Island and Saint-Féréol Island form the Lérins Islands.
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A sponsorship in memory of Augustin Grimaldi
The presence of the Monegasque sovereign recalls the link that exists between the Grimaldis and the Lérins Islands. Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene were designated godfather and godmother of the large bell named Marie Augustin, in memory of Augustin Grimaldi, who was appointed Abbot of Lérins in 1500. Augustin Grimaldi played an important political role in Monaco since he was its regent from 1523, after the death of his brother Lucien, during the reign of his minor nephew, Honoré.
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Prince Albert and Princess Charlene attended a mass in the abbey church of the island and then the blessing of the bells took place on the forecourt of the church. The Prince’s Palace recalls that the papal bull appointing Augustin Grimaldi as commendatory abbot of Lérins is still kept in the Archives of the Palace.
Under the regency of Augustine, Monaco sought protection from Charles V. Thanks to this alliance, Monaco remained independent, pledging loyalty to Spain. A few decades later, in 1612, under the reign of Honoré II, Spain would raise the lordship of Monaco to the rank of principality. It was at this same time that Honoré II would leave the bosom of Spain and place his new principality under the protection of France.
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