Founding of Fontenay Abbey
Abbot Bernard and a group of Cistercian monks, along with local laborers, lay the first stones of Fontenay Abbey in a secluded forest clearing. The moment is marked by a solemn blessing of the site, s
Setting
A clearing in the forests of Burgundy, where the first stones of Fontenay Abbey are being laid. The site is surrounded by dense woodland, with the morning light filtering through young spring leaves. A simple wooden cross marks the intended location of the altar.
Characters
Abbot Bernard
primary
A tall, gaunt man in his late 50s with a deeply lined face that speaks of years of asceticism. His piercing blue eyes are framed by thick silver eyebrows, and his tonsured scalp is surrounded by a fringe of white hair. His hands are long-fingered and slightly trembling, bearing ink stains from manuscript work.
Monk Brother
primary
A middle-aged man of slender build, his gaunt face bearing the marks of ascetic life, with deep-set eyes that reflect quiet devotion. His hands, though calloused from manual labor, are delicate when handling sacred objects. His posture is slightly stooped from years of bending in prayer and work.
Local Laborer
secondary
A burly man in his late 30s with sun-weathered skin and thick, calloused hands from years of manual work. His muscular frame suggests a life of lifting and hauling, with a slightly hunched posture from labor. Dark brown hair, streaked with gray, is cropped short beneath a cloth cap.
Young Novice
secondary
A slender youth of about 15 years, with close-cropped brown hair and wide, innocent eyes that reflect his monastic devotion. His smooth cheeks show he has not yet grown a beard, and his hands are delicate but beginning to show signs of manual labor.
Dialog
Abbot Bernard
Hoc loco sanctificato, Deus erit nobiscum... Yet mind the mortar there, good brother—the stones must sit as true as the Psalms.
Monk Brother
Benedicite, Pater. The cross stands aligned with the rising sun, as the Rule instructs. Deo volente, this shall be a house of perfect prayer.
Local Laborer
Aye, just so—the ashlar's dressed proper-like. Mortar's stiffened right for setting.
Abbot Bernard
Remember, my sons—these stones are but the body. Our prayers shall raise the soul of this place heavenward.
Monk Brother
Sicut cervus ad fontes... The deer indeed pant for these springs, and we for the living waters.
Local Laborer
Shall I fetch more lime, Father? 'Twill bind quicker in this morning damp.
Abbot Bernard
Bene... Bene. Let every task this day be done as though Christ Himself were the master builder watching.