The Tournay Abbey bookstore has established itself as a lively and open cultural place. With the event “Saturday, I read at the abbey”, on June 6 the monks transformed their garden into a haven of reading and literary exchange.
“Saturday, I read at the abbey”. This is the initiative of the Tournay brothers who invite reading enthusiasts, of all persuasions, to come and enjoy, on Saturday June 6, the atmosphere conducive to browsing which reigns in the monastic park on the banks of the Arros. “Historically, we participate in the national 1/4 hour reading in March. But we wanted to go further, explains Brother Martin, one of the spearheads of the abbey bookstore. Throughout the year, we receive many people who like to read in our garden. We therefore decided on a day to welcome them and invite them to take over of this park, equipped with their blanket or their folding seat. The idea is that they can relax, but can also discuss their readings, around the picnic for example. It is a cultural event, to read, but it will also be possible to meditate, to pray, and just to observe the rites and services which create an atmosphere. 1 p.m., there will be a reading of stories for the children, taking advantage of the acoustics of the place.”
A general public event which celebrates the transformation of the abbey bookstore. “For three years, the store, where our fruit jellies are sold, has become an independent bookstore in its own right,” explains Brother Martin, happy to put his literature studies to good use in the service of visitors. From now on, we carry out our own orders. Mostly, it is still religious works, but we also have a third of our stock made up of books for everyone, novels and even a few comics.”
Orders via Instagram
A new service open every day except Monday morning which fills a blank page since no bookstore is nearby. “We have a lot of vacationers, curious people who come,” explains Brother Martin. Beyond the religious, abbeys are, historically, cultural places, with literary and artistic dimensions. We find with this bookstore this spirit which had been diluted a little. In some ways, it is important to offer that. I also try to advise visitors through my readings. We take orders from everyone, including on Instagram, at all hours of the day, we have people from Tournay who come and come back, even if it’s sometimes the closest ones who are the last to take the few steps towards us…
An independent bookstore which also establishes a relationship between monks and reading. “We are great readers who also write a lot of handwritten letters,” points out Brother Martin. During meals, there are shifts to ensure reading. In the evening, they are more religious texts but at lunchtime, they are more cultural books, from which we can draw values.” It is therefore natural that the brothers of Tournay invite as many people as possible on June 6 to this operation “Saturday, I read at the abbey”.
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