Chevetogne Abbey

Chevetogne Abbey is a Benedictine monastic community and ecumenical centre located in Wallonia, Belgium, known for housing both Eastern and Western Christian liturgical traditions. It was established in the early 20th century as a place of prayer, study and Christian unity.

The site is notable for two distinct church buildings on the same compound: one built in an Eastern, Byzantine-influenced style and one in a Western, Romanesque-Revival idiom. Guests typically see the contrasting liturgical spaces, the abbey library and grounds; the complex also hosts retreats and ecumenical conferences.

The abbey was founded in 1925 by Belgian liturgical reformers who sought to promote unity between Western and Eastern Christian traditions; it developed over the 20th century as a centre for ecumenical scholarship and monastic life. The community follows the Rule of St. Benedict while maintaining separate rites in the two churches.

The abbey sits in the village of Chevetogne in the province of Namur, Wallonia, surrounded by rural farmland and woodland. It lies south of the Meuse valley and is reachable by local roads from nearby towns in the region.

• Founding: Founded as an ecumenical Benedictine foundation in 1925 by a Belgian liturgist and monastic leader; the community intentionally preserves both Eastern and Western liturgical traditions.
• Visiting tips: Best time for visits is outside major liturgical periods when the guesthouse and church interiors are accessible for tours and quiet observation.

What to See #

• Eastern church: A domed church built in Eastern Christian style with rich iconographic decoration and liturgical furnishings used for Byzantine-rite services by the monastic community.
• Western church: A Romanesque-Revival style church intended for Latin-rite worship, featuring stonework and simpler liturgical fittings that contrast with the eastern building.
• Monastic complex: A collection of monastic buildings housing the community, guest accommodation and a library that supports the abbey's ecumenical and liturgical work.