Armand de Rancé

Armand de Rancé was a 17th-century French abbot best known for reforming the Cistercian monastic order at the Abbey of La Trappe. Originally a nobleman, he became a monk and emphasized strict discipline, spiritual reflection, and austerity, revitalizing monastic life by simplifying customs and deepening devotion. His reforms also inspired the Trappist movement, promoting a life of silence, manual work, and prayer. Rancé’s influence helped shape modern monastic practices, balancing tradition with renewed spiritual focus, and his legacy endures in the monastic community known as Trappists.