L’histoire de la devise
L’abbaye de Grimbergen a été ravagée par les flammes à trois reprises et est chaque fois revenue plus forte, sa devise devenant « ardet nec consumitur » qui signifie « brûle mais ne se consume pas ».
“Three legendary words will never be forgotten in the town of Grimbergen: Ardet Nec Consumitur.
This is the motto of the abbey, which means “burns but does not consume”. (Other local translations are possible)."
Un rappel de l’histoire dramatique de l’abbaye de Grimbergen. Une histoire qui remonte au Moyen-Age, lorsque Norbert van Xanten a fondé l'ordre de Prémontré.
In 1128, the Lords of Grimbergen asked him to build an abbey. The man of the Church responds to their wishes.
In 1142, the Lords of Grimbergen revolted against the Duke of Brabant. This is the start of the Battle of Grimbergen.
The Abbey was completely destroyed, but rebuilt stone by stone in the years that followed.
After its first reconstruction, the abbey flourished, like the hop fields which surrounded the town.
In 1556, the Abbey was destroyed for the second time in the wake of the wars of religion. The monks took refuge in Brussels
and only returned to Grimbergen once peace had been restored.
In 1629, the Abbey of Grimbergen was rebuilt and the celebrations began again with the return of the brewmaster to the town.
The monks and the order of canons decided to adopt the phoenix as the emblem of their coat of arms, a symbol of rebirth, which they underlined by the motto:
ARDET NEC CONSUMITUR.
