Adam of Perseigne

Adam of Perseigne (c. 1145 – 1221) was a French Cistercian, abbot of Perseigne Abbey in the Diocese of Le Mans.

Adam was born around 1145 into a serf, or peasant, family. He is thought to have been first a canon regular, later a Benedictine of Marmoutier Abbey, Tours, and then a Cistercian. In 1188, he became abbot of Perseigne Abbey, to which his reputation for holiness and wisdom drew the great personages of his time to seek his advice. He was for a time the confessor to King Richard Lionheart of England. He had at Rome a conference with the celebrated mystic, Joachim, Abbot of Flora, (in Calabria, Italy), on the subject of the latter's revelations, and aided Foulques de Neuilly in preaching during the Fourth Crusade. He died in 1221.

His sermons were published at Rome in 1662, under the title Adami Abbatis Perseniæ Ordinis Cisterciensis Mariale. About half his known letters remained in circulation after the invention of the printing press in various collected formats. These collections were subsequently incorporated into the Patrologia Latina in volume CCXI.

Many of his letters were addressed to members of the House of Champagne (e.g. the countesses of Chartres and of Châlons and to the bishops and leading ecclesiastics of the dioceses of Le Mans, Chartres and of Normandy (especially Rouen). A virgin, Agnes, is addressed several times in the final volume. Adam's letters have strong moral as well as spiritual content (examples among many, those to the Rouen ecclesiastics).