A power struggle within a French Benedictine abbey has taken a dark turn with the abduction of its abbot, Father Placide of Notre-Dame de Bellaigue. The monk disappeared after announcing his resignation, sparking suspicion among fellow monks who believed he wouldn’t leave voluntarily. A large-scale police search was launched, eventually locating Father Placide near Limoges, approximately 150 kilometers from the abbey, bearing signs of severe abuse. Authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment, but no arrests have been made. Investigators believe the incident is linked to tensions surrounding abbey leadership and a group of eleven dissenting monks attempting to seize control. These monks, formerly associated with the highly conservative Saint Pius X Priestly Society, reportedly proposed a new organizational structure. The abbey has previously been associated with the SSPX, which faced excommunication from the Vatican earlier this month.