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Mepkin Abbey is a community of Roman Catholic monks established in 1949 on the site of the historic Mepkin Plantation located on the Cooper River, north of Charleston, South Carolina. Founded by the monks of Gethsemani in Kentucky, the brothers of Mepkin belong to the worldwide Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. They are part of an ancient monastic tradition that was formalized in the sixth century by St. Benedict of Nursia, Italy. The Cistercians developed their own character at Citeaux in 12th century France, and renewed their tradition at the Norman Abbey of La Trappe in the mid 17th century, becoming popularly known as "Trappist."