Blois-Vienne Church (''Église Saint-Saturnin de Blois'' in

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

) is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chris ...

located on the left bank of the

Loire river The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône ...

in the city of

Blois Blois ( ; ) is a commune and the capital city of Loir-et-Cher department, in Centre-Val de Loire, France, on the banks of the lower Loire river between Orléans and Tours. With 45,898 inhabitants by 2019, Blois is the most populated city of the ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It was originally built between circa

1500 Year 1500 (Roman numerals, MD) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The year 1500 was not a leap year in the Proleptic Gregorian calendar. The year was seen as being especially important by many Christians in Europe, ...

and

1528 __NOTOC__ Year 1528 ( MDXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 12 – Gustav I of Sweden is crowned king of Sweden, having alrea ...

. The edifice is in the late

Flamboyant Gothic Flamboyant (from ) is a form of late Gothic architecture that developed in Europe in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance, from around 1375 to the mid-16th century. It is characterized by double curves forming flame-like shapes in the bar-tr ...

style. Its west side is oriented to one of the 4 last

churchyard In Christian countries a churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church, which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language and in both Scottish English and Ulster-Scots, this can also ...

s in France.

History

Origins

Between the 10th and 11th centuries, a

Catholic church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

was established in Vienne-lez-Blois, on the left bank of the Loire, right in front of the town center of

, located at the present-day ''13 rue Munier''. Firstly known as ''St. Saturnin church'', since the parish was dedicated to St. Saturnin of Toulouse, its name changed several times afterwards: ''St. Germain of Vienne church'' in

1326 Year 1326 (Roman numerals, MCCCXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * January 21 – The foundation of Oriel College, Oxford, Oriel Co ...

, then ''St. Cernin church'' in

1391 Year 1391 ( MCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * June 6 – Massacre of 1391: Anti-Jewish pogroms erupt in Seville, Spain. Many thousand ...

, and finally ''St. Cerny church'' in

1449 Year 1449 (Roman numerals, MCDXLIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * January 6 – Constantine XI Palaiologos is crowned Byzantine Emp ...

Site of pilgrimage

Since its establishment, the successive Blois-Vienne churches have always been modest buildings. It was also located on one of the

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

routes of the

Way of St James The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint ...

. During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

, Vienne was one the favored transit points for those pilgrims walking on the Tours Route (on the ''Via Turonensis'' starting in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

and passing next to the

). However, during the 15th and 16th centuries, it became an important place of

worship Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. It may involve one or more of activities such as veneration, adoration, praise, and praying. For many, worship is not about an emotion, it is more about a recognition ...

. It is said that

Viennese Viennese may refer to: * Vienna, the capital of Austria * Viennese people, List of people from Vienna * Viennese German, the German dialect spoken in Vienna * Music of Vienna, musical styles in the city * Viennese Waltz, genre of ballroom dance * V ...

boatmen A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. The profession of the s ...

discovered a statue of

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

in the

, next to

La Creusille Harbor La Creusille is a harbor on the left bank of the Loire, Loire river, located in the Blois-Vienne, southern part of Blois, France. Meaning The word ''Creusille'' () is an old local dialect term to designate the “hollow pilgrim's scallop” (� ...

, and that they were the first in the church to implore her help. During this period, a custom was established in

Bloisian Bloisian (''Blésois'' in French) is a natural region of France located around the city of Blois ( Loir-et-Cher). This term also refers to the locals living there. Historically, Bloisian was part of the County of Blois, and from 1498 part of the ...

of going to pray to Vienne-lez-Blois Church to the “Our Lady of Assistance” (''Notre-Dame des Aydes'' in French).

Construction

Over the centuries, the church has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. This was due to

fires Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames are pr ...

and

storms A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm), ...

that ravaged the church on several occasions. However, after each destruction, there has had a reconstruction and new developments. The construction of the current church was ordered by Queen

Anne of Brittany Anne of Brittany (; 25/26 January 1477 – 9 January 1514) was reigning Duchess of Brittany from 1488 until her death, and Queen of France from 1491 to 1498 and from 1499 to her death. She is the only woman to have been queen consort of France ...

a few years after

1499 Year 1499 ( MCDXCIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * January 8 – Louis XII of France marries Anne of Brittany, in accordance with a l ...

, when she married newly King

Louis XII Louis XII (27 June 14621 January 1515), was King of France from 1498 to 1515 and King of Naples from 1501 to 1504. The son of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and Maria of Cleves, he succeeded his 2nd cousin once removed and brother in law at the tim ...

who was established in

. However, this was interrupted when she died in

1514 Year 1514 (Roman numerals, MDXIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 10 – A great fire breaks out, in the Rialto of Venice. * Marc ...

. A reconstruction project was set up in the early 16th century but remained unfinished. However, this project led to new developments in the church: a gallery cemetery was created between

1515 __NOTOC__ Year 1515 ( MDXV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 25 – Francis I of France is crowned (reigns until 1547). * May 13 & ...

and

1520 __NOTOC__ Year 1520 ( MDXX) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 19 – King Christian II of Denmark and Norway defeats the Swedes, at ...

, as well as a

chapel A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...

. During the

French Wars of Religion The French Wars of Religion is the term which is used in reference to a period of civil war between French Catholic Church, Catholics and Protestantism, Protestants, commonly called Huguenots, which lasted from 1562 to 1598. According to estim ...

Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

set fire to the building's framework in

1568 Year 1568 ( MDLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 6– 13 – In the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom, the delegates of Unio Tr ...

. A new reconstruction project changed the entire style of the church with the creation of ribbed vaults between

1570 __NOTOC__ Year 1570 ( MDLXX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 8 – Ivan the Terrible begins the Massacre of Novgorod. * Januar ...

and

1578 __NOTOC__ Year 1578 (Roman numerals, MDLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 31 – Battle of Gembloux (1578), Battle of Ge ...

. A violent storm broke out on June 8,

1678 Events January–March * January 10 – England and the Dutch Republic sign a mutual defense treaty in order to fight against France. * January 27 – The first fire engine company (in what will become the United States) goe ...

, and destroyed the

bell tower A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...

. After the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

, at the end of the 18th century, works were resumed but interrupted by

the Terror The Reign of Terror (french: link=no, la Terreur) was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the First Republic, a series of massacres and numerous public executions took place in response to revolutionary fervour, ...

. During this period, the revolutionaries ransacked many religious premises in Blois, including St. Saturnin in

Vienne Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.

Modern era

Since

1807 Events January–March * January 7 – The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland issues an Order in Council prohibiting British ships from trading with France or its allies. * January 20 – The Sierra Leone Company, faced with b ...

, the

cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

is not used anymore, and has been converted into a lapidary museum since

1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...

. During the

floods of

1856 Events January–March * January 8 – Borax deposits are discovered in large quantities by John Veatch in California. * January 23 – American paddle steamer SS ''Pacific'' leaves Liverpool (England) for a transatlantic voyag ...

, the church was inundated, but not in

1846 Events January–March * January 5 – The United States House of Representatives votes to stop sharing the Oregon Country with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom. * January 13 – The Milan–Venice railway' ...

, neither in

1866 Events January–March * January 1 ** Fisk University, a historically black university, is established in Nashville, Tennessee. ** The last issue of the abolitionist magazine '' The Liberator'' is published. * January 6 – Ottoman tr ...

. The overall edifice was listed as a

historical monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, his ...

by order of July 11,

1942 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 – WWII: The Declaration by United Nations is signed by China, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union, and 22 other nations, in wh ...

Gallery

File:La façace ouest de l'église.JPG, West front of the church File:Vitrail de l'invocation faite à Notre Dame des Aydes pour sauver le faubourg de Vienne des crues en 1866.jpg,

Stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...

window of the invocation to “Our Lady of Assistance” to save the suburb of Vienne from flooding in

File:Vitrail du couronnement de Notre-Dame des Aydes.jpg,

window of the coronation of “Our Lady of Assistance” File:Diptyque Saint Pierre et Saint Clement.JPG,

Diptych A diptych (; from the Greek δίπτυχον, ''di'' "two" + '' ptychē'' "fold") is any object with two flat plates which form a pair, often attached by hinge. For example, the standard notebook and school exercise book of the ancient world w ...

St Peter ) (Simeon, Simon) , birth_date = , birth_place = Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire , death_date = Between AD 64–68 , death_place = probably Vatican Hill, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire , parents = John (or Jonah; Jona) , occupation ...

and St Clement File:Vitrail style Art-Deco Sacre-Coeur.JPG,

window of

Sacred Heart The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus ( la, Cor Jesu Sacratissimum) is one of the most widely practised and well-known Catholic devotions, wherein the heart of Jesus is viewed as a symbol of "God's boundless and passionate love for mankind". This devo ...

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...

style File:Statue de Jeanne D'arc.JPG, Statue of

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronati ...

File:Statue de N.D des Aydes.JPG, Statue of “Our Lady of Assistance” File:Fonts baptismaux avec baptistère à potence.JPG,

Baptismal font A baptismal font is an article of church furniture used for baptism. Aspersion and affusion fonts The fonts of many Christian denominations are for baptisms using a non-immersive method, such as aspersion (sprinkling) or affusion (pouring). ...

with gallows

baptistery In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned structure surrounding the baptismal ...

File:Ex-voto de la destruction du pont - Eglise Saint-Saturnin de Blois.jpg,

Ex-voto An ex-voto is a votive offering to a saint or to a divinity; the term is usually restricted to Christian examples. It is given in fulfillment of a vow (hence the Latin term, short for ''ex voto suscepto'', "from the vow made") or in gratitude o ...

of the

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

destruction File:Eglise Saint-Saturnin. Blois (Loir-et-Cher). (10653061696).jpg,

St Anne According to Christian apocryphal and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary and the maternal grandmother of Jesus. Mary's mother is not named in the canonical gospels. In writing, Anne's name and that of her husband Joachim come o ...

chapel

References

{{reflist Roman Catholic churches in France Blois