Saint-Thégonnec (; br, Sant-Tegoneg) is a former

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Finistère Finistère (, ; br, Penn-ar-Bed ) is a department of France in the extreme west of Brittany. In 2019, it had a population of 915,090.

department in

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

in northwestern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune Saint-Thégonnec Loc-Eguiner.Arrêté préfectoral
23 December 2015 The village is noted for its very elaborate

parish close Parish close is a translation of the French term ''enclos paroissial''. It refers to a number of locations in Brittany, mainly though not exclusively in the historic diocese of Léon, corresponding roughly to the northern half of the department ...

, one of a number in the area, which include

Guimiliau Guimiliau (; br, Gwimilio) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. It is noted for the Guimiliau Parish close. It should not be confused with the neighbouring commune and village of Lampaul-Guimiliau. Po ...

and

Lampaul-Guimiliau Lampaul-Guimiliau (; br, Lambaol-Gwimilio) is a commune in the Finistère department and administrative region of Brittany in north-western France. It is noted for its parish close. Etymology The place name element ''lan'' or ''lam'' (''llan' ...

Population

Inhabitants of Saint-Thégonnec are called ''Saint-Thégonnecois''.

Breton language

The municipality launched a linguistic plan through

Ya d'ar brezhoneg (french: Oui au breton, en, Yes to Breton) is a campaign started in the 21st century by the ( en, Office of the Breton language) to promote and stimulate the use of the Breton language in daily life in Brittany, northwestern France. Breton is a ...

on 25 March 2005.

Parish close

is an enclosed area around the parish church, including the church yard and a number of other features. In common with others in the area, the Saint-Thégonnec close features a large ceremonial entrance arch, stressing the importance of the close as a focus for pilgrimage and

pardons A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some or all of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the j ...

. An impressive calvary or

crucifix A crucifix (from Latin ''cruci fixus'' meaning "(one) fixed to a cross") is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the ''corpus'' (Lati ...

forms the focus of the church yard. As at nearby

, there is a separate

charnel house A charnel house is a vault or building where human skeletal remains are stored. They are often built near churches for depositing bones that are unearthed while digging graves. The term can also be used more generally as a description of a pl ...

ossuary An ossuary is a chest, box, building, well, or site made to serve as the final resting place of human skeletal remains. They are frequently used where burial space is scarce. A body is first buried in a temporary grave, then after some years the ...

, with a life-sized tableau of the Entombment of Christ. The interior of the church is exemplary of the local version of Baroque style, with a large quantity of

polychrome Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery or sculpture in multiple colors. Ancient Egypt Colossal statu ...

sculpture and decoration, including a spectacular pulpit. See Saint-Thégonnec Parish close

References

Image:St Thegonnec - church.jpg, The church and entrance to parish close. Image:4205.Triumphpforte(Porte de Triomphe-1587)-Saint Thégonnec-Umfriedeter Pfarrbezirk(enclos paroissial)-Département Finistère-Region Bretagne-France.JPG, Ceremonial entrance arch. File:Bretagne Finistere SThegonnec2 tango7174.jpg, Detail of calvary. File:Bretagne Finistere SThegonnec3 tango7174.jpg, The

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

. File:Bretagne Finistere SThegonnec4 tango7174.jpg, Retable of the Rosary. File:Bretagne Finistere SThegonnec5 tango7174.jpg, Retable of the

Holy Sacrament There are seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, which according to Catholic theology were instituted by Jesus and entrusted to the Church. Sacraments are visible rites seen as signs and efficacious channels of the grace of God to all those ...

. Image:St Thegonnec - Deposition.jpg, Detail from the Entombment in the

: St

John the Apostle John the Apostle ( grc, Ἰωάννης; la, Ioannes ; Ge'ez: ዮሐንስ;) or Saint John the Beloved was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he was the son of Zebede ...

and the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

. Image:St Thegonnec - Madonna.JPG, Folding

triptych A triptych ( ; from the Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided ...

of the

Madonna and Child In art, a Madonna () is a representation of Mary, either alone or with her child Jesus. These images are central icons for both the Catholic and Orthodox churches. The word is (archaic). The Madonna and Child type is very prevalent i ...

in the parish church. Image:St Thegonnec - Mark.jpg, St Mark, from a set of Four Evangelists decorating the pulpit. Image:St Thegonnec - Luke.jpg,

Relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term '' relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...

of St Luke on the pulpit. Image:St Thegonnec - pulpit.jpg, Polychrome decorative moulding from the pulpit. Image:Thegonnec - St Pol.jpg, St Pol, an important Breton saint:

statue in the parish church. Image:St Thegonnec - Christopher.jpg, Polychrome statue of St Christopher and the infant Christ in the parish church.

Twin city

* Silverton, Devon, England, since 2008.

External links

* Former communes of Finistère {{Finistère-geo-stub