Saintes - Saint-Eutrope

Little is known about St. Eutropius and nothing of this is certain. He may have been native Persian, a companion of the Three Marys, when they went ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or a native Greek, send to the Saintonge area by Pope Clement I, some centuries later.

After having baptized Eustelle, the daughter of the local governor, he got martyred. Legends tell, that Eustelle got beheaded and so joined St. Eutropius in death.

The relics of the Saint got buried here. Gregor of Tour knows about pilgrimages to the tomb here already within the 6th century.

When the pilgrimage to Santiago got popular and the Via Turonensis was used by many thousands pilgrims each year, this place was a major halt on the "chemin". A larger church was urgently needed. Cluny, a strong "sponsor" of the pilgrimage to Santiago, took over the small community of monks, that existed here since centuries, and sent 20 expert monks. They accepted the challenge,

They started to built the large ambulatory crypt seen here in 1081. The dimensions of the crypt (35 meters long) make clear, what large numbers of pilgrims were expected. The monks did a great job, as already 15 years later Pope Urban II consecrated this crypt.

The crypt has a nave, two aisles and even to ambulatory chapels. This is the right aisle. Upto the French Revolution stairs led down from the church into the crypt. After the Revolution the stairs got demolished. Now visitors enter the crypt via a slippery underpass from the side of the street.