Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Burial of Jesus

Villeneuve-l’Archevêque was founded by the Archbishop of Sens in the second half of the 12th century. The town was built on a checkerboard plan and protected by a wall. All the straight and wide streets were aligned parallel. Two transverse lanes and a few alleys, connect the parallel streets. Due to hostile feudal neighbours, fearing the loss of political power, the start was pretty difficult. It was supported by the Archbishop of Sens Guillaume aux Blanches Mains, whose brother was the Count of Champagne. Villeneuve experienced a certain economic success. In 1177, the king allowed the establishment of a market there. A hall was built to house the stalls and two fairs were established here. Notre-Dame dates from the time, when the village was founded. The church was largely remodelled in the 13th century with its Gothic nave, then in the 16th century, with the reconstruction of the transept and the choir in 1530-1540. The "Mise au Tombeau" (entombment, the burial of Jesus) is attributed to the Master of Chaource. It was originally created in 1528 for the Abbaye de Vauluisant, which was secularized in the Revolution. The PiP has the Mise au Tombeau in Chaource.

Villeneuve-l’Archevêque was founded by the Archbishop of Sens in the second half of the 12th century. The town was built on a checkerboard plan and protected by a wall. All the straight and wide streets were aligned parallel. Two transverse lanes and a few alleys, connect the parallel streets. Due to hostile feudal neighbours, fearing the loss of political power, the start was pretty difficult. It was supported by the Archbishop of Sens Guillaume aux Blanches Mains, whose brother was the Count of Champagne. Villeneuve experienced a certain economic success. In 1177, the king allowed the establishment of a market there. A hall was built to house the stalls and two fairs were established here. Notre-Dame dates from the time, when the village was founded. The church was largely remodelled in the 13th century with its Gothic nave, then in the 16th century, with the reconstruction of the transept and the choir in 1530-1540. The "Mise au Tombeau" (entombment, the burial of Jesus) is attributed to the Master of Chaource. It was originally created in 1528 for the Abbaye de Vauluisant, which was secularized in the Revolution.

A church probably existed here already within the 6th century. The current building was erected within the 12th century as the church for the priory, dependent on the abbey in La Charité-sur-Loire, a "daughter" of Cluny. This explains the architectural characteristics here, that are so typical for a "Cluniac" church. A "Mise au tombeau" mutilated during the Revolution by furious vandals.

Melle was known already during Roman times, when silver and lead were mined here. The silver mines were exploited over hundreds of years, got forgotten and "rediscovered" in the 19th century. Today they are a tourist attraction. Melle was wealthy and the pilgrims, walking the Via Turonensis, passed through Melle on their way to Santiago, what brought even more money into town. Churches were erected during the heydays of the pilgrimage. Three (!) Romanesque churches can still be found here. Melle must have been a large building site within the 12th century, with hundreds of construction worker and dozends of carvers. An oratory, dedicated to St. Peter, was existing here around 950 in the center of a Carolingian cementary. This humble chapel was dependent from the mighty Benedictine abbey of Saint-Maixent (25kms north). This small structure got extended and enlarged in two stages during the early 12th century. The choir with the nicely decorated chapels and transept form the oldest existing part. The church was set on fire and defaced during the Wars of Religions. After the French Revolution this was the meeting place for the assemblies of the inhabitants. Prosper Mérimée initiated the restaurations undertaken from 1855 on. The stair to the gallery was not locked, so I could take the photo from this vantage point. There are some interesting capitals, that can be easily seen from the galery. One of them depicts the "Burial of Jesus". While there are many icons about the "Empty Tomb", the burial is not often seen. Mark 15: 42-46 "It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb."