Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Saint Christopher

Venice (ital. Venezia) is one of the most important tourist destinations worldwide with about 30 million visitors each year. I have already uploaded dozens of shots from previous visits, so I´ll try to cut down the number of uploads this time. Saint Christopher

Legends tell, that a young aristocrat named Avitus was a member of the Visigoth army in the battle of Vouillé in 507. When he was a prisoner of the Franks, he converted to Christianity. Liberated he lived as a miraculous hermit, built a chapel and died around 570. The chapel got destroyed by the Normans, but during the 11th century, a church was erected over his grave and a Benedictine convent was established. When the pilgrimage to Santiago took on, the reputation of Saint Avit let many "pelerins" on the Via Lemovicensis do a detour to visit the relics. So a larger church was built in the 11th and 12th century. This is the massive, partially fortified church, seen today, next to ruins, that were then the convent of regular canons of Saint Augustine. The village around and the church burned within the 13th century, but it is unclear whether English, French or Cathar troops did the damage. In 1280 French King Philippe III (le Hardi) ordered the fortification of the town. It did not help much, as later the English destroyed monastery village. During excavations of the cloister stone balls similar to those used for siege machines were found. In 1577, during the wars of religion, Seigneur of Commarque´s troops entered the monastery, killed or imprisoned the canons, demolished the northwest bell tower and the chevet. The priory never really recovered and in 1695 the chapter of canons is deleted. The church is about 56 m long and up to 20 m wide. The side walls have round Romanesque arches and in the beginning the ceiling may have been flat. Later in Gothic times the vaults were erected. During renovation works in 2001 14th century murals were discovered. Here is Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travellers.

Malvaglia used to be conveniently located on the mule track on the Lukmanier Pass and on the path to the Gotthard Pass. A parish church, dedicated to St. Benedict was known since 1207. The church of today, dedicated to St. Martin of Tour, was erected from 1602 on. The bell tower (35 m high) is Romanesque and was erected within the 12th/13th century. The large Saint Christopher fresco was created in 1520. Saint Christopher, patron saint of travellers, can be found on many churches on both sides of the Alpes. To cross via the passes has always been a dangerous undertaking. The "Similaun Man" ("Ötzi") died trying it about 5000 years ago. He is now the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano.

Malvaglia used to be conveniently located on the mule track on the Lukmanier Pass and on the path to the Gotthard Pass. A parish church, dedicated to St. Benedict was known since 1207. The church of today, dedicated to St. Martin of Tour, was erected from 1602 on. The bell tower (35 m high) is Romanesque and was erected within the 12th/13th century. The large Saint Christopher fresco was created in 1520. Saint Christopher, patron saint of travellers, can be found on many churches on both sides of the Alpes. To cross via the passes has always been a dangerous undertaking. The "Similaun Man" ("Ötzi") died trying it about 5000 years ago. He is now the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano.

Maria Hilf Assumptio, the parish church of Malta (pop. 2000), was erected 13th - 15th century. It seems, that the building was started in Romanesque, but completed in Gothic style. Like many churches in the alpine area, there is a large fresco outside, depicting Saint Christopher, patron saint for travellers. As Saint Christopher was a giant, most frescoes are large, this one is 7,50 m high. It was created around 1300 and uncovered and restored in 2002. Like anywhere else there are mythic creatures (eg mermaids) around Saint Christpher´s feet, but here this (exstinct!) "Malta-Mouse" looks pretty much like Disney´s "Micky Mouse". I remember having seen another "Malta Mouse" in Saint-Sauvant (France).

Maria Hilf Assumptio, the parish church of Malta (pop. 2000), was erected 13th - 15th century. It seems, that the building was started in Romanesque, but completed in Gothic style. Like many churches in the alpine area, there is a large fresco outside, depicting Saint Christopher, patron saint for travellers. As Saint Christopher was a giant, most frescoes are large, this one is 7,50 m high. It was created around 1300 and uncovered and restored in 2002. Like anywhere else there are mythic creatures (eg mermaids) around Saint Christpher´s feet, but here was a creature was found, that made it into the news.

In 831 an "ecclesia plebeia" is mentioned here, dedicated to Saint Martin. Excavations proved, that earlier churches did exist on the same spot from about 500 on. The church was erected in the early 12th century along an old (pre-Roman) road that crosses the Alps and from here runs through the dangerous "Via Mala". So here was a place to stop and pray.. A huge "Saint Christopher" is next to the door. He would probably guide the anxious travellers through the "Via Mala", the notorious section of a path between Zillis and Thusis. This narrow gorge was the most serious obstacle on the approach to two mountain passes: the Spluegen and the San Bernardino. St. Martin is world famous for the painted ceiling inside.

In 831 an "ecclesia plebeia" is mentioned here, dedicated to Saint Martin. Excavations proved, that earlier churches did exist on the same spot from about 500 on. The church, here seen/zoomed from Casti, was erected in the early 12th century along an old (pre-Roman) road that crosses the Alps and from here runs through the dangerous "Via Mala". So here was a place to stop and pray.. Note the huge "Saint Christopher" next to the door. He would probably guide the anxious travellers through the "Via Mala". St. Martin is world famous for the painted ceiling inside.

The small parish church of Rheinau, seen from Kloster Rheinau. It was probably built, when the The adjoining settlement adjoining the abbey was founded in the 12th century. Saint Christopher guards the little bridge.

As the legend says, that Saint Christopher was a giant, most sculptures or frescoes depicting him - are somehow oversized. This one is on the neo-gothic parish church St. Blasius in Glottertal.

Civaux, a village with a population of about 1000, has a history rooting very deep. Humans populated the area already, when stepp bisons and mammoths were hunted. Many "pre-historic" artefacts have been excavated in and around Civaux, proving that this place was inhabited over tens of thousands of years. A settlement stood on the site of the village in Gallo-Roman times, and there are still traces of Roman temples. Excavations have revealed the sites of a theater (capacity 3000), a fortified camp, and the foundations of many villas. This has been a place of very early christianisation. A funeral stele has been found dating to around 400, a pagan temple and a very early baptisterium were excavated next to the church. A polygonal apse was probably built as will around 400, what actually means that this church, dedicated to Saint Gervais and Saint Protais is one of the oldest in France. At that time a kind of pilgrimage must have developed. The relics of Saint Gervais and Saint Protais had been miraculously discovered by Saint Ambrose in Milan in 386, so the saints got very popular in Merovingian times, but that does not explain the enigma of Civaux. The village stands in the center of a huge merovingian necropolis. As the many sarcophagi were sold as water basins or troughs in later time, the exact number of graves is unknown. Serious estimations are between 15.000 and 20.000 graves. There are parallels to nearby Saint Pierre in Cauvigny (16 kms north). The same colours as in Chauvigny were used here during the restauration of the interior. At least one of the capitals is very similar to one in Saint Pierre, but some carvings are absolutely unique. A closer look onto the strange capital above Saint Christopher´s head. There are eight "tubes", that may not have been golden, when they were created. I would find a couple of explanations for "seven" (virtues, deadly sins..), but "eight" is a pretty uncommon number. And what are these objects at all? Probably not tubes.

Civaux, a village with a population of about 1000, has a history rooting very deep. Humans populated the area already, when stepp bisons and mammoths were hunted. Many "pre-historic" artefacts have been excavated in and around Civaux, proving that this place was inhabited over tens of thousands of years. A settlement stood on the site of the village in Gallo-Roman times, and there are still traces of Roman temples. Excavations have revealed the sites of a theater (capacity 3000), a fortified camp, and the foundations of many villas. This has been a place of very early christianisation. A funeral stele has been found dating to around 400, a pagan temple and a very early baptisterium were excavated next to the church. A polygonal apse was probably built as will around 400, what actually means that this church, dedicated to Saint Gervais and Saint Protais is one of the oldest in France. At that time a kind of pilgrimage must have developed. The relics of Saint Gervais and Saint Protais had been miraculously discovered by Saint Ambrose in Milan in 386, so the saints got very popular in Merovingian times, but that does not explain the enigma of Civaux. The village stands in the center of a huge merovingian necropolis. As many sarcophagi were sold as water basins or troughs in later time, the exact number of graves is unknown. Serious estimations are between 15.000 and 20.000 graves. There are parallels to nearby Saint Pierre in Cauvigny (16 kms north). The same colours as in Chauvigny were used here during the restauration of the interior. At least one of the capitals is very similar to one in Saint Pierre, but some carvings are absolutely unique. The wall behind the side altar is part of the polygonal apse, erected around 400. It got "integrated" into the Romanesque church, when this was built about 600 years later. The curtain was probably painted much later, even later than the fading Saint Christopher on the left. Above the fresco is a very strange kind of capital.

The single-nave (and hard to find) church dates back to the 12th century, but was altered a couple of times over the centuries. Unfortunately the church was locked. It is located just outside Cotillo, a small mountain village with a population of about 150. On the right side of the western facade stands this great statue of "Saint Christopher" (= "Christ-bearer") in a niche. He does not bear only Christ, but some more small people around his belt. I have the impression, that the niche, where Saint Christopher is place in, is older than the statue. There are carvings on both sides of this niche, that seem way older and may be 12th century. Even the reddish semicircular top has some nice carvings. On the very left is an inscription in Spanish.