Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: translatio

Gniezno was an important pagan cult center and around 940 became one of the main fortresses of the early Piast rulers. It may be, that the Lech Hill could have been the burial place of rulers even before the baptism of Mieszko I. After the adoption of Christianity by Mieszko I, his son Bolesław I deposited the remains of Saint Adalbert in a church. The Congress of Gniezno took place in the year 1000, during which Duke Bolesław I the Brave, received Holy Roman Emperor Otto III. They celebrated the foundation of the archbishopric in Gniezno. In 1025 Bolesław I became the first king of Poland. Until 1320 the city was the coronation place of Polish kings. Gniezno was plundered and destroyed in 1038 by Bohemian troops and again by the Teutonic Knights' invasion in 1331. The city was soon rebuilt during the reign of King Casimir III. Trade flourished, four annual fairs took place and Gniezno was one of the major cities of Poland until the mid-17th century. It was devastated during the Swedish invasions and by a plague in 1708 -1710. All this caused depopulation and economic decline, but the city was soon revived during the 18th century. Gniezno was annexed by Prussia in 1793 and renamed Gnesen. After the invasion of Poland, Gniezno became part of the German Reich in 1939. In January 1945, the city was occupied by the Red Army and rejoined Poland after the end of World War II. The German inhabitants fled or were expelled. - A church here existed already n the 9th century. This church was altered and substantially enlarged over time. After the Bohemian troops in 1038 had destroyed the cathedral and stolen the bones of St. Wojciech the cathedral was rebuilt in the Romanesque architectural style and consecrated in 1064. In 1104 a synod took place here with the participation of a legate of the Holy See, concerning the recovery and future preservation of Wojciech's relics. In 1127 the recovery and preservation of the holy head of Wojciech in the cathedral were celebrated. In 1331, the Teutonic Knights pillaged and destroyed the cathedral. Ten years later a Gothic church was built. Casimir III the Great greatly contributed to the reconstruction of Gniezno. At the end of the 14th century, the construction of the chancel and large nave was completed. The Gniezno Doors, a pair of bronze doors, are the most important works of art here. They are decorated with eighteen bas-relief scenes from the life of St. Adalbert, whose remains had been purchased for their weight in gold and brought back to the cathedral. The doors were made about 1175 and are one of the most important works of Romanesque art in Poland. The door is said to have been created by artists from the Meuse area and cast in Gniezno itself. However, there are also speculations that there is a connection with the Hildesheim Cathedral; because the scenes of Bernward's door in the Hildesheim Cathedral have a comparable arrangement, which is rare on medieval picture doors. The left wing is made of a single piece of gunmetal bronze and measures 328 × 84 × 1.5 centimeters. The right wing has almost the same dimensions, but was cast in 24 separate pieces and only then assembled. The 18 pscenes thematically follow the legends about the life of Adalbert. They are evenly distributed on both wings of the door. The cycle begins at the bottom left and runs on the left wing from bottom to top, on the right wing vice versa from top to bottom. The body of the martyr is solemnly transferred to Gniezno. This transfer ("translatio") always plays a major role in the creation of myths.

Karja's St. Catherine's Church is located in the area of the neighbouring village of Linnaka. Around 1254, there was already a wooden church on the site. It was destroyed in 1343. The present church was built in the Gothic style between 1340 and 1350, probably by a French-influenced master from the Swedish island of Gotland. The hall church built by him has a single nave. The church has been preserved almost unchanged in its original form. It is claimed, that this church is one of the country churches with the most sculptures carved in stone in the whole of northern Europe. These three people are on the left side of the scene (previous upload). Are they bringing a reliquary to the bishop?

Marburg developed at the crossroads of two important medieval routes. The settlement was protected by a small castle built during the ninth or tenth century. Since 1140 Marburg has been a town, owned by the Landgraves of Thuringia, residing on the Wartburg above Eisenach. In 1228, the widowed Elizabeth of Hungary (aka Elizabeth of Thuringia), chose Marburg as her dowager seat. The countess dedicated her life to the sick and would become after her early death in 1231, aged 24, one of the most prominent female saints of the era. She was canonized already in 1235. Marburg was a provincial town in Hesse, known for the University, the oldest Protestant-founded university in the world, founded in 1527. St. Elisabeth had founded a hospital here in 1228, where she cared for sick and needy people until her death. She was buried in the hospital chapel. Immediately began a pilgrim's stream and numerous miracles of healing were witnessed. What happened just after (or even shortly before) St. Elisabeth died, just 25 years old, is a cruel story. As she was venerated as a saint already during her lifetime, pious people (and relic merchants) are said to have literally pounced on the corpse. They tore pieces from their shroud, cutting off nails, hair and even her ears (some say a finger). On May 1, 1236 Elisabeth´s bones were "translated" into a golden shrine. Emperor Frederick II ("stupor mundi") attended the translatio. Elisabeth´s skull had been separated from the skeleton and was taken into a special container crowned with Frederick´s "Crown of Jerusalem". This head reliquary was later on display in the church and used during processions in Marburg. Three hundred years after her death, Landgrave Philip I "the Magnanimous", a leader of the Protestant Reformation and a strong supporter of Martin Luther, raided the church in Marburg. He had Elisabeth's bones removed from the shrine and the skull removed from the head reliquary in order to end the cult of the relics. He only returned what was left, after being imprisoned by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. So this church was a center of huge pilgrimage for some centuries, and after Landgrave Philip I, who was actually one of many descendents of Elsiabeth had ended this, and the church became a place of harsh Protestantism. It is no surprise, that here are many carved inscriptions and graffiti, left by Catholics (before the Reformation) and Protestants (after the Reformation). Dogs? Lions? Two incarnations of the cerberus?

Marburg developed at the crossroads of two important medieval routes. The settlement was protected by a small castle built during the ninth or tenth century. Since 1140 Marburg has been a town, owned by the Landgraves of Thuringia, residing on the Wartburg above Eisenach. In 1228, the widowed Elizabeth of Hungary (aka Elizabeth of Thuringia), chose Marburg as her dowager seat. The countess dedicated her life to the sick and would become after her early death in 1231, aged 24, one of the most prominent female saints of the era. She was canonized already in 1235. Marburg was a provincial town in Hesse, known for the University, the oldest Protestant-founded university in the world, founded in 1527. In 1529, Philipp I of Hesse arranged the "Marburg Colloquy", to propitiate Martin Luther and Huldrych Zwingli. St. Elisabeth had founded a hospital here in 1228, where she cared for sick and needy people until her death. She was buried in the hospital chapel. Immediately began a pilgrim's stream and numerous miracles of healing were witnessed. What happened just after (or even shortly before) St. Elisabeth died, just 25 years old, is a cruel story. As she was venerated as a saint already during her lifetime, pious people (and relic merchants) are said to have literally pounced on the corpse. They tore pieces from their shroud, cutting off nails, hair, and even her ears (some say a finger). On May 1, 1236, Elisabeth´s bones were "translated" into this golden shrine. Emperor Frederick II ("stupor mundi") attended the translatio, barfoot, wearing a penitent´s tunica. Elisabeth´s skull had been separated already from the skeleton and was taken into a special container crowned with Frederick´s "Crown of Jerusalem". This head reliquary was later on display in the church and used during processions in Marburg. Soon after some of the bones were taken out of the shrine. Elisabeth´s daughter Sophie, married to Henry II, Duke of Brabant, had a rib of her deceased mother. An arm was given to the Premonstratensian monastery Altenberg near Wetzlar, where her youngest daughter Gertrude was abbess. This is meanwhile in the castle chapel of Sayn Castle near Koblenz. Three hundred years after her death, Landgrave Philip I "the Magnanimous", a leader of the Protestant Reformation and a strong supporter of Martin Luther, raided the church in Marburg had Elisabeth's bones removed from the shrine and the skull removed from the head reliquary in order to end the cult of the relics. He only returned what was left, after being imprisoned by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. The skull was lost. The empty reliquary and the crown were taken as a loot by swedish troops during the Thirty Years' War and are now on display at the Swedish History Museum in Stockholm. It is possible that the skull and two shins reached the monastery of the Elisabethines in Vienna, where they are still revered, but there are more skulls. In the Cathedral of Udine there is an Elisabeth skull, on the tomb of Blessed Bertrand of Aquileia. In the chapel of the Archbishop of Besançon is an Elizabeth skull. There is a skull in Brussels, with an inscription on the reliquary "Elisabeth de radice Hesse", but it was a misreading. It is "Jesse", so that is the skull of John the Baptist´s mother. The skull in Bogotá (Colombo), said to have been bestowed by Anna of Austria, is the skull of a young man.

After, during the Saxon Wars, Charlemagne´s soldiers had burnt down a Saxon settlement, a stronghold was erected next to the sources of the river Pader. At that time existed already a small church next to the palace, dedicated to "Salvator Mundi". The Saxons returned and of course a couple of times and burnt down, what was built, but finally a new church was erected, that was visited by Pope Leo III, when he met Charlemagne here in 799. This was the start of the diocese. This church got enlarged under the first bishops, especially, when under Louis the Pious, the relics of St. Liborius were transfered to Paderborn from Le Mans. The Carolingian cathedral burnt completely down in 1000. Bishop Rethar (+1009) and Bishop Meinwerk (+1036) managed the erection of the new cathedral, that (probably not completed) got consecrated in 1015. This cathedral burnt down with most of the town in 1058. The cathedral Bischof Imad (+1076) built was much larger and had probably a similar volume as the Paderborner Dom of today. It was consecrated in 1068. Another fire destroyed in 1033 roofs and ceilings. When the cathedral was rebuilt, it got the first vaulting. Most of the Paderborner Dom, seen today, dates to the 13th century. The "Paradies Portal" (Paradise Portal), a narthex, was built end of the 12th century. It combines late Romanesque and early Gothic statuary.

The Protestant parish church in Reelkirchen was dedicated to St. Liborius (of Le Mans) before the Reformation- St. Liburius´ relics had been transferred from Le Mans to (near) Paderborn on order of Louis the Pious in 836, as the diocese (founded in 799) had no saint of its own. A church may have existed here already within the 10th century. Todays church was probably erected in the first half of the 13th century. It got enlarged later. The massive tower got a a new spire in 1753. The tympanum just looks perfect. Mint. Is it younger? Is it really 12th century? I could not find out. Depicted is probably St. Liborius, the bishop of Le Mans. He wears a mitra and holds a crozier and a bible.

The Protestant parish church in Reelkirchen was dedicated to St. Liborius (of Le Mans) before the Rreformation- St. Liburius´ relics had been transferred from Le Mans to (near) Paderborn on order of Louis the Pious in 836, as the diocese (founded in 799) had no saint of its own. A church may have existed here already within the 10th century. Todays church was probably erected in the first half of the 13th century. It got enlarged later. The massive tower got a a new spire in 1753. This female is under the roof and watches the visitors.

The Protestant parish church in Reelkirchen was dedicated to St. Liborius (of Le Mans) before the Rreformation- St. Liburius´ relics had been transferred from Le Mans to (near) Paderborn on order of Louis the Pious in 836, as the diocese (founded in 799) had no saint of its own. A church may have existed here already within the 10th century. Todays church was probably erected in the first half of the 13th century. It got enlarged later. The massive tower got a a new spire in 1753. The linden tree (tilia) to the right is believed to be 1000 years old.

The Protestant parish church in Reelkirchen was dedicated to St. Liborius (of Le Mans) before the Rreformation- St. Liburius´ relics had been transferred from Le Mans to (near) Paderborn on order of Louis the Pious in 836, as the diocese (founded in 799) had no saint of its own. A church may have existed here already within the 10th century. Todays church was probably erected in the first half of the 13th century. It got enlarged later. The massive tower got a a new spire in 1753.

Milan is the city capital of the Lombardy and the second most populous city in Italy after Rome. Known during Roman times as "Mediolanum" it was the place, where in 313 Constantine I and Licinius met and "signed" the "Edict of Milan", giving Christianity a legal status within the Roman empire. At the end of the Roman empire Milan was besieged by the Visigoths in 402, looted by the Huns in 452, and taken by the Ostrogoths in 539. Only 30 years later is belonged to the Kingdom of the Lombards, until in 774 Charlemagne defeated the Langobards and added Milan to the Carolingian empire. During Barbarossa´s (Frederik I) "Italian Campaigns" Milan was taken and destroyed to a great extent. Only a few large structures survived the fury. One of them was the Basilica di San Lorenzo (see previous uploads). The Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio, located only about 500 ms south of the Basilica di San Lorenzo, existed already since centuries at that time, as it was founded in the 4th century. The name refers to Eustorgius I, the bishop of Milan (~350). It is attributed to Eustorgius to have translated the relics of the Magi to the city from Constantinople in 344, a present of Roman Emperor Constantius II (337-361). This legend came up in the 12th century, when the "new" Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio was erected in Romanesque style. When Milano was sacked by Frederick Barbarossa, Rainald von Dassel, who had just become Archbishop of Cologne and Archchancellor of Italy, entered the Basilica. In 1164 he brought the bones of the Magi with him to Cologne as loot from Milan and as a gift of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Since then the relics are in the Cologne Cathedral, where they are kept in the "Shrine of the Three Kings". Of course the Magi were never forgotten in Milan and in 1903 some fragments of the holy bones were sent back from Cologne. Here the Magi are seen in front of Herod´s throne (right), then the icon of the "Sleeping Magi" can be seen on the left. The Magi are not sleeping in a bed, but sitting on chairs. The Adoration is in the center - under ox, ass and an orchestra of angels. The altar is from 1347, attributed Jacopino da Tradate.

Milan is the city capital of the Lombardy and the second most populous city in Italy after Rome. Known during Roman times as "Mediolanum" it was the place, where in 313 Constantine I and Licinius met and "signed" the "Edict of Milan", giving Christianity a legal status within the Roman empire. At the end of the Roman empire Milan was besieged by the Visigoths in 402, looted by the Huns in 452, and taken by the Ostrogoths in 539. Only 30 years later is belonged to the Kingdom of the Lombards, until in 774 Charlemagne defeated the Langobards and added Milan to the Carolingian empire. During Barbarossa´s (Frederik I) "Italian Campaigns" Milan was taken and destroyed to a great extent. Only a few large structures survived the fury. One of them was the Basilica di San Lorenzo (see previous uploads). The Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio, located only about 500 ms south of the Basilica di San Lorenzo, existed already since centuries at that time, as it was founded in the 4th century. The name refers to Eustorgius I, the bishop of Milan (~350). It is attributed to Eustorgius to have translated the relics of the Magi to the city from Constantinople in 344, a present of Roman Emperor Constantius II (337-361). This legend came up in the 12th century, when the "new" Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio was erected in Romanesque style. When Milano was sacked by Frederick Barbarossa, Rainald von Dassel, who had just become Archbishop of Cologne and Archchancellor of Italy, entered the Basilica. In 1164 he brought the bones of the Magi with him to Cologne as loot from Milan and as a gift of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Since then the relics are in the Cologne Cathedral, where they are kept in the "Shrine of the Three Kings". Some fragments of the holy bones were sent back from Cologne to Milano in 1903, which are on display in this reliquary.

Milan is the city capital of the Lombardy and the second most populous city in Italy after Rome. Known during Roman times as "Mediolanum" it was the place, where in 313 Constantine I and Licinius met and "signed" the "Edict of Milan", giving Christianity a legal status within the Roman empire. At the end of the Roman empire Milan was besieged by the Visigoths in 402, looted by the Huns in 452, and taken by the Ostrogoths in 539. Only 30 years later is belonged to the Kingdom of the Lombards, until in 774 Charlemagne defeated the Langobards and added Milan to the Carolingian empire. During Barbarossa´s (Frederik I) "Italian Campaigns" Milan was taken and destroyed to a great extent. Only a few large structures survived the fury. One of them was the Basilica di San Lorenzo (see previous uploads). The Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio, located only about 500 ms south of the Basilica di San Lorenzo, existed already since centuries at that time, as it was founded in the 4th century. The name refers to Eustorgius I, the bishop of Milan (~350). It is attributed to Eustorgius to have translated the relics of the Magi to the city from Constantinople in 344, a present of Roman Emperor Constantius II (337-361). This legend came up in the 12th century, when the "new" Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio was erected in Romanesque style. When Milano was sacked by Frederick Barbarossa, the relics of the Magi were appropriated and subsequently taken to Cologne by his close advisor Rainald of Dassel, Archbishop of Cologne. Actually the relics are still in the Cologne Cathedral, where the are kept in the "Shrine of the Three Kings". Some fragments of the holy bones were sent back from Cologne to Milano in 1903. Milano had been a center of pilgrimage over a long time, but since 1164 the relics of the Magi attracted a stream of pilgrims to Cologne, what was very important for that city. From the 13th century the church was the main Milanese seat of the Dominican Order, who promoted its rebuilding - and radically altered it with the construction of the south transept, the main crossings and within the 15th century by adding chapels (for noble families). The alterations of the 17th and 18th century were elimimnated by the restyling work of the 19th century "recreating" the original Lombard Romanesque forms. A huge sarcophagus was the "home" of the Magi´s relics upto the day, when Rainald von Dassel, who had just become Archbishop of Cologne and Archchancellor of Italy, entered the Basilica. In 1164 he brought the bones of the Magi with him to Cologne as loot from Milan and as a gift of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Here is the inscription on the sarcophagus.

Milan is the city capital of the Lombardy and the second most populous city in Italy after Rome. Known during Roman times as "Mediolanum" it was the place, where in 313 Constantine I and Licinius met and "signed" the "Edict of Milan", giving Christianity a legal status within the Roman empire. At the end of the Roman empire Milan was besieged by the Visigoths in 402, looted by the Huns in 452, and taken by the Ostrogoths in 539. Only 30 years later is belonged to the Kingdom of the Lombards, until in 774 Charlemagne defeated the Langobards and added Milan to the Carolingian empire. During Barbarossa´s (Frederik I) "Italian Campaigns" Milan was taken and destroyed to a great extent. Only a few large structures survived the fury. One of them was the Basilica di San Lorenzo (see previous uploads). The Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio, located only about 500 ms south of the Basilica di San Lorenzo, existed already since centuries at that time, as it was founded in the 4th century. The name refers to Eustorgius I, the bishop of Milan (~350). It is attributed to Eustorgius to have translated the relics of the Magi to the city from Constantinople in 344, a present of Roman Emperor Constantius II (337-361). This legend came up in the 12th century, when the "new" Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio was erected in Romanesque style. When Milano was sacked by Frederick Barbarossa, the relics of the Magi were appropriated and subsequently taken to Cologne by his close advisor Rainald of Dassel, Archbishop of Cologne. Actually the relics are still in the Cologne Cathedral, where the are kept in the "Shrine of the Three Kings". Some fragments of the holy bones were sent back from Cologne to Milano in 1903. Milano had been a center of pilgrimage over a long time, but since 1164 the relics of the Magi attracted a stream of pilgrims to Cologne, what was very important for that city. From the 13th century the church was the main Milanese seat of the Dominican Order, who promoted its rebuilding - and radically altered it with the construction of the south transept, the main crossings and within the 15th century by adding chapels (for noble families). The alterations of the 17th and 18th century were elimimnated by the restyling work of the 19th century "recreating" the original Lombard Romanesque forms. This huge sarcophagus was the "home" of the Magi´s relics upto the day, when Rainald von Dassel, who had just become Archbishop of Cologne and Archchancellor of Italy, entered the Basilica. In 1164 he brought the bones of the Magi with him to Cologne as loot from Milan and as a gift of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.

Milan is the city capital of the Lombardy and the second most populous city in Italy after Rome. Known during Roman times as "Mediolanum" it was the place, where in 313 Constantine I and Licinius met and "signed" the "Edict of Milan", giving Christianity a legal status within the Roman empire. At the end of the Roman empire Milan was besieged by the Visigoths in 402, looted by the Huns in 452, and taken by the Ostrogoths in 539. Only 30 years later is belonged to the Kingdom of the Lombards, until in 774 Charlemagne defeated the Langobards and added Milan to the Carolingian empire. During Barbarossa´s (Frederik I) "Italian Campaigns" Milan was taken and destroyed to a great extent. Only a few large structures survived the fury. One of them was the Basilica di San Lorenzo (see previous uploads). The Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio, located only about 500 ms south of the Basilica di San Lorenzo, existed already since centuries at that time, as it was founded in the 4th century. The name refers to Eustorgius I, the bishop of Milan (~350). It is attributed to Eustorgius to have translated the relics of the Magi to the city from Constantinople in 344, a present of Roman Emperor Constantius II (337-361). This legend came up in the 12th century, when the "new" Basilica di Sant'Eustorgio was erected in Romanesque style. When Milano was sacked by Frederick Barbarossa, the relics of the Magi were appropriated and subsequently taken to Cologne by his close advisor Rainald of Dassel, Archbishop of Cologne. Actually the relics are still in the Cologne Cathedral, where the are kept in the "Shrine of the Three Kings". Some fragments of the holy bones were sent back from Cologne to Milano in 1903. Milano had been a center of pilgrimage over a long time, but since 1164 the relics of the Magi attracted a stream of pilgrims to Cologne, what was very important for that city. From the 13th century the church was the main Milanese seat of the Dominican Order, who promoted its rebuilding - and radically altered it with the construction of the south transept, the main crossings and within the 15th century by adding chapels (for noble families). The alterations of the 17th and 18th century were elimimnated by the restyling work of the 19th century "recreating" the original Lombard Romanesque forms. Some of the old Romanesque capitals still exist. Seen here is probably the "translatio" of the Magi´s relics from Constantinople to Milano. I do not think this is the "translatio" from here to Cologne...

The abbey at Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (originally known as Fleury Abbey) was founded on the banks of the Loire river mid 7th century. It is one of the oldest abbeys of the Benedictine rule in France. The story starts in 672, when some of its monks traveled to Montecassino (Italy), dug up the remains of St. Benedict of Nursia (+ 547) and his sister St. Scholastica and brought them home. After the relics had reached at Fleury Abbey it which was renamed Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire - and due to the relics became a major place of pilgrimage. A famous school and a scriptorium existed here in the late 10th century. The erection of the church started around 1071. When the church was consecrated in 1108, the long nave was not completed. The abbey thrived, but times got rougher. In 1562, the abbey was pillaged by Huguenots. The buildings were restored, but looted and destroyed again during the French Revolution. Saint-Benoît's monks left the abbey and so the history of the convent ended after more than 1100 years. The abbey church had escaped destruction and got restored in the 19th century. In 1944, the convent was refounded the abbey buildings were rebuilt by Benedictine monks after World War II. So the history of the convent was just interrupted for about 150 years. The nave got vaulted probably end of the 12th century, some decades later a side-portal was created in Gothic style. On the lintel the "translatio" of St. Benedict´s relics is "told". Seen here are the returning monks, carrying the reliquary to the abbey. Fortunately the Huguenots and/or Revolutionists obviously had no ladders, when the vandalized the church, so only the jamb statues, that were in easy reach, are very damaged.

The abbey at Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (originally known as Fleury Abbey) was founded on the banks of the Loire river mid 7th century. It is one of the oldest abbeys of the Benedictine rule in France. The story starts in 672, when some of its monks traveled to Montecassino (Italy), dug up the remains of St. Benedict of Nursia (+ 547) and his sister St. Scholastica and brought them home. After the relics had reached at Fleury Abbey it which was renamed Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire - and due to the relics became a major place of pilgrimage. A famous school and a scriptorium existed here in the late 10th century. The erection of the church started around 1071. When the church was consecrated in 1108, the long nave was not completed. The abbey thrived, but times got rougher. In 1562, the abbey was pillaged by Huguenots. The buildings were restored, but looted and destroyed again during the French Revolution. Saint-Benoît's monks left the abbey and so the history of the convent ended after more than 1100 years. The abbey church had escaped destruction and got restored in the 19th century. In 1944, the convent was refounded the abbey buildings were rebuilt by Benedictine monks after World War II. So the history of the convent was just interrupted for about 150 years. The nave got vaulted probably end of the 12th century, some decades later this side-portal was created in Gothic style. Christ, surrounded by the evangelists´ symbols, is in the center of the tympanum. In the register below, the "translatio" of St. Benedict´s relics is "told". To the left monks dig up the remains, to the right they carry the reliquary home to the abbey, inbetween they are attacked by somebody. Fortunately the Huguenots and/or Revolutionists obviously had no ladders, when the vandalized the church, so only the statues, that were in easy reach, are very damaged.

This is a detail from the entrance to the chapter house of the former "Abbaye Saint-Georges de Boscherville", founded by a chamberlain of William the Conqueror, and in existence up to the French Revolution. The abbey church serves the parish since then. Most buildings of the abbey got demolished after the Revolution, but the chapter house survived. I had been here about 10 years ago when this part of the abbey was closed. This time I had more luck - and was surprised by originality and quality of the carvings. Some of the carvings here are copies, as the delicate and already weathered originals are kept in a museum in Rouen.

What is the parish church of the tiny village Saint-Thibault, seen here, was the center of a priory, that was founded in 1190. In the early times, the priory had erected a Romanesque church. After the "translation" of Saint Thibault´s relics to this church (1240), pilgrims arrived here in greater numbers, what created "business". So end of the 13th century the monks started to replace the Romanesque church with a "modern" Gothic one. The choir was built between 1299 and 1323. This large church collapsed in 1712. A fire burnt down what was rebuilt 16 years later. So that only the choir, a transept chapel and an early Gothic portal still existed, when a humble rebuilding process started mid 18th century. The portal, seen on the previous upload, has two statues on either side. Here is the couple from the portal´s left side. A luxuriously clothed couple, clearly older than their counterparts on the right side of the portal. Way better clothed. He wears a large embroidered collar and a crown. A small moneybag hangs down her belt, probably filled with some small coins for the poor. She is such a a merciful lady! These are probably statues of important donors, when the monks built the church.