Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: visitation

Bitonto, today a city of a population of about 55000, was probably founded by Greek settlers. Traces of a city wall dating to the 5th and 4th century BC were found. Later "Civitas Butuntinenses" became a self-governing Roman municipium, During the 9th century, Bitonto successfully withstood a Saracen raid but got destroyed by Byzantine troops in 975. The Normans took over Apulia. In the 11th and 12th century. Under the rule of the Normans of Roger II of Sicily, William I of Sicily (aka William the Wicked) and William II of Sicily (aka William the Good), the city prospered and got new walls. In 1227, Bitonto was the scene of the ex-communication of Frederick II accused by pope Gregory IX of having come to terms with sultan al-Malik al-Kamil. - The Bitonto Cathedral, dedicated to San Valentino, was erected 1175/1200 in the center of the city. The construction was probably influenced by the "Basilica of San Nicola" in Bari and was done in the typical "Apulian Romanesque" style. It is proven that the bishopric existed in 1089, though the crypt of the cathedral has remains of a 5th-century church. The portal´s tympanum. The lintel hais the Annunciation the Visitation, the Adoration of the Magi and the Presentation. The names of the persons seen are nicely carved in. I have taken many photos here on previous visits and will only upload a few now. Here you can find many more: www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/album/1333170?view=0

The Abbaye Saint-Benoît de Quinçay was founded around 670 by Saint Achard (Acardo), who later became abbot in Jumièges. It was known under the name Quinciacus Monasterium. In 868 the monks fled, as during the Norman Invasions the monastery got destroyed and burned down. Isembert I, Bishop of Poitiers, ordered the reconstruction in the early 11th century. In 1027 it exists under the name of "Abbas Sancti Benedicti de Quinciaco" as at that time the remains of Saint Benedict of Aizenay arrived. The abbey was depended on the chapter of the cathedral of Poitiers. In 1569, when Poitiers was besieged during the Wars of Religions, infamous Gaspard II de Coligny installed the headquarters here. The chapter house was the cloister got destroyed and the chapter house was transformed into a stable. Under Louis XIV , the church was restored. The abbey rapidly declined and already in 1762 the abbey church was taken over by the parish. The French Revolution chased away the last monks and put the abbey up for sale. The buildings were acquired by the municipality in 1993 and got restored. The very most of the cloister was destroyed during the Wars of Religions. The portal of the chapter house has some nice capitals. Here are annunciation and visitation.

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. Of course, this did not help when the Normans rowed up the Loire and burned the buildings of the monastery. But the convent recovered and rebuilt. 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. "Tour de Gauzlin", the massive porch tower, erected from 1020 on, serves as a narthex for the west entrance. The columns are decorated with interesting capitals, that were probably carved around 1080. One artist, who worked here, was Unbertus. He left a signature. Here is the "Visitation" Mary visits her relative Elizabeth; they are both pregnant. Mary is pregnant with Jesus and Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist. Luke 1:39-43 "And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"