Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: priest

What is the parish church of the tiny village of Saint-Hilaire-la-Croix today, was the church of a priory, depending from Mozat around 1165. In the beginning the priory was named "Saint-Hilaire-lac-rouge", but over the time, the old name got a little "deformed". There is not much known about the priory. In the early years it served the pilgrims on their way - and somehow it was important enough, to built (and finance) such an extraordenary church. Bernard Craplet ("Auvergne romane") dates the building phase from around 1100 to 1200. Later Augustinian Canons and Vincentians lived here. Not a sucess story for the next centuries the buildings were sold already in 1742. The northern portal of Saint-Hilaire-la-Croix is very elaborate and combines different artistic styles. Bernard Craplet tracks the craftmen, who created this, back to a travelling group of artists, that left their marks in Fleuriel and other places in the area. He states artistic influences as well from Burgundy and the Ile de France. Placed between loops of tendrills and floral ornaments are six sculptures in the outer archivolt. Another evidence of artistic influence from the Saintonge area (200 kms west). The six persons of the archivolt are well clothed, barfoot and have no nimbus. The person seen here, wears a maniple on his arm, so this depicts probably a priest.

"Santa María la Real" is one of the highlights for all people following the "Camino Aragonés" - since about 800 years. The facade is impressing it may take hours, to find out the many details. I stayed an extra day, when I had reached the town, just to see the shadows movig over the carvings. A church did exist here already in 1131 next to the bridge crossing the river Aragon. It was transferred by Alfonso I to the "Knights Hospitaller" (aka "Order of Saint John", later "Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta"). The apse is the oldest part of the structure and probably dates back to that time. The nave and the breathtaking Southern Portal of Santa María la Real were created late 12th/13th century. I have uploaded a "total overview" earlier and will now focus on some details. The archivolts around the large tympanum, depicting the "Last Judgement" are densely populated with dancers, workers, priests and mythical creatures. Here is a short man with a bowl and a round piece of flat bread (aka "pita bread") or (standing on a lion) a priest with a chalice elevating the consecrated host.