Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: chalice

As I have taken already so many photos of Saint Chaffre over the years, I will only add two know Legends tell, that a small community of hermits lived here in the 6th century. A century later the group was led by (Saint) Eudes and after him by Eudes´ nephew (Saint) Theofrede. Theofrede got killed by the locals - and so he became a martyr named Saint Chaffre. The monastery adopted the Benedictine rule in 817 and found support from Louis the Pious. In the following two centuries three churches were erected here. All collapsed due to the unstable ground. The current, former abbey church was built from 1074 on. The monastery (and the relics of Saint Chaffre) were just a day´s walk from Le Puy, where the Via Podiensis started and many pilgrims gathered. It may well be, that the wealthiness of the abbey, was related to the pilgrim-business. Here is one of the nave´s capitals. Two griffins drinking from a chalice.

Mozac Abbey is one of the oldest monasteries in the Auvergne, dating back into Merovingian times. A legend tells that it was founded by Calminius (later Saint Calmin). He must have been pretty important and well off, as his name is connected to the foundations of three abbeys. He introduced the benedictian rules to the area, and brought (from Rome)a relic of Saint Peter and (from Agen) a relic of Saint Caprasius to Mozac. He got buried in the crypt of this church together with his wife Saint Namadie. Within the 9th century relics of Saint Austremonius, the first bishop of Clermont were transferred to Mozac, so already before Santiago de Compostella was on the map, this was a place of pilgrimage. In 1095 Mozac abbey got affiliated to Cluny, but was important enough, to have Hugue of Semur, nephew of Hugue of Cluny here as abbot. He was followed by Eustachius, brother of Petrus Venerabilis. Three churches could be traced here by archeologists, what can be seen today is "Mozac 3", a great church built within the first half of the 12th century. As most of "Mozac 3" got destroyed by a number earthquakes between 1437 and 1490. Actually only ruins can be seen. Apses, choir, ambulatory, radial chapels, transept and clerestorys were beyond repair, when the early reconstruction started - in gothic style. Most pillars and capitals of "Mozac 3" are still in place (in situ). Some / Most of the carvings here are so "perfect", that they seem to be much younger, even baroque, but all are - 12th century - romanesque. - Two fantastic griffons, with a grim expression, around a chalice. Absolutely symmetrical. To place two mythical animals or birds aside a chalice is a common theme in the Auvergne, but these griffons here are very spectacular chimeras. Note the tail that splits into two and then transforms to foliage. Crossing the border between fauna and flora

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. One of capitals at the crossing depicts the two birds and between them the chalice. One of the symmetrical "icons", that can often be seen in the Auvergne. Special here are the two men behind the birds. With stoic faces they are putting /dropping something into the calice. Small round objects. Hosts? How did the sacramental bread look like in the 12th century? Restoration seems to be on its way here. Two zones have been obviously treated by a chemical (antifungal?) substance. Now the effect is watched. That explains the little stickers.

Transept, choir, ambulatory and the radiating chapels of Notre-Du-Port from outside! In the residential-building opposite the church is a public balcony up the third floor, to see this! "Merci beaucoup!" to the people living there, tolerating all the tourists on their stairs up and down. Unfortunately my camera does not offer the wide angle, needed to take the photo, I wanted... These "multi-staging" chevets/apses are very typical for the romanesque churches of the Auvergne. Compare this to "Saint-Nectaire" or "Notre-Dame d’Orcival". The mosaics and the capitals are renovated, but still pretty original. Only the roof-tiles got replaced recently. Note the carved capital in the middle under the roof. Two griffons drinking out of a chalice.

This church once belonged to a convent dependent on the abbey in Charroux (350kms east), later on the nearby abbey in Saint Jean d'Angely. It was erected within the 12th century, but tower, southern walls and parts of the nave got destroyed during the medieval wars. It got rebuilt and reconstructed different times. The state the building is in now, dates to the mid of the 19th century. The outer walls of the apse are covered with Romanesque carvings. Seen under a nest is a hunting centaur. Two birds drinking from a chalice to the right.

Saint-Martial is the church of a former abbey, that may be the oldest in the Périgord. Local traditions tell, that the abbey was founded by Saint Cybard (aka "Cybard d'Angoulême") within the 6th century. Documents prove an existence in Carolingian times. Norman raiders devastated the abbey in 849 and in 860, monks returned some decades later and rebuilt. During the heydays of medieval pilgrimage one of the many "chemins" to Santiago run through this valley, so this was a welcomed stop over for the "pelerins". The abbey suffered severely during the Hundred Years War, the nave of the church had to be rebuilt within the second half of the 15th century. The Wars of Religions caused more damage, when the abbey got looted by Protestant troops. The French Revolution finally put the monastic life to an end. Todays church may date to the 12th and 13th century, but many parts were added and rebuilt in later centuries. The long nave is one of the "younger" parts, but these two carvings may be reused, when it got rebuilt. The icon of two birds drinking from a chalice or fountain is older than Christianity. It developed into an Eucharistic symbol, associated with Baptism and Resurrection.

Conques is a popular stop for all pilgrims traveling the Via Podiensis. This is a treat after having crossed the harsh Aubrac. I had started in Geneva in 2008 and I still remember my feelings, when I reached Conques after some weeks. A tiny convent existed here already in the 8th century. This grew into a very successful monastery, after the relics of St. Foy arrived in Conques through theft in 866. The relics were stolen by a monk from Conques, who had posed as a loyal monk in Agen for years. The arrival of the relics of St. Foy caused the pilgrimage route to shift to Conques. As the existing church was too small for all the pilgrims, a new, much larger church had to be constructed. It was completed by the end of the 11th century. As a large pilgrim´s church it had an ambulatory with five radiating chapels. A century later galleries were added over the aisle and the roof was raised over the transept and choir to allow people to circulate at the gallery level. This can still be done for an hour in the evening and is - absolutely breathtaking! Different masons and carvers have worked in Conques over the building process, so here are different Romanesque styles. Christ (with a cross halo, flanked by two apostles) holding two large chalices.

A church, dedicated to "Santo Stephano", was erected in a cemetery area, outside the city walls within the 5th century. The church underwent a couple of enlargements, buildings and renovations, so that most, what is seen from here is probably 11th century. This relief is on the right corner of the facade. Two birds drinking from a chalice.

This museum holds a large collection of the works of art. Here are the originals, many of which are meanwhile replaced with replicas all around he Piazza dei Miracoli, as many of them crumbled and weathered. The museum is well worth a visit, but was closed (for a year?) in autumn 2014. Following the information given, this ivory casket was produced in the Byzantine Empire within the 11th century. To the right a lion and a griffin chase a hare. To the left a very common motif: two birds drinking from a chalice. Above them four little nudes dance, holding girdles of flowers (?). The left one blows a kind of instrument, the rights one seems to have a animal head (?).

The former collegiate church Saint-Aignan was built from the early 11th to the early 13th century, so there is a transition from Romanesque to early Gothic style. The church replaced a chapel from the 9th century and was a center of pilgrimage, as the relics of Saint Aignan of Orlean (+ 453) were venerated here. The church was ruined for a long time and got renovated and restored during the 19th century. During the renovation of the nave at least some parts got recreated, so some of the more than 200 capitals are in a mint condition. I will nevertheless upload some examples. Here is one of them: Two mythical creatures drinking from a chalice, a variation of the wide spread medieval iconography.

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 nave dates back to the 11th century, the apse more than 600 years older. Two birds drinking from a chalice ("Communion cup") probably a symbol for the Eucharist. This icon can often be found in Ronanesque churches. Sometimes there are griffons instead of birds.

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 nave dates back to the 11th century, the apse more than 600 years older. Thanks to the friendly lady from the Archaeological Museum I could take photos from the gallery of the church. Merci beaucoup! A closer look onto the mythical beast of hell, devouring a soul and attacking a lion. To the very left two birds, drinking from a chalice ("Communion cup") probably a symbol for the Eucharist. www.tourisme-vienne.com/en/activite/88/musee-archeologique

It is unknown when this important abbey was founded here. Legends tell, that Charlemagne was involved as well as his son Louis the Pious and Benedict of Aniane. The church was erected from about 1050 on. As in the crypt of the large church the relics of St. Savin and St. Cyprian were displayed, a large ambulatory with five radial chapels was added for the many pilgrims. The church burnt down during the Hundred Years' War, but got rebuilt and reconstructed in the 17th and 19th century. As many medieval frescoes and murals have survived here since 1983 the "Abbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe" has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are about 400m² of frescoes, indeed something like a "picture book". André Malraux hailed this as "the Sistine Chapel of the Romanesque period". The few carvings I saw inside the crypt under the choir are probably some decades older than the capitals of the nave. They are of course smaller and the carving style is less sophisticated.

"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.

This church, dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, was a real surprise to me. The single nave structure was probably erected within the 12th century. It was built in a "walking distance" off the pilgrim routes (like "San Pedro de Echano"), as the hamlet Artaiz is just about 10kms north of the "Camino Aragonés". San Martin will have been for sure a stopover for pilgrims, who had visited the tomb of Saint Martin of Tours, following the "Via Turonensis". The masterly composed and carved portal of Saint Martin is extraordinary in the specific iconography, that in parts may reflect the relations to the Islamic neighbours (Reconquista). Here is a script by German arthistorian Hedda Finke about this subject. art.unt.edu/medieval-symposium/presenter.php?year=2009&am... Between the seven corbels under the portal´s roof are six reliefs. This one depicts a situation, that still is part of the liturgy of the Mass. This is probably the consecration, the priest has raised his arms, while the chalice is placed in the center of the altar. The scene is flanked by two altar-boys. One holds the bible, while his smaller collegue swings the censer. The Buddha-like priest faces the parish, what was actually introduced officialy by the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). The corbels have the dancer again (left) and a musician playing a (partly lost) flute.