So today Friday was one of those days that took me into city center/downtown of Pluvigner which is about 400 meters from my house. It was rainy so I took the car to do some errands and as this is the Palm weekend took time to revisit our church ! Therefore, let me tell you about the Church Saint Guigner of Pluvigner, part I !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
I stop by the post office and decided to go on towards the Church Saint Guigner, This is Friday of Sorrows fyi. We have been inside several times and past by it zillions times,and, so I stop by again to tell you more about the St Guigner Church in my town of Pluvigner. First, my town of Pluvigner (French) or Pleuwigner (Breton). The name comes from the Breton Ploe meaning Parish and Guigner, the Saint; therefore, the Parish of St Guigner or Pleuwigner or Pluvigner! Get it !
The story of Pluvigner begins in the 5C with the installation at a place called Le Moustoir of Guigner, son of an Irish king named Clyton. Saint Patrick converts him to Christianity despite opposition from his parents. Driven by his father, Guigner left for Armorica (now Brittany) where King Audren offered him a site to establish his hermitage. On the death of his father, King of Ireland, he went to his native country. Guigner, still nicknamed Prince Fingar, had his head cut off in the year 455 by a man named Hengist, king of the Angles on orders of Prince Théodoric. So the story goes,,, My town of Pluvigner (French) is Breton language by the name of Pleuwigner. The name comes from the Breton Ploe meaning Parish and Guigner , the Saint; therefore, the Parish of St Guigner or Pleuwigner or Pluvigner! Get it ! We do more than French here!!! A bit more,the parish of Pluvigner is known as of 1259 under the name of Ple Guinner , in 1325 under Pleu Vigner, in 1387 as Ploevigner ; in 1405 as Plouigner ; in 1428 as Pluvigner; in 1453 as Plevigner ; in 1516 as Ploegner ;in 1636 as Plevigner !!!
The Church Saint Guigner is vast, dating from 1545, bell tower retouched in 1781, and restored in 1883 , The painting entitled “Assumption”, dates from 1770. The painting “Donation du Rosaire”, dates from the very beginning of the 20C. It was the heart of an old religious complex made up of the chapel of Notre-Dame des Oties (nettles), and the chapel of Saint-Adrien, a hospital and a cemetery. These monuments or their vestiges remain today. The stained glass windows relate the events of the life of famous people in the parish, such as Saint Guigner, Saint Guénaël or even the penitent Kériolet. You will also find the statues of Saint Guigner, Saint Michel, Saint Vincent Ferrier and that of Notre-Dame de Bon Secours.
The highlight of the town of Pluvigner, is the Church of Saint Guigner in city center, our main church. The Saint-Guigner parish church is a central element in the rich religious and cultural landscape of the town. The parish church is dedicated to Saint Guigner whose relics are carried in procession. The Saint is accompanied by an angel wearing an ermine coat of arms. The lintel of the south door shows a group of Crucifixions, made up of Christ surrounded by the Virgin and Saint John. The Saint Guigner Church contains the relics of Saint Guigner and houses a statue of Saint Guigner. The painting entitled “Assumption”, dates from 1770. The painting “Donation of the Rosary”; dates from the very beginning of the 20C. A vast church dating from 1545, retouched in 1781 on the bell tower, and restored in 1883. On the north side remains a Gothic door with the usual accolade, and on the south side a lintel with door frame. The windows are pointed, but their mullions have disappeared. A modern porch, a rectangular opening whose lintel is relieved by corbelets, shelters the south door. The carved lintel represents Christ on the Cross between Saint John and the Virgin. At both ends there is an interlacing around a circle. On each side of the column it has capitals. The Church of Saint Guigner houses the statues of Saint-Guigner, Saint-Michel, Saint-Vincent Ferrier and Notre-Dame de Bon Secours.
The organ of the church is a masterful work of 9 meters high and 15 meters wide made up of no less than 3,000 pipes! All renovated in 2019, after much effort and many years.It looks marvelous!!!
The city of Pluvigner on the church:https://www.pluvigner.fr/eglise-paroissiale-saint-guigner/
The Bay of Quiberon tourist office on Pluvigner: https://www.baiedequiberon.bzh/pluvigner
There you go folks ,my main church in town. It has been renovated several times over the years and the town folks have given money to do so. Just enjoy it as we have come to do in our newer little corner of our world. Again, hope you enjoy the Church Saint Guigner of Pluvigner, part I !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 