The Church Saint Patern of Vannes, part IV !!!

Posted in Bretagne, France

I spent as much or maybe more time in Vannes ,than in my domicile town. I used to worked and went and go in for quick trips, shopping, eat out, the family comes here on every break and weekends. Vannes or Gwened (Breton) is in my beautiful  Morbihan  (Breton for Petite Mer or small sea) dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne or Breizh (Breton) and in my belle France or Bro-C’hall (Breton).  I was by there again today ,and got me new pictures and/or text maybe some repeated but worth it me think, Le me tell you about the Church Saint Patern of Vannes, part IV !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

Vannes ch Saint Patern front jan24

The Saint Patern’s Church is located at rue de la Fontaine corner with rue Saint-Patern. The church was built on the existing foundations of a much older church, which held the relics of Saint Patern (the first bishop of Vannes). The original church had been built in the 11C and had replaced the another church which had suffered damage at the hands of Norman invaders at the turn of the 9-10C. Given the presence in the church of some bone fragments of Saint Patern, a visit to the church was one of the seven stages of Tro-Breiz a pilgrimage so popular in the Middle Ages, the task for the pilgrim was to visit the tombs of the seven founding saints of Brittany, the ancient bishops Brieuc, Malo, Samson, Corentin, Pol, Tugwal and Patern in Vannes.

Vannes ch Saint Patern chapel 7 saints of Brittany jan24

The altarpiece of the Saint-Patern ,It was in 1964 that Pope Paul VI declared Saint Patern patron of the diocese of Vannes. Since then, the liturgical feast of Saint Patern is fixed each year on April 15.

Vannes ch Saint Patern chapelle Saint Patern jan24

You can admire many altarpieces such as that of Saint-Antoine de Padua which date from the 18C. The altarpiece of the Resurrection of Christ, at the back of the choir, enlarged in 1925, dates from 1744. And the Infant Jesus of Prague.

Vannes ch Saint Patern chapel resurrection jan24

The Altarpieces of the Sainte Parenté or Holy Family , The défunts de la grande guerre or fallen of the Great War or WWI, the Sacre Coeur or Holy Heart, and the Sainte Thérese of Avila

Vannes ch Saint Patern chapelle sacre coeur jan24

The pulpit is from 1813 with last renovation in 1992, The Baptismal font to your left as you enter the church has little information available but is very old, Louis Debierre was one of the most prestigious organ builders of the 19C. Based in Nantes, he built nearly 260 organs mainly in the west of France The organ of the Saint Patern Church was ordered in 1896, built and delivered in 1897, The last renovations date back to 1937 and in 1977, and it became urgent to carry out a new restoration campaign. The work will take place from 2023 to early 2025, and will be financed by the city of Vannes and by donations.

Vannes ch Saint Patern chapel baptismal font jan24

Altarpiece of the True Cross from 1766. The silver reliquary cross is housed inside the wrought iron cross. There is no welding but more than 1,800 rivets. The method of manufacturing the cross is the same as that used for the construction of the Eiffel Tower.

Vannes Ch Saint Patern altar of the True Cross jan24

The church is dedicated to Saint Patern, first bishop of Vannes in the 5C. In the Middle Ages, it became a stage of the Tro-Breiz (tour of Brittany), or pilgrimage to the seven founding saints of Brittany, still practiced today. The building, ruined by two successive storms causing the collapse of the bell tower located at the crossing of the transept, was rebuilt in 1727. Between 1769 and 1777, it was extended the nave by two additional bays and built the bell tower planned on two floors. The latter was completed in 1825-1826.

It is a church with a blind central nave and side aisles which open onto non-communicating chapels. In the shape of a Latin cross and with a flat apse, the whole is topped with a two-sided roof increased to the west by the bell tower. To the east, the church is extended by a two-story sacristy. Inside, several beautiful altars with their altarpiece, relics of Saint Patern carefully preserved in a head in the shape of a bishop’s head crowned with a miter as well as a set of solid wood statues representing the seven founding bishops of the cities episcopal churches of Brittany: Saint Malo (or Maclou), Saint Samson, Saint Brieuc, Saint Tugdual, Saint Pol Aurélien, Saint Corentin and, in the center, Saint Patern founder of Vannes.

The City of Vannes on the Church Saint Patern : https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/eglise-saint-patern

The official Church Saint Patern : https://www.saint-patern.bzh/l-%C3%A9glise-saint-patern

There you go folks, I feel now better given you more on this wonderful old Church Saint Patern of Vannes, part IV !!! Which can be revisit many times always wonderful and inspiring. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I

And remember, happy travels, good health ,and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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