I was back in my road warrior mode going up to the northern parts of my lovely Bretagne to see new towns! The search is never ending with the abundance of beauties around here. I came upon this town and it was nice again! Therefore, let me tell you about the Basilica Notre-Dame de Délivrance,of Quintin !!!, Interiors, Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The town of Quintin is located in the Côtes-d’Armor department 22, in my lovely Bretagne region, only 16 km from Saint-Brieuc, and less than an hour from my house. I went there on my way back on the D7, then D700 ,and finally the D768 roads, easy rides !
The Basilica Notre-Dame de Délivrance, the current Basilica, opened for worship in 1887, replaced a Collegiate Church which had been built at the end of the 14C, the location of the chapel of the Château de Quintin elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Pius. After the French revolution, it was mounted on a wooden frame covered with a white coat. The Notre-Dame-de-Délivrance Basilica has as a relic a piece of the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to tradition, this relic was brought back to Brittany around 1252 by Geoffroy Botherel, lord of Quintin, on his return from the seventh crusade. Very quickly, it was reported that the relic was the cause of numerous miracles and Quintin became an important place of pilgrimage. Notre Dame de Délivrance or Our Lady of Deliverance is particularly prayed to by pregnant women , Today, pilgrims can obtain a blessed ribbon that has been brought into contact with the relic either during a visit to the basilica or by writing to the shrine.
While visiting the Basilica Notre Dame de Délivrance, stop in front of the apse which will reveal the history of the relic through four frescoes. The first fresco , on the left, represents the ceremony of the handing over of the relic by Robert de Saintonge to Geoffrey I Boterel. The two frescoes on the right , represent the return of Geoffroy I Boterel from the crusade to Quintin. The last fresco no 4 tells of the fire of 1600. We also find, in the current church, elements which come from the collegiate church: the sculpted pulpit from the 17C and the Christ of the pillar, the confessionals and the seats of the stalls, the baptismal font in granite from the 15C and the holy water fonts, giant shells brought from the Java Sea. The recumbent figures of the lords of Quintin were discovered. They had been turned over and served as thresholds for the doors of the old collegiate church. They have been restored to each side of the apse chapel.
The stained glass windows of the side aisles represent scenes from the life of the Virgin and different devotions to Our Lady; those surrounding the choir tell the story of the relic: Assumption of Mary who unfastens her belt to give it to the Apostles, The stained glass windows of the apsidal chapel group together; around Notre Dame de Délivrance, Saint Joseph, the angel Gabriel, an angel carrying the coat of arms of Quintin and characters linked to the history of the relic and the pilgrimage of King Saint Louis, Geoffroy Botrel, Blessed Françoise d’ Amboise, Saint Yves and Saint Vincent Ferrier. The stained glass window in the north transept is more recent: it was made thanks to the offerings of those mobilized and prisoners of war 1939-1945: it represents the coronation of the Virgin Mary in heaven and, in its lower part, the coronation of Notre Dame de Délivrance. All around the central scenes are the Saints particularly honored in the parishes and the coats of arms of the families and old trades of Quintin. A small stained glass window, opposite the statue on the porch, also recalls this coronation. Indeed, the church was established as a basilica in 1934 and the statue of the Virgin was crowned during a great celebration that same year.
The organ was not designed for the Basilica. Built in 1880 by the factor Claus, a student of Cavaillé-Coll, it was placed as an accompanying organ at the Ursulines chapel in Quintin. After its transfer to the parish church in 1909, it suffered greatly from humidity and dust. It was completely restored in 1987, on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of the Basilica.
The Quintin Catholic site on the Basilica: https://www.quintin.catholique.fr/basilique/basilique-son-histoire
The St Brieuc Bay tourist office on Quintin : https://www.baiedesaintbrieuc.com/en/quintin/
The Côtes d’Armor dept 22 tourist office on the Basilica : https://www.cotesdarmor.com/fr/fiche/patrimoine-culturel/la-basilique-notre-dame-de-delivrance-quintin_TFOPCUBRE0220HA6D28/
There you go folks, a wonderful town in my lovely Bretagne, this is Quintin, Full of beautiful architecture and history all around you, my kind of town indeed, We will be back just under an hour from home awesome, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Basilica Notre-Dame de Délivrance of Quintin ,Interiors as I
And remember, happy travels, good health and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 