I come to my nice Rennes. This time one of the nicest monument , and of course the City is in Îlle et Vilaine dept 35,of my lovely Bretagne. I have come back to this beautiful City after a long hiatus and it was wonderful, Bear with me as the next posts will be on this beautiful City, Let me tell you about the Basilica minor Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle of Rennes !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.
The church of Saint-Aubin later Basilica minor Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle, ( Our Lady of Good News Basilica) is located in the city center by 2 Contour Saint-Aubin, and Place Saint Anne. The Basilica minor Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle, although unfinished, presents itself as a Latin cross with ample chorus. The nave, of three bays, is accosted by collateral that promotes easy circulation during the liturgy. It leads to a largely overflowing transept, each arm having two spans. The chorus, extending the distribution to three vessels of the nave, ends with a pentagonal apse. Its side aisles act as an ambulatory, allowing to bypass the liturgical choir and to access the bedside, place of devotion to Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle. The sacristy and Catechism room are in the extension of the transepts along the first two spans. The elevation has two floors with large arcades and high windows; made in the Gothic style of the 13C. The rosettes of the transepts are the direct transposition of the rose of the west facade of Chartres, and the high windows with four lancets derive from those of Amiens. The stained glass of the Basilica is its major ornamental element. Most of the stained glass, declining floral motifs, are also featured in medallions of the scenes of Brittany’s history in connection with the Duchess Anne (Anne de Bretagne).
The choir, extending the distribution with three naves, ends with a pentagonal apse. Its side naves act as a wander, making it possible to bypass the liturgical choir and access the bedside, a place of devotion to Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle. Sacristy and catechism room are lodged in the extension of the transepts, along the first two spans. The elevation has two floors: large arches and high windows. Made in the Gothic style of the 13C, The rosettes of the transepts are the direct transposition of the rose of the western facade of Chartres, and the heights-upstairs with four launchers derive from those of Amiens. The stained glass windows of the basilica constitute its major ornamental element. Most of the glazing, declining floral patterns ; the cult of Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle are also represented in medallions of the stages of the history of Brittany in connection with the Duchess Anne The four stained glass windows of medieval tradition of these chapels represent Mary through images of the Bible, devotion to Notre-Dame, strong moments in Rennes that are the plague, war and fire. In the transept, you have the Sainte-Anne and the Sacred Heart altar which were in the old Saint-Aubin church
At the historical level, the origin of the name Bonne Nouvelle or good-news would come from the victory of Jean de Montfort at the Battle of Auray on September 29, 1364. One of his knights would have taught him, at the end of the battle, That his opponent Charles de Blois died saying: “Good news, Monsignor, good news, you are Duke of Brittany!” or Jean IV, Hence the dedication to Notre-Dame de Bonne-Nouvelle as in Virgin Mary.
Duke Jean IV,in 1368 founded the Dominican convent of Rennes, which quickly became the name of the convent of good-news (bonne nouvelle), a painting on wood of the Virgin and the Child becoming during the 15C the object of the veneration of the faithful. Still, the votive work was melted during the French revolution and replaced after a cholera epidemic in 1849 by a new ex-voto dating from 1861. During the Prussian invasion of 1871, Mgr. Brossay-Saint-Marc decided to offer a candle to Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle every 8 September, if the city was spared. This tradition was perpetuated and the church of St. Aubin was erected in Basilica minor Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle on August 6, 1916. The former Saint-Aubin church being the parish where Blessed Marcel Callo and the church where he was baptized, a permanent place in his memory was born there was installed following his beatification on October 4, 1987, by Jean- Paul II. The runners cross the good news space in the nave of the basilica. This space hosts exhibitions and conferences or concerts in connection with the intuition of the Peace Memorial as a place of celebration in dialogue with the world. This memorial makes it possible to discover the exhibition « A life on mission” on the Rennes Marcel Callo, beatified in 1987 for its Catholic action during the Second World War and the life of Rennes from the 1920s to the 1940s ».
According to several sources, Aubin was born in Vannes around 469, in a noble family. In 529, he was appointed by the bishop people of Angers, a locality where he surely lived as a monk in a monastery. Energetic and determined, his task will be rough because the church of Gaul needs to be organized. The Orleans councils of 538 and 541 will get down to it and Aubin takes an active part there. Furthermore, he latter ardently fights against incestuous marriages, frequent in large families. Aubin will not participate in the Council of Orleans of 549. Very elderly (he approaches eighty years), he is probably sick. He died in Angers on March 1, 550. Saint Aubin was invoked to cure childhood diseases and culture protection, and ,also, the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs.
A bit of history I like tell us that the old Church Saint Aubin, demolished in 1904, was located outside the ramparts of Rennes and occupied the western part of the present place Saint-Anne. Attested in the 12C, it is mostly from the 17-18C, and it had hosted from the 19C, the cult of Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle, primitively located in the convent of the Jacobins. Guy XII de Laval continued the work begun by Jean IV of Brittany for the construction of Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle de Rennes, founded in the aftermath of the Battle of Auray (1364). The tradition reports that the Duke of Brittany Jean IV attributed the victory of the Montfort’s (his) to the Blois’s, during the war of the Duchy’s succession, during the Battle of Auray, to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. In 1368 he founded the Dominican convent of Rennes, which quickly became the name of the convent of good-news (bonne nouvelle), a painting on wood of the Virgin and the Child becoming during the 15C the object of the veneration of the faithful. Still, the votive work was melted during the French revolution and replaced after a cholera epidemic in 1849 by a new ex-voto dating from 1861. During the Prussian invasion of 1871, Mgr. Brossay-Saint-Marc decided to offer a candle to Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle every 8 September, if the city was spared. This tradition was perpetuated and the Church of St. Aubin was erected in Basilica minor Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle on August 6, 1916.
The Church of Saint-Aubin was built from 1884 to 1904, the manifesto of the Gothic style triumphant in the Breton capital. In the absence of the main façade, the creation of the Rue de Bonne-Nouvelle magnified the entrance to the right transept, in the axis of rue Saint-Melaine and the former Benedictine Abbey. St. Aubin’s Church being the parish where Blessed Marcel Callo was born and the church where he was baptized, a permanent place in his memory was installed following his beatification on 4 October 1987, by Pope John Paul II. There is a statue to remember this occasion. Tradition reports that the Duke of Brittany Jean IV attributed the victory of the Montfort party over the Blois, during the war of succession of the duchy of Brittany, during the battle of Auray (1364) , to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. In 1368 he founded the Dominican convent of Rennes which quickly took the name of convent of Bonne-Nouvelle, a picture painted on wood of the Virgin and Child becoming during the 15C is the object of veneration by the faithful of Rennes. Various miracles would have accompanied this devotion, in particular the end of a plague epidemic in 1634, following a wish conditioning the realization of a solid silver model of the city of Rennes to the stopping of the plague. Similarly, during the great fire in Rennes on December 23, 1720, the Virgin of Bonne-Nouvelle would have appeared in the sky, the event being represented on a painting in the Saint-Sauveur basilica, Still, the vow was melted during the French revolution and replaced after a cholera epidemic in 1849 by a new ex-voto dating from 1861. During the Prussian invasion of 1871, Mgr Brossay-Saint-Marc decided to offer a candle to Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle every September 8, if the city were spared. This tradition continued ,and the church was erected as a basilica on August 6, 1916.
The official Basilica minor Church of Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle of Rennes: https://basiliquesaintaubinnotredamedebonnenouvelle.com/historique.html
The Rennes tourist office on the Basilica minor: https://www.tourisme-rennes.com/fr/decouvrir-rennes/histoire/basilique-saint-aubin/
The Îlle et Vilaine dept 35 tourist office on Rennes : https://www.brittany-tourism.com/discover-ille-et-vilaine/the-loveliest-places/rennes/
The Bretagne region tourist office on Rennes: https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/rennes-and-brittanys-historic-gateways/
There you go folks ,another jewel in my wonderful capital city of Rennes. The walks are worth it with plenty of lovely areas, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Basilica minor Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle of Rennes !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 