Well this is another masterpiece in wonderful architecturally and historically stunning Poitiers. I am glad to find me these older pics in my cd rom vault that should be in my blog for you and me, For a reminder, Poitiers sits today in the Vienne dept 86 of the Nouvelle Aquitaine region of my belle France. Therefore, here is my take on the Church Saint Porchaire of Poitiers !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Church Saint Porchaire is located on rue Gambetta in the historic city center of Poitiers,of the Vienne department 86 ,in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region of my belle France, The church is dedicated to Saint Porchaire. Square in layout, the belltower rises to 24 meters and is spread over three levels. The ground floor, a monumental entrance and sheltered passage, is a portal with two arches. It is framed by columns with capitals sculpted with animals and religious scenes: stylized lions, a chalice from which birds drink, Daniel between the lions. The porch is surmounted by a relief where a Christ in glory can be seen.
Once through the porch, the off-center access leads to a double Gothic nave. At the center of a vast quadrilateral, three piers divide the space into twin naves. Six side chapels are set within the thickness of the walls. The flat wall of the chevet, which forms a double choir inside, is lit by bays with flamboyant tracery. The restored stone reliquary of Saint Porchaire is in the form of a sarcophagus. It was probably created on the occasion of the transfer of relics to the new church in the 10C. In the nave, the red marble table of the high altar comes from the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Cyprien. This abbey no longer exists. The pulpit dates from the 17C. It faces a wooden Christ from the 18C.
Each choir has an altarpiece. To the north, the Baroque altarpiece of 1680 distinguished by its rich ornamentation of scrolls and curves shows Christ on the door of the tabernacle, framed by the four evangelists and two angels. This altarpiece comes from the small rural church of Lhommaizé. To the south, the other, more sober altarpiece is surmounted by a statue of the Virgin and Child 18C. In 1951, the sarcophagus, removed from the crypt, was placed in the center of the church choir. The Latin inscription on the lid reads: “In hoc tumulo requiescit scs Porcharius” or without this tomb rests Saint Porcharius.
A polychrome wooden statue of the Virgin holding the Child dates from the 17C. It comes from the church of Saint-Didier, which no longer exists. It adorned the chapel of the Brotherhood of the Good Death. The contrast is striking between the face of the Virgin, which seems completely devastated by the spectacle of men and where the dead rest, and the attitude of the Child, who points to heaven, the hope of believers.
Porchaire was abbot of Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand around 600. Upon his death, his body was placed in the Church of Saint-Sauveur, near the enclosure where he had retired. At the end of the 9C, Thibaut, treasurer of Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand, built a sanctuary near the palace, on a major thoroughfare. The saint’s relics were transferred there and became the object of devotion. The western façade of the Carolingian church, now sandwiched between the 11C bell tower and the 16C nave, as well as a small, inaccessible crypt, remain. In 1431, the university bell was installed in the church tower and remains there to this day. This bell was used to announce the assemblies of the newly founded university. Work began in February 1509 and was completed in 1520. The new church is shorter than the old Carolingian church but wider. In the mid-16C, very shallow side chapels were added. In 1702, it was in this church, in the confessional, that Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort met Marie-Louise Trichet, with whom he founded the Daughters of Wisdom. During the revolutionary period, the Church Saint-Porchaire became a gathering place for the ten-day worship. Then, under the Concordat, in 1802, it became a parish church again.
The official Catholic Trinity of Poitiers on the church : https://www.trinitepoitiers.fr/les-communautes/communaute-locale-notre-dame-la-grande-et-saint-porchaire/
The Poitiers tourist office on the church : https://visitpoitiers.fr/en/activity/church-saint-porchaire/
The City of Poitiers on its heritage : https://www.poitiers.fr/decouvrir-le-patrimoine
The Vienne dept 86 tourist office on the church :https://www.tourisme-vienne.com/offres/sites-monuments-historiques/eglise-saint-porchaire/
There you go folks, another dandy from my belle France. A must to see and do come to Poitiers , a wonderland of architecture and historical wonders to have visited and revisited; all worth it. The Church Saint Porchaire is an splendid example of this beauty, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Church Saint Porchaire of Poitiers !!! as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 