35 Saint Michel church, Ile-aux-Moines

-

Back to France: here is a very small church in Britanny. It is situated on the Ile aux Moines, which has only just over 600 inhabitants, but gets a lot of tourists in the summer, mostly cycling around the island before eating grilled fish in the restaurants. Anyway, the church has a lovely clock tower and some exquisite little features inside, and you can see from the noticeboard what parish activities are a priority.

Information about the island in Breton

Information about the island in French

In English

In Dutch




























Posts les plus consultés de ce blog

50. Montreal, Basilica of Notre Dame. Coolest Gothic revival pulpit

-
Image
  Montreal, Basilica of Notre Dame. Coolest Gothic revival pulpit   The wikipedia article says that the interior of the church is « one of the most dramatic in the world », and dead Gothic. Gets eleven million visitors a year, and last year I was one of them. My favourite ever pulpit. If you’re gonna preach   Good News About Eternal Life, you might as well do it perched on some decent furniture.   The stained glass windows here don’t bother with Bible stories, but depict scenes from the history of Montreal.   The other major highlight is the extra chapel behind the altar  through a corridor, which is has a modern bronze altar piece which is totally stunning. It represents humanity’s journey towards God, passing through childhood, adulthood and old age. In this chapel, the Stations of the Cross are well worth a look.   Information in French Information in English Information in Armenian  
Read more »

123 Sainte-Mère-Eglise, Normandy : Our Lady of the Holy Parachutes

-
Image
  I visit a lot of churches and see a lot of modern art in them, but the stained glass windows of Our Lady with parachutists landing in the background were definitely a first. But perhaps you remember the name of the village Sainte-Mère-Eglise, from the film with John Wayne. Yes, this was the village chosen for the parachute squads to drop in, a few hours before the Normandy landings (because it was in the right place). This is the church whose spire one of the paratroopers got his parachute hooked on. The Germans took him prisoner, and he survived. To this day there is a model of him hanging on to the spire by parachute (You can just see in one of the photos). Apart from the stained glass, there is a fine rood cross (that is to say one high above the altar, in the air), and and admirably chunky lectern. When I was there there was a collection of children’s drawings displayed, on the theme of peace. The church was started in the 12th century, and is actually called Our lady of ...
Read more »

150 Paris 11th arrondissement : Saint Ambroise – dinky stations of the cross

-
Image
  Built in honour of Saint Ambrose of Milan, fourth century bishop and one of the four great Latin church fathers, who put innovative chanting into churches, and who wrote some hymns which are still regularly used today. The church was consecrated in 1910 (a previous church on the site had been opened in 1818). Its impressive set   of towers is now easier to appreciate since they opened the garden opposite. The entrance porch includes allegorical figures representing theology and eloquence. The church contains dinky stations of the cross, mosaics of a series of saints, and a fine altar canopy, The noticeboard explains how you can learn sewing on Thursday nights.
Read more »