Mennetou-sur-cher, France
– Saint Urbain
This is one of those very
old village churches which is generally closed, but if you’re lucky, as you try
the door, a passerby will tell you that everyone knows you have to go ask for
the keys at the village hall, which happens to be open. In the said hall, they
phone the person who lives next to the church who opens it up.
This church has been a
listed building since 2013, but some of it dates from the 11th to 13th century !
Much of it was a convent in 1213.
Saint Urban was pope
back in … 222 after the previous one got thrown out of a window by
anti-Christian gangs. Urban had a big row with Hippolyte about whether slaves
and patricians could sleep together. Urban was also one of those modernists
who wanted mass in Latin rather than Greek. You know the sort. Hippolyte set himself
up as an alternative pope for a while.
Lots of fine imagery. In
particular I liked the annunciation bas relief. The very old alms box is also
very charming, as is an even older baptismal font.
