EGLISE SAINTE RADEGONDE
Messes juillet 2011 (.pdf). THE CHURCH WILL BE CLOSED IN 2008 FOR RESTORING.
The oldest part is the semi-circular apse built at the beginning of the 11th century, it is separated from the choir by a vault falling down on each side on a column whose base had claws and whose capital is decorated with hooks and nails.
The coir vault is ribbed but flat veined, which shows the decline of ribbing art. The arches and the vault are constructed of very pronounced veins wich branc out, starting from the top of the pillars and ending up linked together at the vault after following the contours of the arcade. It waas probably constructed in the 15th century.
One finds inside :
In the choir, the high altar made of painted wood of the 17th century, above which there is a painting on wood dating from the 17th century representing the transfiguration of Jesus on the Tabor Mount in the presence of Moïse and of Elie. One finds a stone statue on the left representating Sainte Radegonde and on the right a stone statue representating Saint Roch according to popular art dating both from the 17th century.
Above the right altar, there is a very beatiful wooden statue of Saint Jean Baptiste dating from the 18th century.
Above the left altar, there is a painting representing the Annunciation by the Archangel Gabriel to Marie dating from the 19th century above which is placed a stone statue representing a virgin and a child of the 14th century.
Along the right pillar of the choir, there is a brotherhood stick made of wood dating from the 19th century.
Along the left pillar of the choir is hung a funerary inscription of Nicolas du Val preist of the parish at the 17th century.
the bell-tower contains a big and a small bell, they were bessed by the priest Damoiseau d’Ecos, they are called respectively Adèle Amélie and Jeanne Emma, and they were made by A.Hilderrand (caster of the Emperor) in 1861 thanks to the money given by the town council.
On the south wall, there is a stone statue of the 16th century reprsenting Saint Quentin torture victim by nails in the fingers, the toe-nails, the shoulders and even the head. His remainswere found by Saint Eloi bishop of Noyon. He often is evoked to heal whooping-cough and rheumatic pains.
Along the pillar situated to right, close the lateral entry, a stone polychrome stautue of the 14th century representing Saint Louis d’Anjou bishop of Toulouse died in 1297 and canonized in 1317, he was the second son of Charles II King of Naples, he took an active share in the albigensian crusade.
Along the pillar sitauted to the left is located a stone statue dating back to the 14th century, it was dicovered during the work carried out on the wall of the former cemetery, it was most probably decapited and buried during the revolutionary period.
These two statues rest on stone columns which were dicovered during the work carried out on the apse and the installation of the new altar, these two columns probably formed part of the original altar.
In the nave, fragments of two stone statues dating back to the 16th century represent Saint Nicolas and Sainte Barbe, one also finds there the stone fragment of a person seatede of the 13th century and in the axis of the nave, a wooden Christ the cross is set up on a piece of wood resting on a beam of glory, dating back to the 17th century (1654), formerly two wooden statues were on each side of the Christ representing the apostle John and the Virgin Mary.
In the north wall, two stained glass windows : the one representing the Virgin and the child Jesus, the other Sainte Radegonde. In the south wall, three stained glass windows one representing Saint Roch and his dog.
One can notice outside :
The semicicular apse with its grotesque modillions dating back to the begenning of the 11th century.
The originality of the pinion of the southern cross.
The octagonal turret with pointed roof that flanks the northen wall.
The bell tower with its octagonal arrow between nave and choir.
The christianized dolmen, this rough-calcareous big stone is called Sainte-Radegonde stone, it has the power to heal scabies.
SAINTE RADEGONDE
Radegonde, born in 518 in Erfurt, is the daughter of the of king of Thuringe, Berthaire, following a war between Thuringe and the Francs, her family is massacred by Clotaire, son of Clovis. She is taken along as a captive at the age of 12 years to the royal villa of Athies where she is instructed in the Christian religion and is baptized. Clotaire becomes widowed, decides to marry her in Vitry en Artois, she flees but is caught and she has to accept the marriage which takes place in Soissons in 538. Although she is a Germanic princess, she becomes "Queen of the Francs", her enemies of yesterday.