hidden europe 51

The Gospel in Stone: Brittany’s Great Calvaries

by Patricia Stoughton

Picture above: The calvary at Guimiliau, Brittany (photo © Patricia Stoughton).

Summary

Replicas of key sites associated with the life and passion of Christ have been a key element of Christian culture in western and central Europe. These so-called 'calvaries' take a very distinctive form in north-west France. Guest contributor Patricia Stoughton reports from Brittany.

Abbé Yves-Pascal Castel has made a lifelong study of Brittany’s religious heritage. “Brittany without its calvaries would no longer be Brittany,” he writes. And it is true, for these extraordinary granite sculptures, with their carved figures depicting scenes from the life of Christ, resonate with the Celtic spirit and the Breton’s natural predisposition to melancholy.

Wayside crosses, shrines and calvaries are found right across Europe. But they are especially visible elements of the Brittany landscape, most particularly in the département of Finistère. There are simple granite crosses through this north-west extremity of France. Some stand proud by small country roads and tracks, others are half-hidden by vegetation in stone walls. Some stand on roughhewn altars, often adorned with a plant or small vase of fresh flowers. There are also traditional representations of Christ on the Cross in most churchyards. But in addition, the region boasts a number of monumental calvaries on a much grander scale.

The earliest of these, made in the mid-15th century, stands beside the chapel of Notre-Dame de Tronoën in west Finistère, a striking landmark known locally as ‘la Cathédrale des Dunes’. Drawn there by the beauty of its isolated, windswept setting, we discovered an elaborate calvary on a large, oblong granite base topped by two tiers of weather-worn tableaux of carved granite figures. And above them Jesus nailed to the cross with the two thieves crucified to either side of him. The last of these great calvaries to be completed, in 1610, is that within the imposing parish close of Saint- Thégonnec church in the Elorn Valley.

Essays in stone

In this article, we visit just seven calvaries, all but one of them clustered in the westernmost part of Brittany. The more elaborate calvaries were built in the churchyards of small rural towns, during a period of peace and prosperity for Brittany, while much of France was embroiled in wars of religion. Their funding came from the proceeds of maritime trade, particularly in hemp and flax — the production of which was a mainstay in many communities.

Keen to assure their place in paradise, some towns built substantial parish churches, often in competition with their neighbours. A distinctive element of these churches is their setting within an enclosed area. These enclos paroissiaux (parish closes) are delimited by an exterior wall with a stepped entrance to keep out cattle (see an article on these parish closes in hidden europe 33). Other features include a triumphal arch, a south porch to the church, an ossuary, a cemetery and a calvary — and in a few cases these calvaries are particularly imposing.

This is just an excerpt. The full text of this article is not yet available to members with online access to hidden europe. Of course you can read the full article in the print edition of hidden europe 51.
Related blog post

Rivers of memory: Wrocław

With its complex history, Wrocław can be a difficult place to get one's head around. Paul Scraton approaches the Polish city by following the rivers that lend character to the Wrocław townscape.

Related articleFull text online

The City by the Elbe: Torgau and the Reformation

This is at one level the story of a renegade monk and a runaway nun. But it's also the wider story of the Reformation in Saxony. Join us as we explore Torgau, a town on the banks of the River Elbe in eastern Germany which played second fiddle to Wittenberg in the Reformation. It is 500 years since Martin Luther kicked off a movement which was to divide the Catholic Church.