11 juin 2007
SteThérence
Sainte
Thérence was a humble shepherdess who lived at the beginning of VIème
century. One day that it crossed to ford to join the hermit Saint
Marien, a storm caused a sudden rising. Whereas it drowned, the voice
of God stopped the floods. To thank the lord, it conceived the project
to build a vault.
By
keeping its herd, it collected the stones the day, filled of it a
carriage drawn by its ass and carried them with the mason the evening
while returning to the farm. One morning, a bear surptit and égorgea
the poor ass. Thérence was annoyed, taken the bear by the ears and
harnessed it with the charette. The bear replaced the ass… The come
evening, Thérence released it and with its great surprise, found its
ass in front of its door.
When
the holy one died, in accordance with its will, its body was entrusted
to a carriage harnessed by oxen, so that it is buried where they would
stop. They fell to knees in a place which became Holy-Thérence.
In
the axis of the church, fall it from holy is presented in the form of a
granite plate posed on two colonettes. People eager to calm the
convulsions of their children will scrape the stone, put it in an
infusion that they filter before leasing to make drink with the child.
Sainte
Thérence is represented in the church of XIIème century, the left foot
on a dragon which looks it of a subjected air. It rapelle its legend
showing it dominating, with the assistance of God, the paramount forces
resulting from the ground. 
The Holy-Germaine church and Saint-Pardoux in Arfeuilles
There
is an important megalithic and druidic presence with Arfeuilles and in
the area (rez it Gailles, rez it Murceint, rez it Schoolboys). It was a
crossing point, or the Celts, then the Gallo-Roman ones, settled. The
worship with the goddess-mother it is continued with the presence of a
black virgin, Notre-Dame d' Arfeuilles (“Arfolia” in 1337), which had
the property to make revive the children still-born children without
baptism, and to make fall the rain in the event of dryness. In the
event of calamity, the statue was carried in procession to the cross of
the Orchard. The miraculous actions are then allotted to Notre-Dame and
are transmitted by the tradition.
It
is thought that it is during XIIème century that the monks about Cluny,
already installed with Châtel-Mountain, were established in Arfeuilles
where they founded a small community in buildings located vis-a-vis the
left side of the current church. The church was dedicated to Saint
Pardoux.
Before
the Revolution, pilgrims came from Châtel-Mountain, Châtelus,
Isserpent, Laprugne, Breuil, Saint-Pierre-Laval and of border Drill, to
Saint-Just-in-Rest. After the Revolution the statue of the virgin,
initially hidden by a shoe-maker in a storeroom, was replaced in the
church. On August 15 became the employers' festival of the
agglomeration.
The
current church was built in 1870 by the Michaud architect, of Roanne,
according to a Gothic style. It comprises a flanked nave of sides and a
square bell-tower of frontage, with arrow of frame. A right span
precedes the apse with three sides raised in 1883. There remains old
Romance church only one stoup, of XIIème century…
Beaune-d' Allier
Beaune-d'
Allier comes from Belna, (quoted under the name of Belna in 1394) of
the name of Belenos (Gallic god), unquestionable site of a temple with
Bélénos and Minerve on a source with the site of the Saint-Porcien
vault.
The
Saint-Aignan church lost with the wire of the centuries its primitive
aspect (Romance style auvergnat). It dates from XIIème century for the
nave, of the enlargings took place in XVIème century and the XIXème
century.
The Saint-Aignan fountain is also a christianized Gallic crowned source which cured the ocular diseases.
Aignan
was born in a noble Christian family, refugee in Vienna. Young person,
it was made hermit in a cave of the area, then it was placed under the
control of Saint Euverte, bishop of Orleans. He was abbot of the
monastery of Saint-Laurent-of-Orgerils then succeeded Saint Euverte
into 391. He saved his city besieged by Huns of Attila. Many miracles
were done on its behalf.
While
arriving on Beaune, in a field skirting the road, a door of life
awaited me. A little further, an alignment megalithic jumped me to the
eyes. It is not indexed nowhere…
The St. Lawrence church in Châtel-de-Neuvre
The Romance church of Châtel-of-Neuvre overhangs the meanders Allier river.
The
parish of Châtel-of-Neuvre belonged to the diocese of Clermont. The St.
Lawrence church, located at the top of a hillock dominating the valley
To combine it, occupies one of the positions more spéctaculaires
department.
The
church comprises a very narrow nave, one of oldest Allier. This one is
enlightened directly and counterthrust of sides arched in quadrant.
The projecting transept not very was modified in north at the time
Gothic. The absidioles, asymmetrical, are slightly later than the nave.
The bell-tower, whose stock also goes up at the time Romance, was cut
down by its arrow.
With
middle height of the western frontage, on each side, one notices two
Gallo-Roman funerary steles very worn, which confirm, like certain
carved elements employed again in the facing on the south-western side
of the transept, the presence of an old ancient establishment on this
site.
Church Saint Martin's day in Besson
A
donation of September 20, 1077, of the bishop of Clermont, Durand, in
Guillaume, prior of Saint-Pourçain on Sioule, makes appear Saint
Martin's day de Besson among the possessions of the abbey of Tournus.
At
the revolution, the church was put at the biddings and was bought by
the marquis de Tilly, lord of Botz, in order to save it demolition.
It
is a building of XIIème century to nave of four spans, sides, transept
nonprojecting, apses and absidioles in hemicycle. Its construction was
done in two times: chorus, arms of the transept and sides of the nave
initially and the completion of the building in the second time.
Attached
to the Romance period, the simplicity of the plan is to be noticed. The
two successive falls of the bell-tower in 1620 and 1700 entrainé the
disappearance of the vaults of origin to the exeption of part of that
of the sides.
The stoup appears quite curious to me, surmounted about a head doubles… Besson, the twin?
Celà would come from the origin of the term of the village, of Latin “bisso”, twice.
The capitals are remarkable, with sheets of chestnut trees, oaks, houx… The tradition of the crowned trees remains.
There
was still, at the XVIIème century, in Besson, a vault devoted to
Notre-Dame de Cussierges. the virgin of majesty dates from XIIème
century. She is in oak and measurement 80 cm. One still distinguishes
from the traces of polychromy, but lma statue lost its hands and the
child was not preserved. She is in particular collection.
One finds in Besson a megalithic presence with the dolmen of theInsane one.
In the southern absidiole, dedicated in Saint-Louis, a painting represents it.
Saint-Pierre's church in Gipcy
Gipcy
has a Gallic ethymology. The parish of Gipcy belonged formerly to the
diocese of Bourges and depended on the abess of saint-Menoux.
Built
out of sandstones which vary yellow with the gray, it consists of a
long nave of six spans with barrel vault broken supported by beams. 
The
church is finished, without transept, by an apse in hemicycle. It was
with the Middle Ages a priory Benedictine, not far from the abbey of
Grandmont, strengthened in XIème century. At the XVIIème century, a
pélerinage was still in force there.
The
church is sold with the revolution like national good and was restored
at the XIXème century. The bedside of Romance time is then prolonged of
a span and a absidiole. The sacristy is built and a frame comes to
replace the collapsed vault.
With
the origin, it was undoubtedly decorated with murals. The gate in
semicircular arch is surmounted by an archivolt with four curves which
fall down on carved posts and pilasters. Above the square bell-tower
rises an octagonal stone arrow. Arched vaults of warheads are added in
XVème century. One finds concise signs on the frontages.
In
the nave of the church, the Romance capital presents, under a line in
tooth of saw, a decoration of blind arcades. This building presents the
usual plan of the Romance churches bourbonaises. The central nave,
arched in cradle, alongside of two collateral and is deprived of
transept.
The
baptismal funds are embedded in the wall of the right side of the
church. The central face presents one ecu mutilated and illegible
surrounded by blind arcades. the side walls are not decorated. This
stone element perhaps a re-employment. It dates from XVème century. The
lid, more recent, is out of wood.
The Saint-Aignan church in Bègues
Of
the Celt Nozzle or Beg meaning “advanced rock point”, Bègues overhangs
the valley of Sioule and communicates with it by passages located
between two escarpments.
Many archaeological discoveries revealed
the seniority of the site: a menhir, elements in a cave, the
“cafrotte”, dug in the rock on the level of Sioule, also testify to a
prehistoric occupation. Presence also of tumuli with bronze axes.
Later,
the Gallic ones strengthened the place in oppidum. The site probably
represented a advanced camp arverne facing Bituriges on other side of
Sioule.
After the Roman conquest, the commercial function Stammerers
was confirmed. The Roman way coming from Clermont passed by there, for
proof the rerouvée military terminal, dating from the reign of Trajan
(98-117).
The Saint-Aignan church of Bègues
The parish of Bègues belonged to the old diocese of Clermont, under the dependence of the abbot of Ebreuil.
Building
of XIIème century, the Saint-Aignan church includes/understands a
flanked Western nave of sides and a chorus made up of an apse and of
two absidioles. 
The
déstructuré bedside testifies to the many rehandlings probably related
to the heightening of the vaults. The large arcades in gothic arch are
carried by rectangular piles. the nave, the sides and the transept are
covered with broken cradles. The square bell-tower high on the transept
crossing, goes certainly back to this period.
Inside,
for the top of the Western door, it is necessary to notice the presence
of a mural of the end of the Gothic time. The scene represents the
Annunciation: the Virgin is surrounded by two angels, on the right
Gabriel announces to him that it will put a child at the world. On the
left, a giver is represented by a bishop (perhaps Saint-Aignan). The
lower part of the composition was destroyed at the time of the
restoration of the door.
Saint-Pourçain on Sioule, church Holy-Cross
The
city was founded at the 5th century around a small monastery which at
the time mérovingienne becomes an abbey then a rich person and powerful
priory.
It is starting from VIème century that one finds traces of the city in the history when Porcianus, a former pig-keeper who became abbot of a monastery and is established on an unknown date on this small height dominating the river. With the Middle Ages, the priory Benedictine, which depended on the Saint-Philibert Abbey of Tournus will prospèra at the same time as the city. It is in XIVème century that the borough was surrounded by walls. If the city were strengthened, the priory also, proof is the belfry which was then one of the turns of guet monastic enclosure.
Prosperous
city thanks to its vineyard, one finds trace to the National Library of
it: during more than 2 centuries, Saint-Pourçain will have been one of
the 8 royal monetary workshops, striking the royal one of gold of
Charles V and the token of Anne de Baujeu, recognizable by the presence
of a point under the 11th letter of the legend.
Old
the prieurale Holy-Cross, now parochial, is a vast building which
required several construction campaigns. It presents a porch dating
from the beginning of the Romance time above which the bell-tower
rises. The Gothic nave is covered with a frame in hull of vessel.
Inside, the chorus whose roundabout comprises very elegant pointed
arches, is excentric in the south and is surrounded by a déambulatoire
with four radiating chapels with high altar of the XVIIIe century. The
northern porch preserved the niches and the bases of its old
statue-columns destroyed at the Revolution. 
The
stalls of monks Benedictines of XVème century, the statue of polychrome
stone Ecce homo of the end of XVIème century and the Master furnace
bridge of the XVIIIème century constitute the most beautiful objects
preserved inside this church which have also an organ Cavaillé-coll of
the XIXème century.
The
Western part of the church is oldest, going up in XIème century, and
forms the before-nave. The Nollet architect made his restoration in
1830 and used the sandstone of Coulandon. With the top of the frontage,
southern side, draws up the bell-tower, him so resulting from several
work campaigns: its base pourait to date from XIème century. Each one
on its sides is bored of two windows in slightly broken arc, which
supposes a bourgignone influence: Saint-Pourçain was a long time
related to Tournus. The higher part of the bell-tower belongs to the
Gothic and is laid out with 90° compared to its base. It was several
times remade.
Church of the Holy Trinity in Autry-Issard
Autry-Issard
belongs to the way of Saint-Jacob in Bourbonnais, which was
reconsidered little time ago. A layout was established according to
thorough research and was elaborate in order to propose to the pilgrim
of the way of Jacques Saint in Bourbonnais the greatest number of
reference marks jacquaires, of strong points of the Romanesque art, a
relatively right line and an intact rural landscape, as well as
possibilities of lodging. It is difficult to find the true way, but the
following list surely approaches some:
1) Veurdre - Agonges (while passing by St Léopardin d' Augy, Aubigny, Bagneux)
2) Agonges - Souvigny (St Menoux, Autry-Issard)
3) Souvigny - Châtel de Neuvre (Coulandon, Besson, Chemilly)
4)
Châtel de Neuvre - Chantelle (Monetay S. Allier, Contigny, Verneuil,
Saulcet, Louchy-Montfond, Cesset, Fleuriel, Deneuille Chantelle)
5) Chantelle - Ebreuil (Taxat-Senate, Charroux, St Bonnet of Rochefort, Vicq, Ebreuil)
The layout continues in Puy de Dôme while passing by Combronde and Mozac/Riom, to arrive to Clermont-Ferrand.
It is refers to Autry-Issard of discovered into 1909 of a virgin in majesty in bad condition in the apse of the priory of Saint-Maurice, who would be probably a former black virgin.
The
sanctuary of Autry-Issard is capped with a turn-bell-tower square with
two érages which is one of most beautiful of Bourbonnais. The
auvergnate influence is obvious here.
The gate
The
principal door, in semicircular arch, opens in a fore-part of masonry
to two remapants. it is crimped of a continuous roll and an archivolt
with billet related to monolithic columns.
Two broad grooved
pilasters accost it, with the capitals decorated with rinceaux and
birds drinking with the same chalice. The lintel as a bâtière, resting
on two columns imbedded in the amounts, represents an almond glory
bordered of pearls, containing a Christ formerly blessing, and
supported by two archangels, Michel and Raphaël. On each side lamps
under arcades at bottom of checkerworks and overlaps hang.
A
small platform in the shape of arc in mitre shelters glory. One reads
there inscription “PENAS REDDO PRAEMIA THUS PROFITS”, recalling that
Christ is a also judge and sovereign. One reads also the names of the
archangels, and on the lintel: “CUNCTA DEUS FECI HOMO FACTUS CUNCTA
REFECTI”, a sentence which underlines the identity of divine work and
that of deiu makes man, with, remarkable characteristic, the signature
of the artist: “NATALIS ME FE (CIT)”, Christmas made me.
The primitive table
This
painting of the Flemish school of the end of XVème century is a votive
table, as certain families liked to offer some to their parish church.
According to the use of time, it is a Deposition which appears in the
center of the scene. One finds there on the right Saint Jean and on the
left Marie-madeleine. A giver is behind Saint Jean, follow-up of his
daughter and his wife, and on the left, the second donnator followed by
his wife and his four children. One is unaware of still the name of the
painter and those of the donnateurs.
Capitals
They
are very speaking, and one finds the expensive topics with the imagiers
of the Middle Ages: two birds drinking with the same chalice, human
figures leaving rinceaux, geometrical figures formed by the foliages.
All this teach us the symbolic system, and shows us how energies pass
in the church. 
The furnace bridge
It with the characteristic to represent Moïse with horns.
“The
comments and other studies often explain why all this idea of horns is
exclusively related to a bad interpretation of the Hebrew text. But
this is not really sure. It seems to to me, on the contrary, that the
Hebrew account exploits ambiguity: the verb “qaran” can indeed mean “to
radiate” or “to be horned”. Thus for a Hebrew listener the two
significances mix.
The sensitivity to this ambiguity is found in particular at Marc Chagall, who presents the “horns” of Moïse like luminous rays. The horns symbolize the force and are often divine attributes. But in the context of the account of golden calf, there is perhaps a direction even major. The people wanted a god visible; by doing this it caused the “original transgression of Israel” and the destruction of this image. At the time of renewed alliance, Moïse appears with “horns”.
Did it take the place of the bull? In a certain way, it is the case, since it is, him, the visible mediator between Yahvé and Israel. It is certainly not the representation of God of Israel, but it remains definitively its best representing. Thus, the horns express the completely particular statute of Moïse. By doing this, the author of Ex 34,29 fact proof of a great audacity since it transposes of the attributes of divine on a man. “
http://www.evangile-et-liberte.net/elements/numeros/190/article8.html
The Saint-Denis's church in Deux-Chaises
The
church is Romance and dates from XIème and XIIème centuries. The parish
of Two-Chairs belonged formerly to the diocese of Bourges. The church
belonged to the Saint-Denis abbey close to Paris, then it passed in the
possessions of that of Chapelaude close to Montlucon, and finally to
that of Montet.
It
is composed of a central nave flanked of two collateral narrow, of an
apse, preceded by a long right span, like both absidioles.
Its
bell-tower is at square base. The arrow is covered out of gasoline of
châtaigner, whereas the nave received a cover in tiles channel.
The
well is always present, beside the southern frontage. There it is still
possible to go to draw water, using a left bucket at disposal. On the
northern frontage, the sculptures in the shape of flowers announce the
stages of large-work.
Southern side of the entry of the chorus, a small gone up shelter dating from the rebirth, imitating the Gallo-Roman steles, which testifies to the ancient influence in the area. One finds not far the Saint-Denis fountain, which one beseeched for the rain.
