Celestine Church (Eglise des Celestins d'Avignon) description and photos - France: Avignon (Topic)

Celestine Church (Eglise des Celestins d'Avignon) description and photos - France: Avignon. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Eglise des Celestins d'Avignon.

Photo and description

The Church of the Celestinians, as seen today, was built in the 15th century. Its construction began in 1396 and lasted for almost a hundred years. Originally, there was a modest wooden chapel built over the burial place of St. Peter of Luxembourg. In honor of this burial, the area around the chapel was named and the area around the chapel - Place de Corp-Sainte (Square of the Holy Relics).

Peter of Luxembourg was known for becoming a high-ranking churchman in his youth - at the age of 15 he was already was bishop of Metz, then soon received the title of cardinal, and at the age of 18 (1387) he died of consumption. After his burial in Avignon, rumors spread about the miraculousness of the cardinal's remains, and the Celestine monks decided to build a monastery over the grave. Peter of Luxembourg was canonized only in 1527, and before that his relics were revered even without official recognition of their holiness by the Church.

Later, a chapel was built next to the Celestine Church in honor of another saint - Benezet. one of the most revered in Avignon. According to local legend, in earthly life, Benezet was a simple shepherd, to whom Christ appeared and ordered to build a bridge across the Rhone in Avignon. When the inhabitants of the city demanded from Benezet to prove to them his chosenness and to show some kind of miracle, he carried a huge stone across the whole city to the river and marked a place for them to build. Benezet lived in the 12th century and was canonized in the 14th century.

The Celestine Church possessed many values - works of art and religious utensils, which were burned down during the French Revolution, and the church itself was turned into a barracks. The surviving relics of the Celestinians found shelter in other temples of Avignon - for example, the relics of Saint Benezet rest in the Church of Saint Adeodat.

The church courtyard is now becoming a theater stage for the annual July festival.

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Topic: Celestine Church (Eglise des Celestins d'Avignon) description and photos - France: Avignon.