Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Lawrence

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. 200 years later, the church got altered and the small lantern tower got replaced by an octagonal crossing tower. The steeple collapsed and got rebuilt in 1533. In 1944 the church got heavily shelled - and the spire had to be rebuilt a second time after WW2. I had visited Merlevenez some years ago and already uploaded photos. As I was impressed by this church I returned now, took lots of photos, but will upload only a few. Here is one of the many capitals. To the right an evail "man-eater", to the right martyr Saint Lawrence, placed on a gridiron, with coals beneath it. He is the patron saint for chefs and cooks, as legend tells, that after a while he told the torturer "I'm well done now. Turn me over."

The Knights Templar founded a convent here with chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. Parts of this chapel may have been "incorporated" into Notre-Dame-de-Joie. Most of the nave, the transept and the apse date back to the 12th century. The many capitals seen here are very delicately carved, what is pretty unusual for Brittany. Some art historians see influences from Poitou-Charente. The person on the gridiron can only be the martyr Lawrence of Rome, who actually was born in Huesca (Aragon). The legend tells, that Saint Lawrence was placed on a gridiron, with coals beneath it. After a while, he told the torturers "I'm well done now. Turn me over" wonder that he is the patron saint for chefs and cooks.

Saint Lawrence (aka "Lawrence of Rome"), who was martyred in Rome in a gridiron, was one of the most popular saints within medieval times. He was born around 225 in Osca, a place that later changed the name to Huesca. Saint Lawrence is celebrated on 10 August, when his relics are on display in Rome, while in Huesca - the "Fiesta San Lorenzo" begins. We missed it for a couple of days. The colours during the fiesta are green and white. Only very few green and white fiesta scarves were left in the dusty shop window. Here the fiesta´s (green and white) website www.fiestassanlorenzo.es/#1

Saint Lawrence (aka "Lawrence of Rome"), who was martyred in Rome in a gridiron, was one of the most popular saints within medieval times. He was born around 225 in Osca, a place that later changed the name to Huesca. Saint Lawrence is celebrated on 10 August, when his relics are on display in Rome, while in Huesca - the "Fiesta San Lorenzo" begins. We missed it for a couple of days. Here is a website, where you can see, what happened in Huesca: www.fiestassanlorenzo.es/#1 There is even a countdown for the next fiesta.

Estella was founded in 1090 by King Sancho Ramírez to encourage frankish merchants, to settle here and so support the pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostella. Recent excavations have proven, that early immigrants came from Le Puy ("Via Podensis") and Tour ("Via Turonensis"). The name "Estella" (= star) seems to be choosen by very experienced marketing specialists to start the business, as this refers to the Magi and as well to Charlemagne as he "saw in the heaven a pathway of stars" leading to Galicia (Pseudo Turpin). Aymeric Picaud, author the Codex Calixtinus, praises the food here and even mentions the "healthy water". Estella thrived, in 1354 there were six hospitals of pilgrims here. The "Iglesia de San Pedro de la Rúa" was mentioned already in 1174, in 1256 this was the largest church in Estella. Attached to "San Pedro de la Rúa" is the cloister, just like the church it got erected within the 12th century. Two sides of the cloister survived the times, though some of the carvings are rather weathered. Roman Emperor Decius (left) and martyr St. Lawrence (right). Actually St. Lawrence was martyred during the persecution of Emperor Valerian, who was Decius´ successor.