Eglise Saint-Martin

Mondeville

Patrimoine_culturel

The classified church of Mondeville was built between the 12th and 15th centuries. Some very impressive coloured frescos can be seen inside.

The building of the church lasted for several centuries between the 12th and 15th centuries. This contributed to the unique style of the church with its different architectural styles. The capitals are adorned with foliage and characters, this is the greatest testimony of those numerous restorations during the Middle Age.

The nave and the choir have a Roman style and are separated by a gate. The choir has a vault covered in very colourful frescoes from the end of the 19th century. They are representing a mix of different things such as the farm of Port-Royal, stars, villages and full-scale characters from the Bible. In 2003, a painting under the fresco was discovered, it represents characters. This old painting could be from the 12th and 13th centuries, at the time of the church’s building.

The church has been classified as part of the Monuments Historiques since 1972. Those last years, numerous restorations were made to preserve the church : the dial, the stained-glass windows and the clock.

The church of Mondeville is dedicated to Saint-Martin de Tours (Saint Martin) also known under the name of Martin le Miséricordieux. He was from Szombathely (also known as Savaria during the Roman Empire) in Hungary and he is one of the most famous and prayed saints in the whole world. He is one of the secondary patron saints in France. He was born in a military family and despite his wish to be religious, Martin became a military. The most famous part of his legend is when one night, as a legionnaire near Amiens, he tore up his coat to give half of it to a frozen poor man. As a person who was part of the army, he was not allowed to become an ecclesiastical. However, the people of Tours wanted him as their bishop so they kidnapped him and named him as bishop without his consent. He founded several abbeys and parishes all along the Loire Valley. He died of old age near Tours and was buried at the place of the basilica Saint-Martin de Tours. A recreation of his sarcophagus can be seen in the crypt.

SOURCE: Mairie de Mondeville, “Le Patrimoine Religieux de Milly-la-Forêt et de la Communauté de Communes des 2 Vallées” des Amis de Milly-en-Gâtinais et Environs, Parc Naturel Régional du Gâtinais Français

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