Church of Saint-Aignan d'Orléans: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
|||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
The tradition, mixing history and legendary facts, reports that the Huns were stopped under the walls of the church Saint-Pierre-aux-Boeuf (built on the ruins of a Roman temple) <ref>L'abbé Louis Gaillard précise qu'en réalité cette église n'a jamais existé. Cf. Bulletin de la Société Archéologique et Historique de l'Orléanais, T. VII, n° 49, 1978, p. 79-82 (Dom Jean-Marie Berland, L'église Saint-Pierre-aux-Bœufs, une église orléanaise fantôme. L'auteur écrit que l'erreur a été commise au milieu du XVIIe siècle par l'historien d'Orléans François Le Maire, dans Histoire et Antiquitez de la Ville et Duché d’Orléans). </ref> thanks to the prayers of the old bishop, Aignan who miraculously transformed a handful of Loire sand into a swarm of wasps. It would be they who routed the Huns' army. Aignan was then relayed by the troops of the Roman general Flavius Aetius (arrived very late, because of the weakness and almost absence of the imperial power, at this time of disintegration of the Roman Empire). It is clear that at least the action of the bishop of Orleans (then only capable of relaying the civil power) made it possible to avoid the widespread massacre and to wait for the help he had previously call. The arrival of the Roman army - when everything seemed lost - could appear as miraculous. |
The tradition, mixing history and legendary facts, reports that the Huns were stopped under the walls of the church Saint-Pierre-aux-Boeuf (built on the ruins of a Roman temple) <ref>L'abbé Louis Gaillard précise qu'en réalité cette église n'a jamais existé. Cf. Bulletin de la Société Archéologique et Historique de l'Orléanais, T. VII, n° 49, 1978, p. 79-82 (Dom Jean-Marie Berland, L'église Saint-Pierre-aux-Bœufs, une église orléanaise fantôme. L'auteur écrit que l'erreur a été commise au milieu du XVIIe siècle par l'historien d'Orléans François Le Maire, dans Histoire et Antiquitez de la Ville et Duché d’Orléans). </ref> thanks to the prayers of the old bishop, Aignan who miraculously transformed a handful of Loire sand into a swarm of wasps. It would be they who routed the Huns' army. Aignan was then relayed by the troops of the Roman general Flavius Aetius (arrived very late, because of the weakness and almost absence of the imperial power, at this time of disintegration of the Roman Empire). It is clear that at least the action of the bishop of Orleans (then only capable of relaying the civil power) made it possible to avoid the widespread massacre and to wait for the help he had previously call. The arrival of the Roman army - when everything seemed lost - could appear as miraculous. |
||
Aignan dies around November 17, 453 and is buried in this church. He is later |
Aignan dies around November 17, 453 and is buried in this church. He is later [[ and appointed as saint]] of the city and the diocese of Orleans. |
||
Until the seventh century, Saint-Aignan grew, became a [[monastery]] and an abbey governed by the rules of St. [[Benedict]] and St. [[Columban]]. |
Until the seventh century, Saint-Aignan grew, became a [[monastery]] and an abbey governed by the rules of St. [[Benedict]] and St. [[Columban]]. |
||
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
After the disappearance of the [[Carolingian Empire]] of [[Charlemagne]], the collegiate suffered the looting of the Vikings, it is notably ransacked in the year 865, and disappears in the great fire of 999 which destroys the city. The only remaining part of the building is the current crypt, which protected the [[relic]]s of [[Saint Aignan]]. |
After the disappearance of the [[Carolingian Empire]] of [[Charlemagne]], the collegiate suffered the looting of the Vikings, it is notably ransacked in the year 865, and disappears in the great fire of 999 which destroys the city. The only remaining part of the building is the current crypt, which protected the [[relic]]s of [[Saint Aignan]]. |
||
==References== |
==References== |
||
Revision as of 01:37, 23 November 2018
The Collegiate Church Saint-Aignannote[1] is a French church located in the center of the city of Orléans (Burgundy district), on the north bank of the Loire, in the department of Loiret in the Center-Val de Loire region.
It is dedicated to Saint Aignan, Bishop of Orleans. The legend of Saint Aignan, based on largely historical facts, it holds that in the year 451AD, Aignan before the arrival of the Roman legions of Aetius, went out and dissuaded Attila the Hun, commander of the Huns army to invest the city of Cenabum and ravage it.
History
The tradition, mixing history and legendary facts, reports that the Huns were stopped under the walls of the church Saint-Pierre-aux-Boeuf (built on the ruins of a Roman temple) [2] thanks to the prayers of the old bishop, Aignan who miraculously transformed a handful of Loire sand into a swarm of wasps. It would be they who routed the Huns' army. Aignan was then relayed by the troops of the Roman general Flavius Aetius (arrived very late, because of the weakness and almost absence of the imperial power, at this time of disintegration of the Roman Empire). It is clear that at least the action of the bishop of Orleans (then only capable of relaying the civil power) made it possible to avoid the widespread massacre and to wait for the help he had previously call. The arrival of the Roman army - when everything seemed lost - could appear as miraculous.
Aignan dies around November 17, 453 and is buried in this church. He is later canonized and appointed as patron saint of the city and the diocese of Orleans.
Until the seventh century, Saint-Aignan grew, became a monastery and an abbey governed by the rules of St. Benedict and St. Columban.
In the 9th century, the monks who compose it take the status of canons and are no longer subject to the rule of St. Benedict. The life around the collegiate church develops until it acquires a complete autonomy, partly thanks to Théodulfe, bishop of Orléans and advisor of Charlemagne.
According to the rules, all members of the community are required to attend plenary meetings and have "voice", including altar boys (these should not be confused with today's altar servers) , the main function of the choir children of the Ancien Regime was to sing in the professional choir of the church, the expression is therefore to be taken literally: "children singing in the choir"). The opinion of those gathered in general chapters was advisory and it was up to the dean of the chapter to make the decisions.[3]
After the disappearance of the Carolingian Empire of Charlemagne, the collegiate suffered the looting of the Vikings, it is notably ransacked in the year 865, and disappears in the great fire of 999 which destroys the city. The only remaining part of the building is the current crypt, which protected the relics of Saint Aignan.
References
- ^ Saint-Aignan is pronounced traditionally "Saint-Agnan", even if another pronunciation appeared recently and coexists with it.
- ^ L'abbé Louis Gaillard précise qu'en réalité cette église n'a jamais existé. Cf. Bulletin de la Société Archéologique et Historique de l'Orléanais, T. VII, n° 49, 1978, p. 79-82 (Dom Jean-Marie Berland, L'église Saint-Pierre-aux-Bœufs, une église orléanaise fantôme. L'auteur écrit que l'erreur a été commise au milieu du XVIIe siècle par l'historien d'Orléans François Le Maire, dans Histoire et Antiquitez de la Ville et Duché d’Orléans).
- ^ This chapter does not exist anymore.