Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy

General information
Location	Conques, France

The Sainte-Foy abbey-church in Conques

Church doors

The Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy in Conques, France, was a very popular stop for pilgrims. These travelers were on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. This journey is known as the Way of St. James.

The main reason pilgrims came to Conques was to see the remains of Sainte-Foy. She was a young woman who died for her beliefs in the fourth century. Her relics arrived in Conques in a clever way in 866. Monks from Conques tried to get relics from other saints first. When that didn't work, they focused on Sainte-Foy's relics. A monk from Conques spent almost ten years pretending to be a loyal monk in another town. This was so he could get close enough to steal the relics. The abbey church has been a protected monument since 1840.

Building the Church
Inside the Church
Church Treasures
Images for kids
See also

Building the Church

View from the west.

The Abbey Church

The first building at Conques was a small prayer house from the eighth century. Monks built it after fleeing from Spain. This first chapel was later taken down in the eleventh century. A much larger church was needed because Sainte-Foy's relics made Conques a major pilgrimage stop.

The church was built in stages. The second part of the building was finished by the late 1000s. This included five chapels that spread out like spokes from a wheel. It also had a walkway (ambulatory) and the main choir area. The third stage of building was completed in the early 1100s. It was inspired by other big churches in France and Spain.

Like many churches for pilgrims, Conques has a basilica shape. This means it's long with a central aisle. It was also changed into a cross shape (cruciform plan). Extra walkways (galleries) were added above the side aisles. The roof was also raised over the main crossing and choir. This allowed more people to move around the church. An extra western aisle was also added for the many pilgrims. The church is about 59 meters long on the outside. Inside, it is 56 meters long. The main tower is 26.40 meters tall.

Inside the Church

The nave

The main aisle has simple rounded arches. These arches are repeated in the galleries above. The galleries' arches are half the height of the main ones. The area around the main altar (apse) also has similar arches. Pillars separate the walkway around the apse from the main holy area. There are three chapels around the apse and two more off the main cross-section (transept).

The side aisles have a rounded ceiling called a barrel vault. The main part of the church (nave) also has a thick barrel vault ceiling. Large stone pillars divide the nave into sections. These pillars rise up through the galleries and support the vault. The inside of the church is 20.70 meters tall. The repeating pattern of columns makes the church feel even taller.

The dome above the main crossing is shaped like a delicate octagon. Ribs spread out from its center. The corners have carved angels with realistic faces.

Conques has 212 columns, and many of their tops (capitals) are decorated. These carvings show palm leaves, symbols, and even monsters from the Bible. Some show scenes from Sainte-Foy's life. One capital on the north side shows two detailed birds. On the opposite side, there are human figures that look a bit hunched. These carvings were like picture books for monks and pilgrims. They helped teach stories. You can still see traces of color on some of the columns.

Light comes into the church through large windows in the aisles. More light comes from the lower windows in the galleries. The windows higher up and in the chapels shine light directly onto the main altar. The central tower also lets direct light into the nave.

The original windows are gone. After World War II, colorful glass designs were added. But these didn't quite fit the old style of the church. In 1986, a famous artist named Pierre Soulages was asked to design new windows. He created 104 windows with abstract designs. He used crushed white glass to keep the pure, strong look of the church. Soulages' stained-glass windows are now an important part of Conques. They help create a feeling of peace and reflection.

Pilgrims could look into the holy area through a metal screen. This screen was made from chains donated by former prisoners. They believed Sainte-Foy had helped them gain their freedom. These chains also reminded pilgrims that Sainte-Foy could free people from prison. They also symbolized how monks could help people be free from sin. Stories spread about Sainte-Foy freeing prisoners. This made more and more pilgrims want to visit Conques.

A sculpted capital in the cloister.

The outside of Conques doesn't have many decorations. The main exception is the Last Judgment carving above the western entrance. This carving is called a tympanum. As pilgrimages became safer, people focused less on doing penance. Images of judgment reminded pilgrims why they were there.

The tympanum shows Christ as a judge. He decides where souls go after death. An angel and a demon weigh souls on a scale. Good people go to Christ's right, towards Heaven. Bad people go to Christ's left, towards Hell. Hell is shown with vivid tortures. For example, poachers are roasted by the very rabbits they stole from the monastery! The carving also has a funny detail. A bishop who wasn't liked by the monks is shown caught in a net in Hell.

Heaven is shown with Abraham holding the souls of good people. A plump abbot leads a king, possibly Charlemagne, into Heaven. Sainte-Foy herself is shown kneeling in prayer. She is being touched by God's outstretched hand. Look closely for the "curious ones" peeking over the edges of the carving. They are like an old version of "Kilroy". This tympanum was once fully colored, and you can still see small traces of paint today.

Church Treasures

Reliquary of Sainte-Foy.

Conques is home to many amazing treasures. One is the famous 'A' of Charlemagne. Legend says that Charlemagne had 24 golden letters made for his favorite monasteries. Conques supposedly received his 'A', showing it was his favorite. However, this is just a legend. The "A" does exist, but it was made around 1100. No other letters from Charlemagne's alphabet have ever been found. Conques also has an arm bone said to belong to St. George the Dragon Slayer. It is claimed to be the very arm he used to slay the dragon!

The golden statue reliquary of Sainte-Foy was the most important treasure. Seeing this reliquary was the main goal for pilgrims visiting Conques. The head of the reliquary contains a piece of skull that has been proven to be old. The reliquary itself uses a fifth-century Roman head, possibly from an emperor. This head was placed on a wooden core covered with gold. The reliquary was made in the late 800s and was about 2 feet 9 inches tall.

As more miracles were reported, pilgrims donated gold crowns, earrings, and jewels. These were added to the reliquary over time. In the 1300s, crystal balls were added to its throne. Silver arms and hands were added in the 1500s. Bronze shoes and knee plates were added in the 1700s. No single artist made this reliquary. It changed over time as donations came in. The relics themselves were taken from a nearby town by the monks of Conques. This was called a furtum sacrum, or "holy robbery."

After the French Revolution, local people hid the relics and treasures to keep them safe. The church building was used for other purposes. In 1833, a writer named Prosper Mérimée visited Conques. He found the abbey in bad shape. But his visit led to major restoration work on the church. In 1873, a group of Catholic caretakers called the Norbertine order took over the church.

The Sainte-Foy abbey church was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 1998. It is part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. You can take tours to see its Romanesque architecture. Sometimes, there are even night tours with music and special lighting.