ÉGLISE SAINT PIERRE DE PIERREFITTE (1959-1960)

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Any visitor may be surprised to find two churches nearly 100 metres apart for such a small commune: Pierrefitte-Nestalas, despite the law of separation of the Churches and the State. The growing industrialisation of the town’s industrial activities led to an increase in the population in the 1950s, and the medieval church of Nestalas proved too small and the restoration (and enlargement) work too expensive and legally complicated (listed church), so a new church became urgent. The obstacle of the law of 1905, which prohibited any subsidy to a cult, was then circumvented thanks to the impulse of the abbot Mericq, by making prevail an ordinance of 1937 of the Council of State. This one authorized the participation of the commune provided that the cost of the works of a new church construction does not exceed those of the restoration works of the old one.
Thus we have two churches side by side, one owned by the commune, the other owned by the bishopric, managed by a diocesan association
This cruciform church dedicated to Saint Peter is recent (1959-1960). It houses the old Romanesque stoup of Nestalas dated from the 14th century on the inventory Mérimée (to be verified). It has still not returned to its original location. The indication “Sans Gasia de Lacasa me fecit” is the name of the sculptor of the two figures, two Atlanteans, who support the basin with their shoulders. One has his arms stretched out along his body with his hands resting on his thighs. The bowl and the figures are carved in a single block, the round base in another. These two blocks fit into each other. The subject, that of the Atlantes, is the same as that of the church of Saint-Savin and that of the former parish church of Lourdes which is in the castle, but in a sorry state, as it has remained outside since its removal in 1907.

Sources : www.patrimoines-lourdes-gavarnie.fr Traduction automatique par DeepL via DATAtourisme

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