ÉGLISE SAINT PIERRE ET SAINT PAUL DE SALIGOS

About

The Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul church is visible from the valley. This small Romanesque church (engraved stone or 1588), all grey, with a gabled bell tower (penàus in local dialect) houses two bells. The larger one dated 1945, and blessed by Monseigneur CHOQUET, bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, replaces the previous cracked one, which dated from 1837. The second smaller one, blessed by Monseigneur THÉAS, bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, dates from 1951. Both were cast by Mr. FOURCADE of Tarbes. The church has a semi-circular apse with a modillion cornice and a large porch with the inscription 1620. It covers the entrance to the church and the sacristy. Above the main entrance, a tympanum with a large round chrism of 80 cm in diameter, from the end of the 12th century, surrounded by three arches, presents the three Evangelists in their symbolic form. One is missing, guess which one? It is the angel representing Saint Matthew. It has been cut out. This tympanum resembles the one in Luz, but here the Christ in majesty has been replaced by his monogram. The crude arches rest on straight legs with sharp edges and no sculptures. A second Christ, 47 cm in diameter on a lintel, was carved above the door of the sacristy. Of good workmanship, it is more recent than the one on the main door and could date from the late Middle Ages. Some sculptures on the modillions of the cornice of the apse are still visible. Some represent the head of a monster, the cross of the Hospitallers, a bird, a barrel… Traces of two walled Romanesque windows. Notice on the back of the church a curious reused stone, sculpted with a dozen “cabalistic” signs: rose window, crescent moon, cross on an altar, ciborium and cross… Perhaps the signatures of the master craftsmen
Inside, a beautiful altarpiece with rare colours, from the end of the 17th – beginning of the 18th century, occupies the whole choir. It represents Saint Peter and his keys with, on his right, Saint Paul and his sword, and on his left, Saint Thomas and his square to verify the reality. Above: the Annunciation. At the top right, the figure with the black eyes represents Saint Lucy (Luce). Her throat was slit after she voluntarily gouged out her eyes during her martyrdom
The rich tabernacle is by Marc FERRÈRE, its central door is decorated with a pelican, a Christ-like figure, feeding its young. On the left, the scene of the Annunciation, on the right, Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. Unfortunately, the restoration of the gilded paintwork leaves much to be desired
In the side chapel, a painting of St Catherine of Alexandria occupies the top of the altar. It is unfortunately hidden by the statue of the Virgin. “This painting appears to be signed RIGAUD below the sword. It is very close to a painting which exists in the church of Saint-Sever de Rustan, signed by the same artist, and which dates from the first half of the 18th century. A painter named Antoine RIGAUD, “painter of Venice”, is registered in 1733 in the parish registers of Saint-Orens of Auch. His wife was Catherine SATGE, from Béziers. He painted a descent from the cross in the Arcamont church (commune of Roquefort, Gers). He is then active in the Hautes-Pyrénées: Larroque-Magnoac, Arcizans-Avant and Saint-Sever where he also painted a Baptism of Christ. On September 13, 1742, he died in Tarbes where he was a parishioner of La Sède; he was buried the next day in the cloister of the cathedral. Thibaud DE ROUVRAY.

The church is closed, it can be opened on Monday and Thursday afternoons, on request
with the town hall.

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

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