Religious Heritage
MILLAY
Eglise Saint-Maurice à Millay
The parish of Millay is very old. It has only depended on the diocese of Nevers since the concordat of 1801. The patronage of the cure formerly belonged to the priory of Marcigny-lès-Nonains, a monastery of Brionnais, founded in 1054 by Saint-Hugues, sixth abbot of Cluny, helped by his brother Geoffroy, baron de Semur. Tradition has it that the church of Millay was built within 10 years of the founding of the monastery; it would therefore date from 1064 and would be one of the oldest churches in Nièvre. The church was ceded on May 8, 1619, with the tithes of the parish, to Baron de La Roche-Millay. It is dedicated to Saint-Maurice, leader of the Theban legion, and illuminated every evening.
EXTERIOR DESCRIPTION
Despite the work and alterations to which it has been subject, the original structure of the Saint-Maurice church has been preserved. In 1837, the bell tower threatened to collapse: the west face was partially demolished and rebuilt identically. Observe it now: it is lit, on the bell floor, by twin semi-circular bays, separated by a column with a simply paneled or laminated capital (to the south). The bell tower houses two bells today. Weighing 400 kg and named Marie-Joséphine, the first bell was cast in 1852 under the administration of Mr. Peschaud, parish priest. She was blessed by Mr. Lyron, parish priest of Luzy, with Mr. D'Amfreville as godfather, Mrs. de Laplanche as godmother. The little bell, Marie-Thérèse, weighs 250 kg and was cast in 1875. Her godfather is MG de Laplanche, her godmother, Mme Anginieur. This little bell is engraved: “Sometimes I sing / Often I cry / But always I pray. »
On June 22, 1860, a hurricane seriously damaged the gable of the front facade, the apsidioles and the frame. In 1862, the front façade collapsed following torrential rains, and one of the transept gables threatened to fall into ruin. The facade was rebuilt in 1862-1863 by Claude Maillot, entrepreneur in Autun. On December 13, 1865, the mayor of Millay wrote to the Prefect: “Today the church is in very good condition. »
INTERIOR DESCRIPTION
The church of Millay is a church oriented, with a Latin cross plan with an apse and circular apsidioles, with a bell tower on the transept crossing. Its style is mid-11th century romance. It has a nave capped with a vessel, flanked in its rear part by two pendant side chapels. The single-nave transept, whose arms open to the east onto an apse, communicates with the side chapels via a semi-circular arcade. It has a regular crossing covered with a dome on squinches. The Romanesque choir consists of a rectilinear bay and an apse; the sacristy is built in the corner of the nave and the left side chapel. The vaults are cul-de-four on the apse and the apsidioles, in a semi-circular barrel on the other parts of the church, the cradle being transverse on the arms of the transept and the side chapels. We find the aesthetics of Romanesque masonry.
Major work was undertaken by the municipality between 2001 and 2003, in particular to renovate the two apses in their original state, the framework of the gallery, the north transept, and the stained glass windows. This work was carried out to welcome classical music performers every summer, during the Le Vent sur l'arbre festival, appreciating the remarkable quality of the acoustics of the Millay church.
REMARKABLE ELEMENTS
The processional cross is made of silver-plated bronze and brass. The elements are fitted onto a threaded rod; Christ, Sainte-Madeleine and the titulus are riveted. The decorations are melted, pushed back and chiseled. Among the processional crosses preserved in the region, that of Millay is one of the oldest, but also one of the most homogeneous.
With a height of 66 cm, it dates from the end of the XNUMXth century / beginning of the XNUMXth century. Its exact dating is difficult: if the top-shaped knot with its decoration of palmettes and gadroons evokes the XNUMXth century, the design and the openwork of the ends of the cross place the work in the first quarter of the XNUMXth century.
ANECDOTES
In the 1930s, the baker Marcellin Perraudin making his rounds was spared by lightning which struck his car. Following this miracle, the family had a statue of Saint Christopher erected, currently in the church. This same Saint Christopher is celebrated every year in Millay during a procession in August.
OPEN YOUR EYE!
Consultation of the land register reveals that in 1940, the rectilinear bay of the choir was flanked, on the left, by a sacristy. It was accessed through a door, now walled up, still visible in the choir.
Have you noticed it?
EXTERIOR DESCRIPTION
Despite the work and alterations to which it has been subject, the original structure of the Saint-Maurice church has been preserved. In 1837, the bell tower threatened to collapse: the west face was partially demolished and rebuilt identically. Observe it now: it is lit, on the bell floor, by twin semi-circular bays, separated by a column with a simply paneled or laminated capital (to the south). The bell tower houses two bells today. Weighing 400 kg and named Marie-Joséphine, the first bell was cast in 1852 under the administration of Mr. Peschaud, parish priest. She was blessed by Mr. Lyron, parish priest of Luzy, with Mr. D'Amfreville as godfather, Mrs. de Laplanche as godmother. The little bell, Marie-Thérèse, weighs 250 kg and was cast in 1875. Her godfather is MG de Laplanche, her godmother, Mme Anginieur. This little bell is engraved: “Sometimes I sing / Often I cry / But always I pray. »
On June 22, 1860, a hurricane seriously damaged the gable of the front facade, the apsidioles and the frame. In 1862, the front façade collapsed following torrential rains, and one of the transept gables threatened to fall into ruin. The facade was rebuilt in 1862-1863 by Claude Maillot, entrepreneur in Autun. On December 13, 1865, the mayor of Millay wrote to the Prefect: “Today the church is in very good condition. »
INTERIOR DESCRIPTION
The church of Millay is a church oriented, with a Latin cross plan with an apse and circular apsidioles, with a bell tower on the transept crossing. Its style is mid-11th century romance. It has a nave capped with a vessel, flanked in its rear part by two pendant side chapels. The single-nave transept, whose arms open to the east onto an apse, communicates with the side chapels via a semi-circular arcade. It has a regular crossing covered with a dome on squinches. The Romanesque choir consists of a rectilinear bay and an apse; the sacristy is built in the corner of the nave and the left side chapel. The vaults are cul-de-four on the apse and the apsidioles, in a semi-circular barrel on the other parts of the church, the cradle being transverse on the arms of the transept and the side chapels. We find the aesthetics of Romanesque masonry.
Major work was undertaken by the municipality between 2001 and 2003, in particular to renovate the two apses in their original state, the framework of the gallery, the north transept, and the stained glass windows. This work was carried out to welcome classical music performers every summer, during the Le Vent sur l'arbre festival, appreciating the remarkable quality of the acoustics of the Millay church.
REMARKABLE ELEMENTS
The processional cross is made of silver-plated bronze and brass. The elements are fitted onto a threaded rod; Christ, Sainte-Madeleine and the titulus are riveted. The decorations are melted, pushed back and chiseled. Among the processional crosses preserved in the region, that of Millay is one of the oldest, but also one of the most homogeneous.
With a height of 66 cm, it dates from the end of the XNUMXth century / beginning of the XNUMXth century. Its exact dating is difficult: if the top-shaped knot with its decoration of palmettes and gadroons evokes the XNUMXth century, the design and the openwork of the ends of the cross place the work in the first quarter of the XNUMXth century.
ANECDOTES
In the 1930s, the baker Marcellin Perraudin making his rounds was spared by lightning which struck his car. Following this miracle, the family had a statue of Saint Christopher erected, currently in the church. This same Saint Christopher is celebrated every year in Millay during a procession in August.
OPEN YOUR EYE!
Consultation of the land register reveals that in 1940, the rectilinear bay of the choir was flanked, on the left, by a sacristy. It was accessed through a door, now walled up, still visible in the choir.
Have you noticed it?
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