Religion shapes the way that we live our lives and how society views others. Many French people consider themselves to be Catholic, but it is not common for all to to go to a weekly church service. Roman Catholicism was France’s state religion until 1905, when a new law of the Third French Republic mandated the separation between Church and State.
There have been a total of five churches in Ambialet:
- Eglise de Lacondomine was designed by Jean-Baptiste Vergnes (1829-1886). The Romanesque bell tower has been recently restored albeit the church itself no longer stands.
- Eglise de Bonneval collapsed in 1867 and it was later reconstructed in neo-Gothic style. It is no longer in use today.
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| Remains of Eglise Saint-Gilles © Tales of a Flaneur |
- Notre-Dame-de-la-Capelle was built near the former Trencavel Castle. This church was strictly used as a private chapel by these Lords from 1388 to 1762. After the siege of the 1860s, it became a parish church. Today, it is in ruins.
- Eglise Saint-Gilles was the first parish church, which was so named because the Lords of Ambialet, the Trencavel family, worshiped this saint. This church was built in the 11th century and it was devoted to one of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages, Saint Gilles. The steeple is perched on a platform based on the remains of a Roman fort. It was burned to the ground in the Wars of Religion. Today, it now serves as an exhibition hall for the works of local painters, artists, photographers, and so on.
- Notre-Dame-de-L'Oder is a Romanesque chapel which is the only church in use today. It is located at the top of a hill which overlooks the village of Ambialet. It was built in 1057. In 1866, it was restored by Father Clausade, the Franciscan Friar who restored the Priory. The church is alive and well today with many villagers attending the 11:15 a.m. mass and it boasts a lively choir.
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| © Tales of a Flaneur |
These five churches show that religious life and communal worship has always been very important in Ambialet. The town itself was not free of heresy, and did get entangled in the politics of the Albigensian Crusades ~ mainly because the Trencavel had Cathar sympathies. But Ambialet would prosper in the aftermath of these Crusades, thanks to the ingenuity and leadership of the town consuls.
Today, pilgrims coming to Ambialet very much enjoy the Stations of the Cross, installed by the Friars along the route to the priory, that is, from the bottom of the hill (base of the village) to the Chapel of Notre-Dame-de-L'Oder at the top. It’s definitely a bit of a climb with the rocky trail cutting into stone cliffs! According to legend, there was once a lady who was barren and prayed to God for children. She followed the Stations of the Cross up the hill on her knees all the while being in deep prayer. It is said that she later went on to have eleven children! The Stations are a pilgrimage route in use today.
Today, pilgrims coming to Ambialet very much enjoy the Stations of the Cross, installed by the Friars along the route to the priory, that is, from the bottom of the hill (base of the village) to the Chapel of Notre-Dame-de-L'Oder at the top. It’s definitely a bit of a climb with the rocky trail cutting into stone cliffs! According to legend, there was once a lady who was barren and prayed to God for children. She followed the Stations of the Cross up the hill on her knees all the while being in deep prayer. It is said that she later went on to have eleven children! The Stations are a pilgrimage route in use today.
If you are ever in Ambialet, it’s worth the trek up to the top of the hill to visit the Chapel ~ the view is absolutely breathtaking!
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["Les Eglises" in Ambialet prestígíeux et secret, pp. 25-26]
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