Abbey of Saint-Papoul

The abbey of Saint-Papoul is an abbey bénédictine and located on the commune of Saint-Papoul in the Département of the Aude a few kilometres from Castelnaudary.

Its history

The abbey was founded at the 8th century. Its name comes from saint Papoul, disciple of Saint Saturnin, the first bishop of Toulouse at the 3rd century. It was martyrisé and uncapped with the place known as " Ermitage". According to the legend, it bent down and collected the top of its cranium, at this place spouts out a source.

The monk Saint Béranger lived there at the 11th century and its tomb becomes a place of pilgrimage.

In 1317, the pope Jean XXII created évêché of Saint-Papoul, 34 bishops followed one another it until the Révolution. In 1361, the cathedral was plundered by the Routiers and in 1595 by the Protestants.

With, the abbey knew important restorations and the episcopal palate was rebuilt. With the Révolution, évêché was removed and the cathedral became parish church.

Its architecture

The abbey consists of a church of Romanesque art and a Gothic Cloître of invoice carried out at the beginning of the 14th century.

The cloister is composed of arcades in semicircular arch rest on posts twinned by geminated capitals. The repertory of the capitals is vegetable or animalist. The historiées scenes are gathered against the pillars (Worship of the Magi, Hérode and perhaps holy Papoul) and of modillons are allotted to the famous Maître of Cabestany.

See too

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