Saint Ayoul Church
Monsignor VEISSIERE presents the origins of Saint Ayoul Church in the following
terms: "During the 11th century the town of Provins expanded anew following the discovery of the body of Saint
Ayoul. This discovery was made in a valley that lies to the east of the
castle, close to Saint Médard's Chapel. The mortal remains of Saint Ayoul had been solemnly exhumed in 996 in the presence of Sévin, Archbishop of the town of Sens, Count Etienne and a large number of the
faithful. The year 1048 saw the establishment of a Benedictine priory when 30 monks from
Montier-la-Celle, led by Prior Robert, arrived in Provins to ensure the service of God and devotion to His saints in a more appropriate
manner".
Construction of the first church began in 1048. Pierre de Celles, who later became abbot of Saint Rémy's Church in Rheims, tells us that a great fire destroyed this church in 1160. No archaeological proof remains to confirm his story, but we know that the church and monastery were both rebuilt. The circular 11th century apse, with its ambulatory that gave access to three radiating apsidal chapels, was transformed. The transept, each arm of which was originally embellished with an apsidal chapel, was also remodelled, and during the 13th century the apsidal chapels of the southern transept were replaced by a new chancel, known as the "Benedictine Chapel".
This chancel was built because of the dissension between parishioners and resident monks. Disputes between the Secular and Conventual clergy in the 16th century led to the construction of a dividing wall that ran the length of the transept, thereby physically separating the parish church and the monastery church. A new and smaller apse was subsequently built alongside the Benedictine Chapel on the northeast side of the
church.
The present-day layout of the church, only half of which is devoted to divine worship, is comprised of a 13th century nave flanked with a single aisle on the southern side and a double aisle to the north. The southern aisle, whose bays have since been remodelled, was built at the same time as the nave. The northern aisle still retains three 13th century arches, but around the year 1550 its outer wall was replaced by pillars opening onto a second nave lit by Renaissance
windows.
The west façade's three doorways were carved in or around the year 1160. The pointed equilateral central door is embellished on each side by four pillar-statues that were unfortunately damaged during the French Revolution. The original tympanum has been replaced by a modern sculpture by Jeanclos. This sculpture shows Christ in Majesty surrounded by the Four Evangelists.
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