Saint-Monon

In the 7th century, Monon left his native Ireland to go on pilgrimage to Rome to the tombs of St Peter and St Paul. On the way, God entrusted him with the task of evangelizing the Ardennes forests. As a protector of livestock, he is particularly honoured in the Ardennes, where livestock farming predominates. As a protector of livestock, Saint Monon is traditionally depicted with a cow.

Druon (1118-1185) est un aristocrate du nord de la France. Sa mère meurt en couches en lui donnant le jour. Il se sent coupable de la mort de sa mère et n’aura de cesse que d’expier sa “faute”. Il devient simple berger, ce qui en fait tout naturellement le patron des bergers, accompagné d’une brebis.

Saint Donat is a martyr from the early days of the Church. He is used against lightning, hail and other bad weather. He thus becomes the protector of cultures. He is celebrated on June 30, just before the harvest season. Our ancestors also prayed to him for a good (not lightning) death. He is traditionally depicted as a Roman centurion, holding in one hand the palm of the martyr and in the other, either a sword with which he zebra the sky, or - as here - a flash of lightning.

Pay attention to the multicoloured consoles that carry the statues. Their naive and neat painting, enhanced with golden details, reflects a moving desire to express one's faith, with one's heart and the means at hand. The fresh painting that brightens up the church and the flowers are part of the same logic.

Carried out in the second half of the 19th century, this beautiful pulpit to preach testifies to the know-how of the sculptors of the time. What finesse in the oak faces, what expressiveness! Especially admire the four attributes of the evangelists (angel, lion, eagle and ox).