Bells of Saint-Denis-lès-Bourg (F-01) - Saint Denis Church - Angelus

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH:
The church is placed under the name of Saint-Denis and originally depended on the monks of Tournus (Saone-et-Loire). The first chapel of Saysiriaco Bresia, future Saint-Denis-lès-Bourg, must date back to the 10th century. It has undergone various alterations, as specialists date it back to the 13th century. The construction of the choir bay under the bell tower is subsequent to that of the chapel mentioned above; in fact certain details in the masonry constitute proof of this: a date indicates 1514 (uncovered during restoration work) and the style of the two stained glass windows. In 1793 the Revolution rumbled. The commune of Gaillards (this is the name given to Saint-Denis during the revolution) is no exception. The church is forbidden, the altars, statues and paintings are burned, the seals are affixed and the bell tower must be demolished. Between 1865 and 1867, Mr. Chanut built the south side chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, then the north side chapel dedicated to Saint-Denis. We find in the municipal archives the account books of the Factory since 1825. It was the Factory which paid for the construction of the chapels: 3,000 F for the installation of the roof and the balance upon completion of the work. The south chapel cost 6,159 F and the one to the north 5,896 F (respectively €12,300 and €6,000). In 1873: generous people contributed three hundred francs to the purchase of the altar which is in the chapel of the Blessed Virgin. It features the statue of Saint Bruno, sculpted in 1782 by Joseph Chinard. In the 1800s, the church was closed. Sacrilegious hands had demolished the bell tower, burned the altars, the statues and the paintings. They had even cut down the yew cross which had been pushed back today (1874). In 1913 a new bell tower was built, 36 m high. It replaces the one destroyed during the Revolution. This achievement was financed by Mr. Millon serving the parish.
THE BELLS:
Grande Cloche: sounds the E3+2, founded by Bricard in 1841, godfather Pierre Barbet and godmothers Marie Piccollet and Miss Julienne Barbet.
Small bell: rings the A3-2, cast in 1825, blessed by Father Guyennon, parish priest, with godfather and godmother Mr. and Mrs. Beaudet.
The commune of Saint-Denis was the protagonist in 1802, under the revolutionary regime, of an incredible story concerning an atypical theft of bells. It all began when the old bell of Saint-Denis, like almost all bells during this tragic period, was taken down and sent to a repository in Pont-de-Vaux to be melted down, which was the case. Strangely some of the other bells will not meet this fate! A few years later, in this same repository where bronzes from several departments were stored, residents went with well escorted carts from the village of Buellas, a neighboring village. They loaded 3 bells, 2 of them were placed in the bell tower and the third was buried due to lack of space. Time later, the Police Commissioner and rich citizen of Saint-Denis, Cesar Perier wrote a long letter to the prefecture councilor exposing him among other problems, notably on the constituency of the parishes, the situation on the bell tower and the bells of Saint-Denis. CIT. from the letter “I am only jealous (because of the interest I have in Saint-Denis) of the excess happiness of the inhabitants of Buellas. I appeal to you and ask you to kindly invite them to give the commune of Saint-Denis one of the three bells suitable for the exercise of worship.” Subsequently the prefect decided that one of the bells of Buellas would be returned to Saint-Denis, to the great joy of the Sandenians as well as to the great regret of the inhabitants of Buellas who became angry, anger caused especially after the mockery and provocations launched by the Sandenians. This is how some time later some inhabitants of Buellas burst into the Church of Saint-Denis, right during the service and in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, armed with weapons and batons, to take away the same bell which was first in their possession. The Mayor of Saint-Denis wrote a letter to the prefect requesting intervention following this situation and a short time later with the help of the gendarmerie, they were able again and for the last time to recover the bell which was intended for them .
SOURCES AND LINKS OF INTEREST:
saintdenislesbo...
saintdenislesbo...
saintdenislesbo...
www.leprogres....
www.leprogres....
www.leprogres....
!!! SUBSCRIBE !!! :-)