In the France commune of Allouville-Bellefosse in Normandy, there is an unique oak tree church called Chêne d'Allouville. The chapel oak tree is not just some human-made decoration, it was built inside a true oak, the age of which is approximately from 800 to 1000 years. Some scientists even say that it has more than 1200 years, while according to legend, it was constructed in honor of the founding of Normandy in the year 911.
However, what is known for sure is that the idea to build a chapel inside the old oak came to the local Abbot named De Troyes - who was also a priest of the local church parish - 400 years ago. He noticed that the oak, after a lightning strike that split and burned it, began to grow again. After seeing the miracle, he with his friend, priest Du Cerceau decided to build two small rooms (chapels) in the cavity formed as a result of the lightning bolt. The lower room has been called "Notre Dame de la Paix" ("Our Lady of Peace") and is a place of pilgrimage, while the upper room was named "Chambre de l Ermite" ("Hermit's room"). The latter, in turn, served as home to Father Du Cerceau who lived there as a hermit till death. There was even placed a small bed on which he slept.
The oak has a height of about 20 meters and is about 16 meters in circumference. The chapel, in turn, "Our Lady of Peace" has the following dimensions: 1.75 m in length and 1.17 m in width and about 2.3 m in height. Also, around the oak, there snakes a spiral staircase by which you can climb to the Hermit's room. The top of the chapel even had a small bell, but the bell, unfortunately, has not survived to our days.
On the walls of the Our Lady of Peace chapel, there hang the images of St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary, and in the center of the room, there is an altar with two candles and a chandelier on the ceiling.
During the French revolution, thanks to a local teacher the chapel was saved. The teacher placed there a plaque with the inscription "Temple of Reason." In the 19th century, the French Empress Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon II, gave the chapel a gilded wooden statue of the Virgin Mary.
Today, the oak chapel of Allouville-Bellefosse is a historical monument and is protected. Also, in order to ensure the reliability of it, in 1988 it was decided to make a metal frame for it, while the cracks the oak had were covered with red tiles and metal. In fact, some restoration changes are made constantly concerning the oak.
Also, the oak chapel is a very popular destination among tourists. About 40 thousand tourists visit the place per year. This place attracts believers from around the world to celebrate the holiday which the Catholics called "the assumption of Mary into Heaven" every year on 15 August.
Location: Allouville-Bellefosse, Seine-Maritime, France
Catholic Chapel Oak Tree (Chêne Chapelle), France
Reviewed by Unknown
on
11/03/2016
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
11/03/2016
Rating: