Building: Eglise Saint-Savinien, Melle (Melle, FR)

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Building Name

Eglise Saint-Savinien, Melle

Place Name

Melle

Country

France

Monastic Order

Latitude

46.220689

Longitude

-0.145397

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Transept Capital 2

Description: The capital is located atop an engaged column at the southeast angle of the crossing. The inscription is engraved on the capital's west face. (Height of corbeille: approx. 35cm). Dates to the end 11th-beg. 12th c)

Reference: Pax vobis: words pronounced by Christ when he appeared before the apostles after his resurrection. This is found in Luck 24:36 and John 20: 21, 26. The inscription is attributed to the late eleventh or beginning twelfth century.

Face:

PAX / V / O / BIS

Peace to you

Face:

NI / CO / LA / VS

Nicholas
Transept Capital 3

Description: The capital is located atop an engaged column at the northeast angle of the crossing. The inscription is engraved on the capital's south face. (Ht. of corbeille: approx. 35cm). Figure holds the left arm of executioner.

Reference: The author of the inscription was inspired by the Passions of St. Savinien of Troyes, who is the only Savinien who was beheaded (cephalore=head-carrier). Not one of the three vitae can be considered historically accurate, but the inscription does place Savinien's martyrdom under the reign of Aurelian and it mentions how he was killed. S. Savinianus, apprehendens caput suum, portavit illud pedes quadraginta novem. The success of the Passions of St. Savinien of Troyes ast the end of the eleventh century resulted in its inclusion in the Golden Legend.

Face:

EST SAVINIA NVS . QVEM SIC . NECAT AVRELIAN VSA

Here is Savinien, whom Aurelian killed in this way.
West Portal Capital 1

Description: At the west portal a Christ in Majesty is sculpted above the lintel. The inscription, in poor condition, runs around the medallion.

Reference: Only a trace of the letters exist. Source is: LE ROUX, H., Recherches sur l'église Saint-Savinien de Melle, "Bull. Soc. Antiq. Ouest", 4e sér., t. VII, 1963-1964, pp. 251-303.

Face:

……..S…….X………

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