Saint-Omer Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saint- Omer ( Cathédrale Notre- Dame de Saint- Omer, Our Lady of the Miracles ) is a Roman Catholic parish church in Saint- Omer in northern France Pas- de -Calais. The original Gothic Kollegiatstiftskirche was the episcopal church of the diocese of Saint- Omer, the consisted 1559-1801. Today it belongs to the diocese of Arras. 1879 was awarded the rank of Notre-Dame Basilica minor.

History

The earliest predecessor was a Lady Chapel of 663, in which a pin was built. It burned down in 1033 and was replaced by a larger Romanesque church. 1191 and this was destroyed by fire. After the construction of the large-sized house of worship in the style of French Gothic, which lasted in several phases over 300 years and was largely completed by 1500 in today, amazing closed form began.

Architecture

The Cathedral of Saint- Omer is a three-aisled basilica with three-aisled transept and also handling the choir. These three radiating chapels are added. The West concludes with the massive square, helmet -less tower. The main portal has a depiction of the Last Judgment in the tympanum located in the south transept.

The interior is characterized by a groin vault, with large clerestory and triforium tracery windows, which continue in the choir and the apse, including on four pillars diene term the pointed arch openings to the side aisles.

Aisle with confessionals

View into the choir room

Main and side aisle

Equipment

Unlike most important churches of France, the Cathedral of Saint- Omer in the revolution lost only small parts of their equipment. Particularly noteworthy are an Ecce homo group from the ruined cathedral of Therouanne, the cenotaph of the Holy Audomar ( Omer ), the tomb of Eustache de Croy ( Bishop of Arras and provost of the chapter of Saint- Omer ) by Jacques Du Broeucq and a Descent from the Cross by Peter Paul Rubens.

Epitaph

Mausoleum of Eustache de Croy

Christ enthroned by Therouanne

Organ

The great organ dates back to an instrument from 1717, which had been built by the organ builders Thomas and Jean -Jacques Desfontaines ( Douai ). To this day, unchanged is the Baroque housing. Noteworthy are the large carved figures, which, inter alia, King David and St.. Cecilia ( on the lateral pedal towers ), numerous angels, the baby Jesus ( central tower of the main work ), faith, hope, and charity ( at the level of the organ loft ) represent. At the foot of the organ located on the left and right figures of St. Peter and Paul.

The organ itself contains material of pipes Desfontaines organ, but was comprehensively restructured in 1855 by Aristide Cavaillé -Coll. Since then, the organ has been only slightly revised or restored. She has 49 registers, four manuals and pedal.

• In addition to register: Pédale d' orage ( Donner, single pedal button)