Guimiliau (; br, Gwimilio) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Finistère Finistère (, ; br, Penn-ar-Bed ) is a department of France in the extreme west of Brittany. In 2019, it had a population of 915,090.

department of

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

in north-western

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. It is noted for the Guimiliau Parish close. It should not be confused with the neighbouring commune and village of

Lampaul-Guimiliau Lampaul-Guimiliau (; br, Lambaol-Gwimilio) is a commune in the Finistère department and administrative region of Brittany in north-western France. It is noted for its parish close. Etymology The place name element ''lan'' or ''lam'' (''llan' ...

Population

Inhabitants of Guimiliau are called in French ''Guimiliens''.

Local Saints

Guimiliau, or Gwimilio in Breton, is named after St Miliau. The name simply means town or settlement (Breton: ''gwic'') of Milio. According to legend, Miliau was a good and just Breton prince, put to death in a dynastic quarrel in the 6th or 9th century. Guimiliau is also famous as the reputed birthplace of St Hervé, a 6th-century ascetic, who is one of the most popular Breton saints.

Parish close

Parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...

closes are a distinctive feature of Breton culture in the historic Léon

diocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associa ...

, in which Guimiliau stands. As the name suggests, a close is a completely enclosed church yard, usually with a commanding entrance arch. Sacred enclosures were a feature of Celtic religion even before the arrival of Christianity. Parish closes today form the foci for

pardons A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some or all of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the j ...

, the annual Breton pilgrimage festivals, which can attract thousands of worshippers. The parish close of Guimiliau is situated at the upper end of the main village street, with the entrance dominating the village. The calvary or

crucifix A crucifix (from Latin ''cruci fixus'' meaning "(one) fixed to a cross") is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the ''corpus'' (Lati ...

is the centre piece of the church yard, surrounded by a fine and complex retelling of the Passion in statuary. See Calvary at Guimiliau The church contains many fine examples of

polychrome Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery or sculpture in multiple colors. Ancient Egypt Colossal statu ...

sculpture from the sixteenth century onwards, including several large

retable A retable is a structure or element placed either on or immediately behind and above the altar or communion table of a church. At the minimum it may be a simple shelf for candles behind an altar, but it can also be a large and elaborate structur ...

s. There is also a fine octagonal

baptistery In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned structure surrounding the baptismal ...

, a carved pulpit and a collection of

banner A banner can be a flag or another piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or another message. A flag whose design is the same as the shield in a coat of arms (but usually in a square or rectangular shape) is called a banner of arms. Als ...

s used especially in religious processions at

Gallery

Image:Guimiliau Calvaire.jpg, Church and Calvary. File:Bretagne Finistere Guimiliau2 tango7174.jpg, Porch left side. File:Bretagne Finistere Guimiliau3 tango7174.jpg, Porch right side. File:Bretagne Finistere Guimiliau4 tango7174.jpg, Nave and choir. Image:Guimiliau04.JPG, Detail from

Retable A retable is a structure or element placed either on or immediately behind and above the altar or communion table of a church. At the minimum it may be a simple shelf for candles behind an altar, but it can also be a large and elaborate structur ...

of the Rosary. Image:Guimiliau05.JPG, Detail from

of St Miliau. Image:Guimiliau03.JPG, Banner of the Blessed

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

. Image:Guimiliau06.JPG, Detail of the carved pulpit. File:Bretagne Finistere Guimiliau6 tango7174.jpg, Oak carved baptistry. Image:Guimiliau07.JPG, Carvings of birds, snakes and vines on the

pillars. Image:Guimiliau08.JPG,

Medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

carving in the porch of the church. File:Bretagne Finistere Guimiliau5 tango7174.jpg,

of St Joseph, shown in the centre with the infant Christ. Image:Guimiliau10.jpg, The two local saints: St Hervé, with St Miliau in the background. File:Bretagne Finistere Guimiliau7 tango7174.jpg, Dallam organ.

References

External links

*
Mayors of Finistère Association
{{authority control Communes of Finistère