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A calvary is a type of monumental public Christian cross, sometimes encased in an open
shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy sacred space, space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor worship, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, Daemon (mythology), daem ...
. Wayside crosses with or more commonly without sculpture can also be found in Devon e.g. the
Dartmoor Crosses The Dartmoor crosses are a series of stone crosses found in Dartmoor National Park in the centre of Devon, England. Many of them are old navigational aids, needed because of the remoteness of the moorland and its typically bad weather. Some mark ...
and Cornwall and in other parts of Britain referred to as High Crosses. Usually a calvary has three crosses, that of
Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
and those of impenitent thief and penitent thief.


History

The oldest surviving ''calvaire'', dating to between 1450 and 1460, is at the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Tronoën in the town of
Saint-Jean-Trolimon Saint-Jean-Trolimon (; ) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. Population Inhabitants of Saint-Jean-Trolimon are called in French ''Trolimonais''. Breton language The municipality launched a linguistic p ...
, in south
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.
, near the Pointe de la Torche. This is raised on a large base which also includes carved representations of the Last Supper and scenes from the passion. Calvaires played an important role in Breton pilgrimages known as Pardons, forming a focal point for public festivals. In some instances the Calvary forms part of an outdoor pulpit or throne. Calvaires are to be found in large numbers throughout Brittany, and come in many varied forms. A 16th-century ''calvaire'' from
Louargat Louargat (; ) is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany in northwestern France. Geography Climate Louargat has a oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification ''Cfb''). The average annual temperature in Louargat is . The average ...
, Brittany, transplanted to serve as a World War I memorial, stands at the ''Carrefour de la Rose'' near the Belgian town of
Boezinge Boezinge (; vls, Boezienge) is a village in the municipality of Ypres in the Belgian province of West Flanders. Boezinge can be reached via the N369 road in the direction of Diksmuide. It was an independent municipality until 1977. History Boezin ...
north of Ypres. The most notable Calvary monument outside Brittany is at Lourdes. This was specifically intended to represent Breton Catholicism. It was created by the sculptor
Yves Hernot Yves Hernot is the name of two sculptors, father and son, who ran the ''Ateliers Yves Hernot'' sculpture workshop in Lannion, Brittany, which specialised in creating Calvary (sculpture), Calvaries and tombs. Hernot senior Yves Hernot senior (182 ...
in 1900 as a gift to Lourdes from the main Breton dioceses:
Rennes Rennes (; br, Roazhon ; Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France at the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department ...
,
Vannes Vannes (; br, Gwened) is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2,000 years ago. History Celtic Era The name ''Vannes'' comes from the Veneti, a seafaring Celtic people who lived ...
,
Quimper Quimper (, ; br, Kemper ; la, Civitas Aquilonia or ) is a commune and prefecture of the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. Administration Quimper is the prefecture (capital) of the Finistère department. Geography The ...
and
Saint-Brieuc Saint-Brieuc (, Breton: ''Sant-Brieg'' , Gallo: ''Saent-Berioec'') is a city in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. History Saint-Brieuc is named after a Welsh monk Brioc, who Christianised the region in the 6th c ...
. The monument comprises a single central cross set within a raised square base at each corner of which a statue of one of the witnesses to the crucifixion is placed. In northern France and Belgium, such wayside calvaries erected at the junction of routes and tracks "function both as
navigation Navigation is a field of study that focuses on the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another.Bowditch, 2003:799. The field of navigation includes four general categories: land navigation, ...
devices and objects of veneration", Nicholas J. Saunders has observedSaunders, "Crucifix, Calvary, and Cross: Materiality and Spirituality in Great War Landscapes", ''World Archaeology'' 35.1, The Social Commemoration of Warfare (June, 2003:7–21), p. 9. "Since medieval times they have fixed the landscape, symbolically acquiring it for the Christian faith, in the same way that, previously,
Megalith A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. There are over 35,000 in Europe alone, located widely from Sweden to the Mediterranean sea. The ...
ic monuments marked prehistoric landscapes according to presumed religious and ideological imperatives".


Gallery

Image:Calvary - Rosary Square - Lourdes 2014.JPG, The ''Breton Calvary'' at Lourdes designed by
Yves Hernot Yves Hernot is the name of two sculptors, father and son, who ran the ''Ateliers Yves Hernot'' sculpture workshop in Lannion, Brittany, which specialised in creating Calvary (sculpture), Calvaries and tombs. Hernot senior Yves Hernot senior (182 ...
. Image:ND de Tronoën Calvaire 2B.jpg, 15th-century calvaire at Notre-Dame de Tronoën, Brittany. Image:Bretagne Finistere StJeanTrolimon 11037.jpg, The calvaire at St Jean Trolimon, in
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.
Image:Saint-Tugen_Calvaire_26061.jpg, Calvaire at Saint-Tugen Chapel, Primelin, Brittany (second half of the 16th century). File:Hernot.JPG, ''Calvary of Protest'' in
Tréguier Tréguier (; br, Landreger) is a port town in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. It is the capital of the province of Trégor. Geography Tréguier is located 36 m. N.W. of Saint-Brieuc by road. The port is situat ...
File:Paul Gauguin 028.jpg,
Paul Gauguin Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin (, ; ; 7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903) was a French Post-Impressionist artist. Unappreciated until after his death, Gauguin is now recognized for his experimental use of colour and Synthetist style that were distinct fr ...
's painting ''
The Green Christ ''The Green Christ'' (in French: ''Le Christ vert'') is an oil on canvas painting executed by Paul Gauguin in the Autumn of 1889 in Pont-Aven, Brittany. Together with '' The Yellow Christ'', it is considered to be one of the key-works of Symbolism ...
'', depictring the Calvary of Névez File:Castro Barbudo, calvario.JPG, Calvary at Castro Barbudo,
Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...
File:Cruceiro das Trece Cruces, Catoira.jpg, ''Cruceiro'' at
Catoira Catoira is a municipality in Galicia, Spain, located in the province of Pontevedra. Catoira is famous for its ruins of the Torres do Oeste (Towers of the West). Demography Local festivals The most important celebrations include: *the Viking ...
,
Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...
File:Negreira.A Ponte Maceira.Galiza.jpg, A Ponte Maceira,
Negreira Negreira is a municipality in northwestern Spain in the province of A Coruña, located on the Tambre River, in the autonomous community of Galicia. It is found to the west of Santiago de Compostela. It has a population of 6,941 according to the S ...
,
Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...
File:Pastoriza, Arteixo -Casa Villariza 07.jpg, A Pastoriza,
Arteixo Arteixo () is a municipality in the Province of A Coruña, part of the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain. Its area is 93.76 km2 and its population is 31,005 (2013). Its population density is 317.43 people/km2. It is an i ...
,
Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...
File:Vilanova de Arousa.Galicia.33.jpg, Vilanova de Arousa,
Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...
File:Guitiriz, S. Pedro de Buriz, Calvario da Graña.JPG, ''Cruceiro'' at
Guitiriz Guitiriz () is a City Council known for its destination spa, spa of mineral water in the Terra Chá Region, Lugo, Province of Lugo in North-western Spain. Parishes ''(also known as: "Parroquias")'' # Becín # Buriz # Labrada # Lagostelle # ...
,
Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...
File:Cruceiro e ábsida de S. Xoán de Portomarín.JPG, ''Cruceiro'' at
Portomarín Portomarín is a municipality in the Spanish province of Lugo. It has a population of 2008 (Spanish 2001 Census) and an area of 115 km². It is located on the pilgrimage route known as the French Way of the Camino de Santiago. The town o ...
,
Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...
File:Cruzeiro Milenar.JPG, ''Cruzeiro'' at
Argoncilhe Argoncilhe () is a Portuguese civil parish in the municipality (''concelho'') of Santa Maria da Feira. The population in 2011 was 8,420, in an area of 8.21 km2. It is located near the city of Porto. History The origins of Argoncilhe date back ...
,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
File:Jesus Convent 5.JPG, ''Cruzeiro'' at
Setúbal Setúbal (, , ; cel-x-proto, Caetobrix) is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The population in 2014 was 118,166, occupying an area of . The city itself had 89,303 inhabitants in 2001. It lies within the Lisbon metropolitan area. In the ti ...
,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
File:Cruz 02.JPG, ''Cruzeiro'' at Olival, Portugal File:Calvaire rue Claie à Aix-sur-Cloie Aubange Belgique.JPG, One of several calvaries in
Aix-sur-Cloie Aix-sur-Cloie ( lb, Esch-op-der-Huurt;, wa, Yache-so-Cloye) is a village of Wallonia in the municipality of Aubange, district of Halanzy, located in the Luxembourg (Belgium), province of Luxembourg, Belgium. A bronze bracelet from the fourth cent ...
, Belgium File:Cruceiros de Galicia.gif, Several calvaries in
Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...


See also

*
High cross A high cross or standing cross ( ga, cros ard / ardchros, gd, crois àrd / àrd-chrois, cy, croes uchel / croes eglwysig) is a free-standing Christian cross made of stone and often richly decorated. There was a unique Early Medieval traditi ...
, Irish and British sculptures * Russian Calvary cross *
Memorial cross A memorial cross (sometimes called an intending cross) is a cross-shaped memorial to commemorate a special event or an incident, typically where one or more people died. It may also be a simple form of headstone to commemorate the dead. File I ...


References

{{Christian crosses Breton art Christian architecture Cross symbols * Galician culture