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In Grison stone

Church built in the first half of the 16th century, then raised in 1752. It is formed of a nave preceded by a narthex and adjoining two chapels forming a false transept. The 16th century door is formed of a low arch, adjoining smooth pilasters which support the lintel, above which a triangular pediment stands out from the wall. The church is decorated with murals in the apse and the side chapels, dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. In the choir, the paintings date back to the 19th century. Large flamboyant Gothic windows illuminate the building and retain stained glass windows.

Parish church, as well as its polychrome stone choir enclosure, with the exception of the bell tower and the sacristy built in the 19th century. The church consists of a main nave whose choir ends with a semi-circular apse from the Romanesque period. The large mullioned windows were installed in the 15th century. The south aisle dates from the 16th century. In the second half of the 19th century, the church underwent major modifications: construction of the sacristy in 1860, brick vault in 1870, stone bell tower according to the designs of the architect Prempain around 1879.

Between the green hills of Perche, the Saint-Denis church contains a 16th century baptistery listed as a Historic Monument. Explanatory plaque at the entrance. This church is Romanesque in style and has a rounded apse and a quadrangular bell tower. The baptismal font dates from the 16th century. The church is surrounded by walls made of Saint-Denis stone.

The church of Rohaire, in Eure et Loir, in the Centre-Val de Loire, is attached to the parish of Saint Laumer du Perche, of the Doyenné des Forêts, in the diocese of Chartres. The church is placed under the protection of Saint Martin.

It was heavily remodeled in the 19th century. The bell tower, previously in the center of the roof, was rebuilt as a gable in the 19th century. At that time, the eleven windows were enlarged. Near the Meuvette, to the northeast of the town, are the ruins of an old fortified castle destroyed in 1793.

With a very simple plan, with its tiled nave and its small slate bell tower on the ridge, the church surrounded by its cemetery, set back from the road, overlooks the countryside planted with trees. The river is nearby, and its flowing water evokes that of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, as soon as we see the statue of the patron, Saint John the Baptist, in the choir. His arm raised towards the sky reminds us of his preaching in the desert of Palestine: "Prepare for the coming of the Messiah...". On the thin banner attached to his staff are written the words: "Ecce Agnus Dei", by which he already announced that he saw in Jesus the victim freely offering himself as a sacrifice for the Redemption of all men. Placed on the ground against the wall, a 17th century painting. depicts Jesus immersed up to his knees in the waters of the river, leaning with his hands crossed on his chest to receive the baptism of penance from the hand of John kneeling on the bank. We see “the Spirit descending on him like a dove” and we recall the words of John reported in the Gospel: “I am not worthy to bow down at his feet… I have baptized you in water; he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.” Beside him, the angel wearing Jesus’ clothes turns his face towards a young child whom he guides with a hand placed on his shoulder, as if to teach him the profound meaning of baptism. Above the arch through which the nave opens onto the choir, the group of Christ on the cross surrounded by Mary and Saint John the Evangelist is a fine example of 16th century religious sculpture, faithful to traditional iconography. Similarly, at the back of the nave is the charming naive statue of Saint Fiacre: this young monk from Ireland loved to cultivate the vegetable garden of his monastery, near Meaux. Patron saint of gardeners, he holds his spade, and in the Perche region he was also invoked to cure various illnesses. More unique in style, the large Renaissance chest serving as a central altar was the former “work bench of the factory” reserved for the administrators of the parish’s resources and expenses. Let us admire the skill and imagination of the cabinetmaker who carved this series of full-length figures in oak under the arcades separated by “terms” inspired by Roman antiquity. Their distinctive attributes make us recognize Saints Christine, Barbara, Madeleine and Catherine on the front, and on the sides Saints Peter and Paul on the right, John the Baptist and Bartholomew on the left. Their silhouettes are more reminiscent of fairy tale characters…

A flowery village, Moussonvilliers takes particular care of the surroundings of its church. By walking along flower beds, you can access it via the covered porch, off-centre with respect to the axis of the gable, the corners of which are reinforced with double buttresses. The church has two naves of unequal width, gathered under the same roof. Built in the 16th century, its poor condition probably required the alterations carried out in the 19th century. From the outside, you can see in particular the use of bricks for the repair of the windows and the cornices of the roof. Inside, between the two parallel naves, the four stone pillars cut into a prism, dating from the construction, carry a wide horizontal band along the entire length of the building (probably made of large beams covered in plaster, replacing the old stone arcades). This band reinforces the beams on which the "tie beams" of the exposed framework rest, and at the same time supports the fall of the two plaster vaults. These structural modifications nevertheless respect the general appearance of the building. At the central altar, the tabernacle evokes the parable of the Good Shepherd who carries the lost sheep on his shoulders. Above, the classical style altarpiece in wood with decorations enhanced with gold, is decorated in the center with a large painting of the Assumption of Mary taken up to heaven by angels. The landscape placed very low accentuates the upward movement of the composition. This painting, of a certain artistic quality, dated 1855, is signed by Claire Hombcrg. Two statues frame it in the niches: on the left, a pretty Virgin in polychrome stone from the 16th century. Crowned with fleurs-de-lys and draped in a blue cloak, she holds the infant Jesus, who stretches out his arm towards the object she is presenting to him (an apple or a bird? We do not know because the right hand is broken). On the other side, in polychrome wood from the 18th century, Saint Catherine of Alexandria reading a book, was once invoked as the patron saint of schools because of her in-depth education. She had in fact publicly and successfully refuted the erroneous theses of several philosophers whom she converted to the Christian faith. She suffered martyrdom in the 4th century. Other statues deserve particular interest. Leaning against a pillar, the 16th century, in stone, of Saint John the Baptist, his cloak raised over his bare legs, presenting the Mystic Lamb placed on the large book of the Bible. And also, from the same period, the small polychrome stone sculpture depicting the education of the Virgin Mary by Saint Anne. It is difficult to see the details because it is placed in a niche above the door. But it is a precious ancient testimony of the devotion to the patron saint of our parish Sainte-Anne-du-Perche. Finally, to the left of the door, the polychrome wooden statue of Saint Paul. The expression on his face reflects somewhat the ardor of his vocation as an apostle of Christianity. Converted by his vision of the road to Damascus, he devoted himself entirely to preaching the doctrine of Christ the Redeemer, traveling through the countries of the Hellenized East to found and lead new communities of baptized people. Thanks to him, the evangelical message was not limited to populations of Jewish culture, but was addressed to people throughout the world. His writings are an ever-current and living source of the doctrine of the Church, the body of Christ.