Enclos paroissial - overview and other Saint-Thégonnec, France Things to Do Tips

The enclos paroissial of Saint-Thégonnec is the most famous in Bretagne, with that of Guimiliau.
The church was built in the 17th century.

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The church was built in the 17th century but today its façade doesn't look as it did then, because, when the French Revolution broke out, the villagers decided to take all the sculptures apart, so that the new republican regime couldn't cut the heads of the saints. Actually, revolutionaries used to destroy any sculpture that made reference to the ancien régime, especially those that portrayed kings and queens. When the Revolution had gone by, the villagers put the sculptures on the façade again, but not always at the right place.
The niches in the portal were to contain the sculptures of the Apostles, which don't exist any more.

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Neither does the inside of the church look as it did when it was built for the main reason that a silly boys had the wonderful idea of setting it on fire in 1998, as you can read more in depth in the "General tips" section of this page.
The organ has just been restored, while the repair of the apsis is still in progress.

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You can see two Baroque retables to the sides of the altar. They portray saints and scenes from the Holy Scriptures. I think they are the most remarkable attraction of the church, together with the windows.
There are two large well-decorated windows: one portrays male saints and the other female saints. The guide told us the names of most of them and what category of people each of them protects, but I don't remember them.

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This big calvaire dates back to 1610. The sculptures represent scenes from the Passion of Christ. A small niche keeps a small statue of Saint-Thégonnec. You can see it in the last photo.

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The calvaire of Saint-Thégonnec is not as populated as that of Guimiliau but it is not less interesting. Here you see some scenes narrated in the calvaire:
1) the capture of Jesus;
2) Jesus's burial;
3) Jesus falls under the weight of the cross.
You can see more photos in the travelogues.

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Here are more biblical scenes from the calvaire that I haven't been able to identify. Suggestions are welcome.

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Most enclos paroissiaux have a charnel house, but this one has never been used like that. It is a chapel with great treasures inside.

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The inside of the chapel is very beautiful. You see a high altar, a very unusual representation of God, the blue ceiling, a showcase with the treasure of the church, including the cross used on occasion of the pardon (the annual procession to celebrate Mary on the Assumption Day), and an altar decoration depicting Saint Joseph's death. However, this is not the most attractive part of the chapel, yet. Follow the guide to the wooden Deposition.

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The wooden Deposition of Saint-Thégonnec is one of the most beautiful and best kept in Bretagne. You may recognize the following people:
standing, from left to right: Saint Joseph of Arimathea, the man who took Jesus's body down from the Cross and buried it; Veronica, the Pious Woman who wiped Jesus's face; Virgin Mary; John, Jesus's favourite disciple; an angel; Saint Nicodemus; another angel;
seated: Mary, mother of Jack and Joseph, and Mary of Magdala (Magdalene), crying.

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