Urban Oratories of Aix en Provence

The origin

The root word of oratory is 'orare' meaning to pray.

These buildings were used as praying sites where people could ask God to protect their families, homes, harvest, countries, all peasants and travellers against epidemics, plague, accidents, droughts, animal deaths, natural disasters as well as thank him for any recovery or healing.

At that time, any calamity was considered as being God's punishment.

When churches were closed down, people used to stay home, standing by their windows facing the closest oratory, prying. They united their thoughts, their wishes and their prayers during contagions.

These oratories were lit up at night fall.

Aix-en-Provence is the city with the most urban oratories in France, approximately 90.

Periods

Birth: End of the Middle Ages

The height of development: The baroque period, seventeenth and eighteenth century.

Interruption: The French Revolution

(After this period, only few statues made their way back to their original chapel because most of them had been destroyed.)

Revival: Nineteenth century

Two styles of oratories

There are two styles of oratories.

- Rural oratories whish were often built on the pilgrimage routes.

- Urban oratories can be seen on corners of buildings, recessed at an angle or at the front of a building.

These urban oratories can be placed into two specific categories:

- Statues which recall a certain episode or event in the city’s history, for example St. Honorat

- Statues which are named after the street where they are found or vise versa.

These direct Portrayals are intended to protect people from epidemics and disasters).

Materials used

These oratories are mostly:

- Built
- Made of stone
- Made of wood
- Made in plaster or stucco.

It is necessary to imagine the oratories as an integral part of urban decoration, as they once were, in their original state: polychrome, (decorated in several colors).

The saints

The oratories were dedicated to the protecting and healing saints which could be called upon during epidemics (plague, cholera).

The saint which is mostly represented is the Virgin closely followed by Saint Roch

However, other saints are equally called upon, such as:

- St COME et St DAMIEN: The patron saints of medicine.
- St JACQUES: Protector of pilgrims and later, travellers.
- St HONORAT: Called upon for miracles.
- St MITRE et St MARC: Patron saint of the harvest.
- St CHRISTOPHE: Protector of travelers
- SAINT-SEBASTIEN: Military Saint. (St Sebastien's Day is January twentieth). He stops plague and epilepsy.
He is represented as a young man pierced by arrows, often attached to a column or a tree, with his hands tied behind his back. Sometimes Irene, a benedictine nun who is removing the arrows from his body.
His features: Bow and Arrow, always in 3.

The Virgin Mary

The Blessed Virgin has very often been called upon in Aix under many names, for example:

- Our lady of Seds
- Our lady of Hope.
- Our lady of Consolation
- Our lady of Nazareth
- Our lady of Mercy
- The Immaculate Conception

Among these, certain names have sunk into oblivion or have been reunited under the same name.

The three most popular Marian devotions from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century are: Notre Dame de Grâce, Notre Dame d'Espérance, and Notre Dame de la Seds.

The representation of the Virgin Mary expresses both her maternity, when she is holding the infant Jesus in her arms, and the Immaculate Conception.

Saint Roch

A doctor, neither a priest nor a religious figure. (Celebrated on August 16th).

There are four statues of St. Roch in Aix.
It was particularly called upon from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centurie.
Born in Montpellier, St. Roch cured diseases, mostly plague victims, on his way to Rome in 1367.
On his voyage, St. Roch was stricken by the plague in a forest near Plaisance. A dog nourished St. Roch by bringing him every day a piece of bread which the dog stole from his master. Intrigued, the master followed the animal and discovered St. Roch and assisted him.

Attributes of St. Roch: a cape, a pilgrim's staff, a seashell (the symbol of pilgrims), an angel (comforter and healer), a dog, a breadbasket, and a water flask. We find St. Roch most often with a wound on his thigh (pestilential tumour).

In course of many centuries, these oratories have been damaged, broken, and stolen. We are tempting to restore them little by little, so that each statue can be replaced in its original recess.

Saint Sauveur Market Town and the County City

THE BLACK VIRGIN: Campra street / Esquicho Coudo street
It is the oldest in Aix.
The only remains of the devotion of Our Lady of Grâce where an inscription indicate: 1663.

OUR LADY OF SEDS: Littera street / Gaston de Saporta street
Dates from the nineteenth century, after 1857.
It belonged to procession's itinerary on sunday afternoons when the crowd was singing hymns.
Made of plaster, it was completely gilded with gold leaf before its restoration. Blue pearls have been found on the ground of the recess, which allows to show that the statues were wearing clothes.
Crowned Virgin, a cross and a heart hanging neck, a scepter in her left hand and her son on her right arm, with a key hanging from her left wrist.
There is just one oratory left with a lantern.

SAINT-HONORAT: Bagniers street / Reinaud street
He was a bishop in Arles and who resuscitated his friend's daughter in a street near this square.
Pierre Honoré had the hotel pulled down and the square where the event took place demolished. He then had St Honorat Square laid out.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Richelme Square
Dates from the eighteenth century and was put back in this oratory in the nineteenth century, more precisely on 15th october 1842.
This baroque oratory is typical of Aix.
The Virgin carrying the child in her right arm, which as custom has it, in the Middle East.

SAINT ROCH: Richelme Square / Méjanes street
Dates from 1849.
One can read the inscription on the pedestal 'Pray for us'.
It was repainted about 10 years ago.

Bellegarde and Villeneuve districts

VIERGE DE LA MISERICORDE: Montigny Street / Prêcheurs Square
Dates from the nineteenth century.
Made of painted plaster.
It belonged to worship where lady used to light candels.
This oratory is illuminated at night.
Its attribute is a brancked candlestick.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Ormeaux Square
Dates from the eighteenth century.
It has just been repainted and her head restored.

VIERGE WITH CLASPED HANDS: Mignet Street
This statue dates from the eighteenth century and has been donated by the priest of Bouc-Bel-Air.
It is washed-out paper and it was restored about ten years ago.
It was mostly called upon for the endemic plague.

VIERGE WITH GRAPES: Prêcheurs Square/ Manuel Street
Dates from the eighteenth century.
It was taken down 4 years ago and was broken two years ago because of bomb attacks on the Law Courts.
It then was restored.

THE VIRGIN: Verdun Square / Thiers Street
Dates from the eighteenth century.
Made of stone.
Crowned statue with crossed arms.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Ganay Square
Dates from the nineteenth century.
Made of stone.
Clasped hands, praying.

THE VIRGIN CINEMA: Manuel Street
Dates from the nineteenth century.
Made of stone.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Miollis Square
Dates from the eighteenth century.
Made of stone.
It is not the original statue, which was larger.
The child is lying in the folds of the drape.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Manuel Street / Chastel street
Dates from the nineteenth century.
Made of Stone.
The original statue is in the Grey Penitents' chapel.

Cours Mirabeau and Mazarin district

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Cours Mirabeau / Frederic Mistral Street
Dates from the eighteenth century.
Made of stone.
It is a crowned statue.

THE VIRGIN CHILD:Saint Jean de Malte Square
The child is on the left of the Virgin.
The child is facing the public.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Nazareth Street / Papassaudi Street
Dates from the eighteenth century.
Made of stone and it is a polychromic.
There is the very same statue in Reinaud Street.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Cours Mirabeau / 4 Septembre Street
Damaged statue.
The virgin carrying her child on her right arm.

SAINT JOSEPH: Cours Mirabeau / Frederic Mistral Street
Saint Joseph with his book.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Quatre Dauphins Square
Dates from the eighteenth century.
Made of stone.
It is not the original which was larger.
The child is on the right.

SAINT-JACQUES: Nazareth Street
It is a new statue. It was restored identically.
It weighs 100 kg.

SAINT-ROCH: Italie Street
Dates from the eighteenth century.
It is the most beautiful of the statues representing Saint Roch.

Tanneurs-Cordeliers-Villeverte districts

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Pasteur Street
Dates from the nineteenth century.
It is a polychromic statue.
The statue has her hand open and her arm along her body.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Espariat Street / Augustins Square
Dates from the end of the nineteenth century, and represents a 15th century model.
Made of stone.
It is about 40 centimetres tall.
Jesus is turned towards the Virgin.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Tanneurs Square / Fermée Street
Dates from the eighteenth century.
It is a polychromic statue.
Dressed in a blue coat.
Jesus is turned towards the public.
This statue is bareheaded.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Cardeurs Square / Fontètes Street
Dates from the nineteenth century: eighteenth century style.
Made of stone.
Jesus is lying in the folds of the drape.

THE VIRGIN PRAYER: Espariat Street / Tanneurs Square
Dates from the nineteenth century.
Made of stone.
Clasped hands, praying.

SAINT JOSEPH ET THE CHILD: Cordeliers Street / LaTreille Street
It is a polychromic statue and it is located in Cordeliers Street.
It is around 40 centimetres tall.
Jesus is turned towards Saint Joseph: a Franciscan.

CHRIST AUX OUTRAGES: La Treille Street
His hands are bound on his chest.
This statue has a crown of thorns.
He is wearing a traditional red tunic.

THE VIRGIN CHILD: Venel Street/ Cardeurs Square
Dates from the eighteenth century;
Made of stone;
Same style as in Avignon.
Jesus is holding

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