Tréhorenteuc (Sainte Onenne) Church

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Tréhorenteuc (Sainte Onenne) Church

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Tréhorenteuc church This church was rebuilt by Father Gillard as of 1942 following his arrival in the town of Tréhorenteuc. © OT Bretagne

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Built in the 17th century, Sainte Onenne Church was the subject of restoration between 1942-1962 by the priest Abbe Gillard, an enthusiast of Arthurian and Holy Grail legends. The tomb of King Judicaël's sister, Onenna, remained in this church up until 1814. Her life is actually recounted in the colourful, shimmering stained glass windows and through the twelve Stations of the Cross which have Tréhorenteuc and Val sans Retour as their setting.

Most of the decoration in this small church is inspired by the legend of Arthur and his knights. The four panels which decorate the chancel retrace the scenes of the Arthurian legend (Morgane and the Val sans Retour, the Fountain of Barenton and Yvain, Ponthus and Sidoine?) and the myth of the Holy Grail, in particular, (the cup used by Jesus during the Last Supper, which Joseph d'Arimathie used to collect the blood of Christ on the cross). This church represents one of the best examples of the power of some pagan myths which, unable to be destroyed, were assimilated and amalgamated into the Christian mystique during evangelisation.