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The lintel of St Hilary

Or the celebration of Hugues de Semur

The lintel of the main entrance to the church is just like a comic strip. Through a series of scenes it relates an episode in the life of St Hilary – a fine example of the richness of medieval iconography.
St Hilary was Bishop of Poitiers in the 4th century, and had great influence on his contemporaries. According to The Golden Legend by Jacques de Voragine, he was fiercely opposed to the Aryan Doctrine* which Pope Leo wanted to impose at the Council of Seleucia in 359. Although he was unwelcome there, Hilary decided to go to Seleucia. What happened next can be seen on the lintel at the church.

On the far left, Emperor Constantine II who had summoned the Council is shown inside his castle. The scene in the middle shows Hilary arriving at the Council, even though uninvited. The three seated prelates do not deign either to look at him, or to offer him a seat beside them.
Hilary decides to sit on the floor. He is holding his bishop’s crozier and looking towards the sky.
When an urgent call of nature forces the Pope to leave the room, Hilary is pulled up by an angel and raised to the same height as the other bishops.

The lintel is readable like a comic

To the right of the second group, Hilary is sitting in an armchair; in front of him, the Pope’s throne is empty. The scene to the right shows the death of Pope Leo, sitting on the lavatory, where he has just died of dysentery; he is surrounded by three devils.

Detail of the pope Leo's death scene.

However popular St Hilary may have been in the medieval world, it is not impossible to see in this choice of saint an implicit reference to Hugues de Semur, who also secured the victory of the True Faith, at the time of the Investiture Controversy which brought Pope Gregory VII and Emperor Henry IV into conflict at the end of the 11th century.

*Aryanism was a doctrine preached at the beginning of the 4th century claiming that Christ is not God but a simple creature. Aryanism makes the case that the divinity of the Almighty is superior to that of his Son made Man.

 
 

To carry on with the tour

  • Less than 5 km

  • — Romanesque chapel of Saint Martin-la-Vallée :
    Go East, in Marcigny's direction
  • — Romanesque church of Saint Julien-de-Jonzy :
    Go West, in Saint Julien's direction

  • Less than 10 km

  • — Romanesque church of Marcigny 
  • — Musée de la Tour du moulin :
    Marcigny — Open from May to September
    Go East, in Marcigny's direction
  • — Romanesque church of Briant
    Go North, in Saint Christophe-en-Brionnais's direction
 

More info to carry on the tour on the Bourgogne du Sud's website

 

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