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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Devesset, located in the department of Ardèche, finds its origins in the 13th century when Devesset's commission passed to the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem in 1292. At that time, the site houses a commandery with a chapel mentioned in the texts, while the village has a separate parish church. Conflicts marked its history: between 1428 and 1439, the command office was burned several times by roadmen ravaging the Velay. In 1472, the great prior Jean Cottet had it rebuilt almost entirely, but the wars of Religion (1565-1585) transformed the place into alternative refuge for Huguenots and Catholics. A report of 1583 reveals that the destroyed parish church is replaced by the castle chapel for offices.

In the 17th century, the parish church, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, was integrated into the castle, as confirmed by a prior visit of 1616. In 1750, a report describes a vaulted interior, adorned with a wooden balustrade, a baroque altarpiece and golden statues (Vierge, Saint John, Saint James). The Revolution (1789) closed in 1793, before reopening in 1802 under the Concordat. A fire in 1838 partially destroyed the building, causing parish priest Joseph Souchon to initiate his reconstruction in 1839, completed under the direction of architect Prosper Thévenet in 1844. The bell tower and sacristy, originally planned symmetrically, are finalized with an inverted arrangement for reasons of sunshine.

The 19th and 20th centuries saw major improvements: a forum was added in 1891, the 1906 inventory (Separation Act) marked its legal status, and a renovation in 1996 revealed the granite walls under the coatings. In 1994, the parish became part of an interparoisial ensemble and merged in 2003 in the parish of Saint-Agrève in Vivarais. The church, made of granite stoneware with lauze roofs, retains remarkable furniture: 19th-century statues (Vierge à l'Enfant, Jeanne d'Arc), a cross road, and two historic bells (Marianne, 1760; Marie Françoise, 1872). Its interior, rearranged after Vatican II, highlights a central tabernacle and lateral altars dedicated to the Virgin and Saint Joseph.

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