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Origin and history

The chapel of the White Penitents of Utelle, also known as the Sainte-Croix Chapel, is a Catholic religious building located in the village of Utelle, in the Alpes-Maritimes. It was built in the 18th century, although the brotherhood of the White Penitents in Utelle was attested from the 17th century. This fraternity, like many others in the region, had as its mission charity, assistance to the sick, the poor and the orphans, as well as the management of funeral rites and grain reserves in case of shortages. The White Penitents, often called the Gonfalon Brotherhood, were inspired by a Roman model founded in the 13th century by Saint Bonaventure.

The chapel was erected near the church of Saint-Véran d'Utelle and listed as a Historic Monument in 1979. It is home to remarkable furniture, including a 17th century wooden altarpiece depicting a Descent of the Cross inspired by Rubens, as well as a series of six paintings of the Passion of Christ painted in 1717 by Niçois Guiglielmo Thaone. These works illustrate the artistic and spiritual importance of the place. The fraternity was also linked to the Sainte-Christine Hospital, founded in 1686 thanks to donations, including that of the Ducal Notary Jacques Cristini, although the hospital did not become fully operational until the end of the 18th century.

The brotherhoods of penitents, widespread in Provence and Nice County, played a central social role. They brought together members of all sections of the population and were involved in a variety of areas: assistance to the underprivileged, organization of funerals, or management of the Frimentary Mountains, grain reserves intended to ensure seeding in times of shortage. The chapel of the White Penitents of Utelle thus embodies both a religious heritage, a tradition of solidarity and a preserved artistic heritage.

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