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Origin and history

The chapel of the Penitents of Saint-Zacharie came from the meeting of two local brotherhoods: the white penitents and the black penitents, united in 1691. Their first chapel, built in 1696, was destroyed during the French Revolution after being sold. This monument thus reflects the political and religious upheavals of that time, marked by the secularization of ecclesiastical property.

The present building dates back to 1844 and is distinguished by its sober architecture, characteristic of the nineteenth century: walls in coated bellows, unique nave and five-sided choir integrated into a semicircular bedside. This reconstruction is part of the restoration of the religious heritage after the revolutionary destruction. The chapel, owned by the commune, was inscribed in the Historical Monuments by decree of 2 December 1988, emphasizing its heritage value.

Located in Place Gabriel Péri in Saint-Zacharie (Var), the chapel illustrates the central role of the brotherhoods of penitents in the social and spiritual life of provençal villages. These brotherhoods, often dedicated to charitable or penitential works, structured collective devotion. Their architectural heritage, like this chapel, bears witness to their local anchor despite the historical breaks.

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