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Origin and history

The Sainte-Marie de Saint-Agrève church, located in the hamlet of Pouzat (former town capital), is a religious building made of gneiss and granite, typical of local architecture. Its history dates back to at least 1463, when it was mentioned as a parish dependent on the diocese of Valencia. The building, marked by a single nave and side chapels, underwent major transformations, including the addition of a chapel dedicated to Saint John the Baptist in 1540 and expansions in 1904.

Over the centuries, the church was the scene of significant events, such as its closure during the Revolution (1793) and its reopening in 1802 under the Concordat. The bell tower, rebuilt between 1849 and 1860, houses a bell dated from 1869, while interior changes (timber, stained glass) and exterior changes (rehabilitation of the cemetery) were made in the early twentieth century. The building, inscribed in the General Inventory of Cultural Heritage, preserves historical elements such as a 16th century bentier and classified statues.

The church also played a central role in parish life, with post-Vatican II liturgical renovations (wood altar, ambon) and successive restorations (lauze roof redone in 1995, heating installed in 1986). Today, she is part of the parish "Saint-Agrève en Vivarais", which emerged from the merger of several local parishes in 2003. Its modern stained glass window and memorial to the dead recall its anchoring in community history.

The archives and the Armorial of Vivarais (1463) attest to his initial belonging to the diocese of Valencia, before his successive attachment to those of Mende (1802) and then of Viviers (1822). The chapel of Saint John the Baptist, which became a funeral in the 18th century, illustrates the evolution of local religious practices. The works of the 19th century (sacristy, bell tower) and the 20th century (magnification, stained glass) reflect the adaptations of the building to the cultural and memorial needs of the population.

Among the remarkable elements are the 19th and 20th century statues (Saint Philomena, Saint Joseph), a Chemin de Croix installed at the end of the 20th century, and a bell signed by the Burdin foundry (1869). The 1906 inventory, marked by tensions with parishioners, highlights the upheavals linked to the law of separation of churches and the state. Today, the church remains an active place of worship and an architectural testimony of Vivarais.

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