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Origin and history

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Villeneuve, located in Aveyron in Occitanie, was founded in 1073 on the initiative of Odile de Morlhon, after his pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1053 with his wife Cecile. This monument, initially a priory dependent on the abbey of Saint Peter of Moissac, adopts a plan in Greek cross with a central rotunda surmounted by a dome, reproducing that of the church of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. The Romanesque part, dating back to the end of the 11th century, includes an octagonal tower and a capitular room still visible.

In the 14th century, the church was enlarged, probably due to the inadequacy of its dimensions or the ruin of the original choir. Three lateral chapels, of unequal sizes, were added on each side, suggesting buildings spread over time. The central bell tower was redesigned and raised in 1882. The Romanesque nave, 4.63 metres wide, originally consisted of a stand destroyed in 1768 and restored between 1961 and 1975, during works revealing the original ridge vaults.

The north arm, called the chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, houses 14th century murals. These represent jacquarian pilgrims in the lower register, while the cul-de-four illustrates a mandorled Christ surrounded by the tetramorph, as well as the miracle of the hanged-dependent. The southern Gothic nave, added later, expanded the building to 12.50 metres. Classified as a historical monument in 1925, this church bears witness to the medieval architectural influences and the importance of pilgrimages in Rouergue.

The church organ, created by the factor Jean Boissonnade de Séverac-l'Église, completes this religious heritage marked by centuries of history and transformation. Its initial plan, inspired by Jerusalem, and its successive enlargements reflect both liturgical needs and a desire for prestige for the local community, linked to the expansion of the Abbey of Moissac in Rouergue.

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