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Key figures

Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame de Commer is a Catholic building located in the department of Mayenne, at the intersection of departmental roads 24 and 253. It was built in the 15th century on the site of an old 11th century church, of which there remains a tombstone in black marble and a bentier of 1766. The current ogival-style building was rebuilt in several phases: the nave and tower in 1872, then the transept, the chapels and the choir in 1874, before its inauguration in 1887.

The church was historically linked to the abbey of Marmoutier, confirmed by bishops of Le Mans such as Hildebert of Lavardin and Guy of Etampes, as well as by Pope Alexander III. Its furniture included seven 15th-century alabaster bas-reliefs, stolen in 1978, depicting religious scenes such as the Annunciation or the Resurrection. A Gothic inscription on stone also recalls the legacy of a 16th-century priest, Simon Thévenier.

The exterior architecture is distinguished by four statues at the corners of the tower, symbolizing the evangelists (angel, eagle, bull, lion). Inside, the stained glass windows were made by Champigneulle de Paris. The 1906 inventory, marked by a crowd in prayer, reflects its importance in local life.

Historical sources also mention his role in the diocese of Laval and his partial classification at the Monuments Historices for certain objects, such as the late bas-reliefs or the funeral inscription of Simon Thévenier.

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