Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Georges de Gesnes, dedicated to Georges de Lydda, stands in the municipality of Gesnes, Mayenne. The present neo-Roman-style building replaces an old medieval church, destroyed in 1875. The latter, built in small apparatus, preserved Romanesque architectural traces as well as a statue of the 13th or 14th century Virgin, now disappeared. A 17th century sculpted group, representing the Annunciation, was also lost in the late 19th century.

The construction of the new church, completed in 1875, was led by architect Eugène Hawke at a cost of 27,982 francs. It is distinguished by a granite tower surmounted by a roof nestled with the same stone. Inside, two 15th century church stalls in oak attract attention: their mercies represent a monk and a fantastic animal with a human head. The church also houses Henri IV-style altar candlesticks, an ivory christ of 30 cm, and a fragment of tombstone with Gothic inscription.

Three stained glass windows, by master glassmaker Charles Lorin, adorn the building: they represent Saint Georges, Saint John the Baptist and Saint Julien du Mans. The church was also the place of a weekly mass founded in 1633 by the priest John Ricoul, as well as the seat of a brotherhood erected in 1642 by Pope Innocent X. In 1906, the inventory of church property was controversial, with the parish priest Drouet publicly protesting the charges against him.

The old church was linked to local religious practices, as evidenced by the donations of individuals, such as Jean Boisseau, a merchant in the village of Fretay, who allocated 25 pounds to the brotherhood of the Holy Name of Jesus. These elements illustrate the historical and cultural significance of this place of worship in the region.

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