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Origin and history

The Church of Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur de Tillac is a Gothic building built in the 15th century, located in the Gers department, in the Occitan region. It illustrates medieval religious architecture, marked by major transformations in the 19th century. In 1855-1856 the nave was rebuilt and lateral openings were pierced to illuminate the interior, replacing the original Gothic bays. The wall bell tower was also replaced by a tower, and the cover was reshaped to two sections after the old vault was removed. These changes profoundly altered its original appearance, while preserving Gothic elements such as an oculus above the triumphal arch and traces of painted decorations.

The church houses remarkable furniture, including an 18th century altarpiece classified as a historical monument. Originally devoid of statues in 1840, it later enriched works such as a pilgrim Virgin and a carved wooden Saint James inspired by the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. His liturgical treasures include antiphonaries, cibories, and procession banners, while several objects (cloche, tableau) are referenced in the Palissy database. These elements demonstrate its central role in local religious life, between worship and collective memory.

The interior is structured around a unique nave decorated with lateral chapels dedicated to the Child Jesus of Prague, the Virgin with the Child, and Saint Joseph. The choir, illuminated by stained glass windows depicting the Immaculate Conception, the Good Shepherd and St. James the Major, houses a wooden high altar carved imitating marble, topped by a winged tabernacle illustrating biblical scenes (Annunciation, Adoration of the Magi). A monument to the deaths of the First World War, integrated into the nave, also recalls its anchor in community history.

Listed in the inventory of historical monuments since 2014, the church belongs to the municipality of Tillac. Its architecture, although transformed, preserves traces of its medieval past, while its furniture reflects the evolution of Catholic worship in the 18th and 19th centuries. The 19th century restorations, although controversial for their impact on Gothic authenticity, allowed its preservation until today, making it a place both historic and living.

The stained glass windows of the abside, probably dated from the 19th century, complement this religious iconography, while the wooden pulpit and statues of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux or Saint Jeanne d'Arc illustrate later additions, linked to modern devotion. The building, open to the public, remains a testimony of local piety and architectural changes suffered by French rural churches.

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