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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Lié de Mohon, originally dedicated to Saint Gilles in the 13th century, was rebuilt in the 16th century in a flamboyant Gothic style. The work was completed between 1607 and 1611, as evidenced by the dates engraved on the west façade. In 1611, the building was definitively consecrated to Saint Lié, a monk of the Berry venerated for his protection of the sick, thus replacing Saint Gilles as patron. A brotherhood founded in 1523, charged with venerating its relics, even obtained a papal indulgence from Paul V. The church, sold in 1613 with the village of Mohon to Louise Marguerite de Lorraine, then joined the principality of Château-Regnault before being reunited in France in 1629 under Louis XIII.

The architecture of the church mixes Gothic and Italian Renaissance influences, visible in its portal, its hexagonal turrets and its openwork loggia. Inside, the central nave, without transept, creates a unified space thanks to circular pillars and vaults with complex veins. The capitals, decorated with putti and garlands, as well as the 18th century Baroque altarpiece – representing the Resurrection of Christ – illustrate the stylistic evolution of the building. Among the remarkable elements are two dials (solar and lunar) dating from 1562, 17th century reliquaries, and contemporary stained glass windows by Gérard Lardeur (1986).

Ranked a historic monument since 1911, the church was stolen in 1977: one of its two reliquaries of St. Lie disappeared, leaving only the reliquary head containing its skull and a clavicle. His history also reflected territorial upheavals, such as the merger of Mohon with Charleville-Mézières in 1966. Today, it remains a major testimony of the Ardennes religious heritage, linked to the local devotion and political transformations of the region.

The western façade, in classic style, contrasts with the rest of the Gothic building, while the lower side, covered with three-sided roofs, is rhythmic with bow-buttons. The vaulted porch, with converging caissons, and the interior decorations – carved woodwork, adorned vault keys – highlight the church's artistic richness. Its classified furniture, including the main altar and baptismal fonts, completes this preserved heritage.

The Saint-Lié church thus embodies almost five centuries of history, from its Renaissance reconstruction to its integration into the modern urban landscape of Charleville-Mézières. Its early ranking (1911) and the persistence of local cults, such as the one dedicated to Saint Lié, make it a place both spiritual and historical, rooted in the collective memory of the Ardennes.

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