Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Church of Saint Martin of Arcy-Sainte-Restitute finds its origins in a medieval context marked by the cult of Saint Restitue. In the ninth century, Pope Leo IV offered the relics of this saint to the Count of Moreuil, who placed them in a chapel in Arcy after they became impossible to move because of miracles attributed to the saint. This pilgrimage attracted considerable revenues, coveted in the 12th century by the lord of Oulchy, before the rights of Saint John of the Vignes Abbey were confirmed by Popes Innocent II (1139) and Adrien IV (1156).

The construction of the church spanned two major periods: the 12th century, from which the nave and the first span of the choir (dated around 1130 by Eugene Lefèvre-Pontalis), and the 16th century, where the connetable of Montmorency, lord of Fère, rebuilt the choir and vaults after acquiring the land of Arcy. The building, damaged during World War I, was restored several times, including in 1936 (renaissance rose replacement with a gothic rose), 1955 and 1977.

Ranked a historic monument in 1920, the church houses a 17th century shawl dedicated to St.Restitution, as well as a narrative frieze on the northern collateral illustrating its history. The income of the pilgrimage, estimated at 6,000 pounds at the time of the Revolution, bears witness to its economic and spiritual importance. Modern restoration campaigns have preserved this heritage, mixing Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance influences, while integrating elements related to its tumultuous past, such as the damage of 1914-1918.

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