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Origin and history

The Saint-Perdufle de la Masse church, located in the Junies bastide (Lot, Occitanie), is a Romanesque building probably built at the end of the 12th century. It was redesigned after the Hundred Years' War, between the late 15th and early 16th centuries, with the addition of a north gate and a painted decor. These murals, discovered in 1966, include a parade of the Seven Capital Sins and scenes of the Passion of Christ, such as the Kiss of Judas and the Flagellation. The western facade was rebuilt in modern times, probably in the eighteenth century.

The murals, made by a local artist, are a rare testimony of late medieval religious art. The parade of the capital Sins, on the south wall, shows every sin mounted on a symbolic animal, connected by a chain drawn by a devil towards Leviathan. Opposite, on the north wall, the scenes of the Passion recall the redemption of sins by Christ's sacrifice. These works were classified as historical monuments in 1978, while the building itself was listed in 1971.

The church, with a single vessel, has a vaulted choir in a full-cindered cradle and a carpented nave. His furniture, such as the pulpit to preach (1981) and the baptismal tank (1989), is also protected. According to some sources, it was built on the remains of a mosque linked to the Saracen invasion, although this hypothesis remains under discussion. The Mass, once an independent parish, illustrates the importance of small rural churches in Quercy's religious and community life.

The murals, executed in the wet, reflect the moral and spiritual concerns of the late Middle Ages. Their "crust" style and iconography, inspired by models widespread in southern France, make it a remarkable example of popular religious art. The restoration of these works, mentioned in studies such as that of Françoise Tollon (2002), allowed their preservation despite the degradations related to time and architectural changes, such as the drilling for baptismal fonts in the 17th century.

Saint-Perdufle Church, owned by the municipality of Junies, remains an active heritage site. Its 17th century altarpiece, decorated in the 19th century, and its protected furniture elements (like the bust-liquary of a holy bishop, inscribed in 1995) bear witness to its evolution over the centuries. Today, it attracts attention for its complex history, mixing Romanesque heritage, Gothic transformations and modern additions.

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