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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens d'Étais-la-Sauvin, located in the Yonne (Burgundy-Franche-Comté), is the fruit of three distinct architectural periods: the 12th century (primitive Romanesque church), the 14th–15th century (gothic parish church), and the late 15th–16th century (present-day building of flamboyant Gothic style). The chapel of the cemetery, a 12th century vestige dedicated to Saint-Pierre-de-Moustier-le-Vieil, bears witness to the Romanesque origin of the site, linked to the abbey of Saint-Pierre-en-Vallée in Auxerre. This first church, partially destroyed in the 19th century, remains today only by its chapel and architectural traces such as the full arch of the gate.

The second church, built between the 14th and 15th centuries at the site of the present Saint Joseph Chapel, was dedicated to Saint Peter-es-Liens and depended on the Archpriest of Puisaye (diocese of Auxerre). Its destruction around 1562 was linked to religious conflicts, when Calvinist troops expelled from Bourges occupied Etais la Sauvin. Excavations in 1950, conducted by Abbé Jean Provot, revealed remains of this medieval church, including capitals and buried materials near the southern transept. The proximity to St. Stephen's Cathedral in Auxerre, completed in the 14th century, suggests a skilled workforce available for local churches.

The present church, completed in 1539 (dated engraved on the bell tower balustrade), was built under the episcopate of the bishops Francis of Dinteville I and II. Its late flamboyant Gothic style (1535–1579) incorporates Romanesque elements, such as rampant cornice foothills, and 16th and 19th century stained glass windows. The bell tower, 31 metres high, houses two historic bells: Marie Philippe (1841) and Jeanne Huberte (1861). Inside, marked by a nave with three ships and side chapels, preserves traces of the old churches, like the south wall of the nave from the second church.

The stained glass windows, restored in 1938, illustrate biblical scenes and holy figures, including a 1877 stained glass window signed by Louis-Victor Gesta representing Saint Peter delivered by an angel. The liturgical furniture, such as the Pink Stone Baptistery (1955) carved by Edgar Delvaux or the 18th century altarpiece, reflects centuries of devotion. Father John Provot (1909–1998) played a key role in the restorations of the 20th century, notably by removing the grid from the choir after Vatican II and preserving historical elements such as the 17th century liturgical pool.

The exterior sundial (1686) and Passion instruments carved on a post-revolutionary cross highlight the symbolic heritage of the building. The local quarries (Chevigny, Lainsecq) provided the stones of the pavement and structure, while the altars, destroyed during the Revolution, were rebuilt in 1938. Today, the church, attached to the parish of Saint-Pierre Saint-Paul de Puisaye-Forterre, remains an active place of worship and a testimony to the architectural and religious evolutions of the region.

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