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Origin and history

The Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Pardoux church of Arnac-Pompadour, located in Corrèze, was founded in the 11th century as a priory dependent on the abbey of Saint-Martial de Limoges. In 1028, Guy de Lastours and his wife Engalcias, daughter of the lord of Malemort, transferred the relics of Saint Pardoux from Sarlat, marking his solemn consecration by Bishop Jourdain de Laron. This priory, enriched by seigneurial gifts, becomes a privileged burial place for local elites, allowing its reconstruction between 1100 and 1103 under the aegis of Bishop Pierre de Bordeaux.

In the 12th century, the priory was led by influential provosts, such as Girbert (1094), then Gaubert de Mirabel, from a large limo family. The latter, elected abbot of Uzerche in 1133, saw his estate contested before being replaced by Bernard d'Auberoche (1149-1151). In 1183, the priory was looted by Mercadier's roadmen during the siege of Pompadour Castle, but rose rapidly, with 14 monks at the beginning of the 13th century. The abbey of Saint-Martial later ceded the priory to the bishop of Limoges, who named him the provosts until the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the provost of Arnac was attributed to prominent figures, such as Abbé Guillaume Dubois (future cardinal), who held it from 1699 until his death in 1723. The last provost, Jean-Aymeric Martin de la Bastide, accepted in 1742 the meeting of the provost in the chapter of Saint-Martial, retaining only his income. Today, only the church remains, classified as a historical monument since 1846, the last vestige of this medieval priory.

The building illustrates the importance of Benedictine priories in the religious and seigneurial organization of the medieval Limousin. Its history, marked by family alliances, conflicts and reconstructions, reflects the political and spiritual dynamics of the region between the 11th and 18th centuries. The relics of Saint Pardoux, initially at Sarlat, played a central role in his influence, attracting gifts and seigneurial protections.

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