Saint-Rémi de Motto Church dans la Somme

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Origin and history

The Saint-Rémi de Motto Church is a Catholic parish church located in the eastern part of the Somme department, in Currency. Its presence was attested in 1225, but the medieval building, which had become old, was rebuilt in 1783. The village and its church were completely destroyed on 19 March 1917 by the German army during the First World War, marking a brutal break in its architectural and religious history.

The present church was built during the interwar period, on the plans of architects A. Rischmann and L. Houblain. Their project, inspired by the church designed by Jacques Droz for the French village of the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts of 1925 in Paris, illustrates a modern reconstruction combining concrete, bricks and fibrocement. This choice reflects the Art Deco trends of the time, while meeting the requirements of post-conflict sustainability.

The structure is distinguished by its unique vessel, its bell tower reinforced with double foothills, and a concrete cross crossing its entire height. The facade bears the Latin inscription O crux ave spes unica ("O cross, our only hope"), emphasizing its spiritual vocation. Inside, sobriety dominates: apparent structure, cross road and mosaics signed by Jean Gaudin, geometric stained glass windows by Daniel Darquet, and a neo-Gothic wooden high altar.

The building thus embodies a synthesis between local memory and architectural innovation. Its reconstruction symbolizes the resilience of the community after the war, while integrating artistic elements characteristic of the 1920s and 1930s. The choice of modern materials (concrete, fibrocement) contrasts with previous constructive traditions, marking an assumed stylistic rupture.

The interior decor, sober but worked, highlights regional artisans like the Amienese painter-glass Daniel Darquet. The mosaics and the path of the cross, made by the Jean Gaudin workshop, add a touch of contemporary sacred art. The church remains today a testimony of the adaptation of religious heritage to the challenges of the twentieth century.

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