Church of St. Madeleine en Savoie

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Key figures

Origin and history

Sainte-Madeleine Church is a Catholic church located in the commune of Saxel, Haute-Savoie, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is built on an imposing rock, called Sassellum in Latin, which peaks at 943 meters above the Brevon. Its architecture adopts a Sardinian neoclassical style, characteristic of the region at a time when Piedmontese influences were strong in Savoie.

The parish of Saxony, initially under the control of the Abbey of Notre-Dame d'Aulps, had several administrative connections before gaining its independence. During a pastoral visit on August 25, 1601, Saint Francis de Sales, then bishop of Annecy, formalized this autonomy. This moment marked a turning point in local religious history, strengthening the role of the church as a spiritual and community centre.

In the 20th century, between 1952 and 1954, the altar of the church was restored, and its decoration was entrusted to the sculptor Jean Constant Demaison. The latter made a series of representations of the apostles, adding a contemporary artistic dimension to this historic place of worship. The church remains today a testimony of the religious and architectural heritage of Haute Savoie.

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