Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of the Celestines of Avignon was founded in 1389 on the initiative of the Antipap Clement VII and King Charles VI, near the tomb of Peter of Luxembourg, a young cardinal who died in 1387. His grave, reputed miraculous, attracted pilgrims in mass, pushing for the construction of a monastery entrusted to the Celestines, an Italian order. This project was in the context of the Great Schism of the West, where Clement VII sought to legitimize his authority by divine signs.

Funded by the king and enriched by gifts, including those of King René, the church became the richest convent in Avignon, sheltering relics and tombs of cardinals. Its architecture, combining Gothic and royal influences (fleurs de lilies), was partially completed: only part of the choir and transept was built. Adorned with arch keys sculpted by Perrin Morel, the cloister, with sober galleries, still bears witness to its past grandeur.

At the Revolution, the convent was looted and turned into a military barracks, losing its decorations and tombs. The buildings, disused after 1945, now house the administrative city. The church, classified as a historical monument in 1914, has been owned by the city since 1980 and hosts cultural events, including the Avignon Festival since 1981. Its recent restorations (2019) have preserved its architectural heritage.

Among the surviving works, some are scattered in museums (Petit Palais, Calvet) or Parisian (BnF). The altarpiece of Enguerrand Quarton, the relics of Pierre de Luxembourg, and the sculptures of Jean Péru are among the most precious remains. The cloister, open to the public, is an emblematic place of the Festival, despite the scenographic constraints imposed by its centuries-old plane trees and its particular acoustics.

The history of the church reflects tensions between pontifical and royal power, as well as revolutionary upheavals. Its artistic and spiritual heritage, though fragmented, makes it a symbol of the Avignon heritage, linked to both the papacy, the French monarchy and contemporary cultural life.

External links