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Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assumption of Varennes-en-Croix stands in the heart of the village of Varennes-en-Croix, in the department of the Somme, near Albert. This religious monument, rebuilt in 1771, illustrates the local architecture with its chalk walls and slate roof, partly from the castle of Hyerville. Its simple plan, composed of a unique nave and an apse choir, is surmounted by a pointed bell tower covered with slates.

During the French Revolution, the church welcomed works from Clairfay Abbey, which was declared national. Among them is a 16th century statue of the Virgin and Child, called Our Lady of Beech, which was classified in 1908. The building also houses a remarkable group carved in oak of 1662, representing Christ entering Jerusalem on an ass, locally nicknamed "Holy Diu". Weighing 400 kg, this room, classified in 1979, was once walked in procession on Palm Day.

The interior preserves other protected elements: an 18th-century high altar decorated with a golden Glory, statues of saints (including two Saint Blaise), stone baptismal fonts, and a pulpit to preach in golden wood. The bell, recast in 1803, bears an inscription naming the local notables of the period, including mayor Pierre-François-Nicolas Lenglet and founder Jean-Baptiste Cavillier. These details testify to the church's anchoring in the community and religious life of the village.

The church's materials and objects reflect re-use and donations, such as the slates of the castle of Hyerville or the sculptures of Clairfay. These transfers, typical of revolutionary upheavals, enriched its heritage. Today, the building remains a marker of local history, mixing medieval heritage, modern reconstructions and popular traditions, such as the Palm procession.

The church's sober architecture, with its unique nave and rounded apse, is part of the tradition of picard rural churches. The mouch (cave vaulted) on which it is partially built recalls old construction techniques. Its steeple, visible from afar, also served as a landmark for the surrounding agricultural community, emphasizing its central role in the daily and spiritual life of the village.

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