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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The cross of the Faubourg Saint-Michel, located at 5 rue du Faubourg Saint-Michel in Malestroit (Morbihan), is a surviving element of an older calvary, dated from the 16th century and nicknamed "Catheline Cross". Originally integrated into a monumental ensemble, it was overthrown around 1917 before being raised in 1924. Today, without its original barrel, it rests on a fenced pillar of a private dwelling, remaining visible from the public highway. The preserved part, inscribed in historical monuments on 29 March 1935, bears a Christ in cross framed by the Virgin and Saint John on one side, and a Virgin with Child accompanied by Saint Catherine of Alexandria and St James on the other.

The carved decor features emblematic figures of Breton Christian devotion. The reverse presents St. James as a pilgrim, dressed in a hooded dress and styled with a conical hat, holding a bumblebee and a book, symbols of his journey to Compostela. This type of representation, common in Breton calvaries, illustrates the importance of jacquarian roads and Marian worship in the region. The triangular pediment that surmounts the ensemble, typical of local religious architecture, underscores the artistic and devout character of the work.

Around 1917, the cross was overturned, probably due to degradation or an undocumented event. His restoration and recovery in 1924 allowed his partial safeguard, although his was missing. The designation of historic monuments in 1935 bears witness to its heritage value, despite its fragmentary state. Today, its location in the suburb of Saint-Michel, a historic area of Malestroit, recalls the central role of Calvaries in the urban and religious landscape of Brittany in the 16th and 17th centuries.

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