Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Saturnin church of Aimargues was built between 1855 and 1869 to replace the old church of Sainte-Croix, considered too small and unprestigious. The project, led by the parish priest Roland Lampere, was financed by local funds (40,000 francs) and a government grant of 4,000 francs in 1864. The work, led by Henri Révoil, began after the acquisition of adjacent land and buildings, but was interrupted between 1862 and 1864 due to tax disputes. The first stone was laid in 1865, after the translation of the relics of Artimidora from Rome.

The building was consecrated in 1879 by Louis Besson, after the addition of a carillon in 1874. Its architecture, described as a mixture of novel and Gothic by Jean Vidal, includes stained glass windows from the Edward Didron (1869) workshops representing biblical and holy figures. The parish priest, who died in 1888, was buried in the church. Over the decades, changes have taken place: the addition of a grid in 1895, the degradation and restoration of a statue of the Virgin in 1905, and the installation of modern equipment (electricity, heating) in the 1960s.

The church plays a central role in local life, hosting significant events such as the reception of the statue of Notre-Dame de Boulogne in 1944, perceived as a symbolic reparation after the anticlerical tensions of 1905. In 1959, a new bell, "Marie-Mélanie", was blessed, and Masses in Provençal were celebrated there since 1989 in homage to Fanfonne Guillierme. The relics of Thérèse de Lisieux were exhibited in 2004. The bell tower, 38 meters high, dominates the plain and symbolizes the Catholic anchor of the commune.

The interiors, initially sober, are enriched with paintings (star blue, allegorical frescoes) and decorative motifs (losangels, fleurs de lys). The side chapels, like those of the Virgin and Joseph, are decorated by Marc Gaida. The church also houses a collection of liturgical clothing and historical graffiti on its walls. Despite the necessary consolidation works (foundations, structures) reported in 1967, it remains a place of worship and memory, illustrating the architectural and social evolutions of Aimargues.

The monument reflects the tensions and reconcilations of local society, between anticlericalism (degradation of 1905) and popular devotion (celebrations in Provençal, pilgrimages). His history is also that of his actors: Roland Lampere, central figure in his construction, Henri Révoil, architect, or Édouard Didron, master glassmaker. The stained glass windows, chronologically classified, offer a visual reading of religious history, from Abel to Germaine Cousin.

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