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Origin and history

The Notre-Dame de Locmaria-an-Hent chapel, located in the municipality of Saint-Yvi (Finistère), is a religious building in the Cornuaillais Gothic style built between the 15th and 16th centuries. Originally erected as a trevial church of the parish of Elliant, it is located on the ancient Roman way from Quimper to Vannes and is part of the stages of the Tro Breiz, medieval Breton pilgrimage. Its parish enclosure includes a calvary and ossuary probably dating from the 15th century, reflecting the spiritual and community importance of the site.

In 1641, the collapse of the diaphragm arch supporting the central bellet led to its destruction, leading to the construction of a new bell tower on the western pinion, decorated with the arms of the Treanna family. The chapel, classified as a historical monument in 1910, is home to a remarkable artistic heritage: a altar altar altar at the bas-reliefs narrate the Passion of Christ, polychrome wooden statues of the 16th and 18th centuries (Our Lady, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Félicité), and a 17th century cross Christ, restored in 2005-2006. His forgiveness, celebrated in the octave of Ascension, perpetuates an established religious tradition.

The site has undergone major restorations since 1986, carried out by the municipality and a local association established in the same year. This work involved roofing, structural work, and more recently the statuary. The chapel also retains unique architectural elements, such as a fireplace in a side room and 18th-century wooden balusters closing the choir. Its placister, whose trees have been protected since 1931, highlights its harmonious integration into the Breton landscape.

Historically, Locmaria-an-Hent was a tribe dependent on Elliant until 1792, when its territory was merged with that of Saint-Yvi to form the present commune. This administrative context illustrates the evolution of parish structures in Brittany under the Ancien Régime. The chapel, a communal property, remains an active place of worship and a testimony of Breton sacred art, mixing Gothic influences and local traditions.

Among the notable works, the statue of Saint Félicité (18th century) represents the saint teaching the seven founding saints of Brittany, adapting a biblical account to the local hagiography. The statues of Notre-Dame and Saint John the Baptist (XVI century) illustrate medieval iconography: Mary, dressed richly but simply styled, once held a grenade (symbol of fertility), while John the Baptist designated the Lamb of God, emphasizing the pedagogical role of these representations for the faithful.

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