Detail of calvary at St-Thégonnec church, Brittany

Saints are to be found a-plenty in Cornwall and in Brittany.  This is no coincidence: the Bretons are descendants of the British tribes who emigrated across the channel to escape the Anglo-Saxons.

The village of St Thégonnec is in north western Brittany, in the departement of Finistère.  This area became very prosperous during the late middle ages through its involvement in ships and shipbuilding: amongst other industries, its villages produced hemp (for the manufacture of ropes) and linen (manufacture of sails).

Many parishes invested this money in improving their churches and churchyards, in a spirit of competition with their neighbouring parishes.  They created quaint, highly ornate ossuaries, entrance gates and calvaries; the church interiors were provided with magnificent furniture. The church at St-Thégonnec is just one of many such sites included in the UNESCO world Heritage List.

The architectural quality and detail in this churchyard is astonishing, almost overwhelming.  This photo shows part of the detail at the bottom of its calvary.

In the niche in the bottom is an effigy of the saint.  At his feet is a cart, drawn by an unidentifiable animal.  Legend has it that the saint's donkey was devoured by a pack of wolves.  The saint thereupon ordered one of the wolves to take the donkey's place in pulling his cart.  This substitution enabled the saint to collect and cart sufficient stone for the building of this church.  Thus the saint's emblem became the wolf and cart.

Above the saint are many dozens of carved people, enacting several scenes from the life and death of Christ.  At the left is a scene of the deposition, further to the right Christ holds up one hand in a sign of benediction.