Maillezais Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Maillezais Cathedral was once a Roman Catholic cathedral, now ruined, in the commune of Maillezais
in the Vendée
, France
.
and subsequent Wars of Religion
, but the monastic community continued on the site until 1666. The bishopric was re-established in 1648 in La Rochelle
, and La Rochelle Cathedral
succeeded that of Maillezais.
Maillezais
Maillezais is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.It was once an island, until Monks of the Maillezais Abbey dug canals. Remains of the sea wall are still present, and canoe tours of the canals are a regular attraction to tourists.-External links:*,...
in the Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
History
The Benedictine Maillezais Abbey, founded in c. 989 on an island in the marshes, was raised to the status of a bishopric in 1317, one of a number of new bishoprics created in the aftermath of the suppression of the Albigensians, and the abbot elevated to the rank of Bishop of Maillezais. The cathedral was destroyed in 1562 in the course of the ReformationProtestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
and subsequent Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
, but the monastic community continued on the site until 1666. The bishopric was re-established in 1648 in La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
, and La Rochelle Cathedral
La Rochelle Cathedral
La Rochelle Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral, and a national monument of France since 1906, located in the town of La Rochelle.-Present cathedral:...
succeeded that of Maillezais.
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Luçon, incl Diocese of Maillezais
- Glastonbury Abbey website: brief history of Maillezais Abbey
External links
- Photos of Maillezais Cathedral ruins:http://homepage.mac.com/joel.jalladeau/vendee/files/8_2.png,http://www.vendee-touristique.com/images/abbaye-maillezais_lejour.jpg
