DAY TWENTYTWO
BILLANGES – SAINT-LÉONARD-DE-NOBLAT
What day are we?
We are every day, my friend
We are the whole of live, my love….
Jaques Prévert
It was a rainy morning when we left Billanges. Against the grey sky, the green leaves
of trees and shrubs were shining in a saturated, deep green. It was a feast for the eye.
We walked over paved streets and small forest ways and passed an abandoned
looking palace. In a forest, we came up to a decorated tree trunk, the “tronc du
pelerin”. This tree trunk was decorated with all kinds of objects people left on their
way to Santiago. We had great fun to look at all these different things.
Pont du Dognon over the river Taurion
Le tronc du pelerin
Le tronc du pelerine with the inscription“Ultreia”. It means “onward and upward” and was used by the medieval pilgrims as a greeting phrase.
Rohan was always walking in the front. Although he suffered from Asthma this day,
his speed was faster than I normally walk. In hiking up a muddy path one time, I felt
a sudden sharp pain in my left calf. My leg was cramped and I hardly could walk any
more. I asked Eddy and Rohan to continue the trek and I would slowly follow. After
a while my leg relaxed. From then on, I walked at my own speed.
Sometimes, I came across conflicting signs. Usually, I ignored the local signs and
followed the symbol of the Way to Santiago.
Conflicting symbols
The refuge I stayed at in Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat was right in the center of the city.
Here I met Eddy and Rohan again. St. Léonard is a medieval city where old and new
is often perfectly blending together.
House with Gothic facade
Fresh fruit and vegetables sold in the street
The town is famous for the church Église Saint-Léonard, an 11th century church
dedicated by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It contains the grave of St.
Léonard, the patron saint of prisoners. At one time, the church was filled with prison
chains donated by former prisoners. Now, there is only one chain mounted over the
grave of the Saint and no candle burning in front of his grave. He was one of the
most popular saints in the medieval ages and many churches all over Europe were
dedicated to him.
Apsis with side chapels of Église Saint Léonard
Grave of Saint-Léonard
To my great surprise, in one of the side chapels, I saw a model of a church I know
very well. It was the church Sankt Leonhard in the little village of Altaussee in Austria.
Model of the church in Austria
– Text and photos contributed by Garyo –