Eglise du Graal in Tréhorenteuc
The Eglise du Graal (Church of the Grail), the parish church of the village of Tréhorenteuc, stands on the edge of the mysterious Forêt de Brocéliande, a stone’s throw from the domain of Morgan le Fay, still imbued with her legendary aura.
At the crossroads of Christianity, Druidism, and Arthurian legends, the Eglise du Graal is an enigmatic place of unparalleled importance.
It is indeed the only sanctuary in the world dedicated to the Quest for the Grail, and bears the inscription “La Porte en est Dedans – The Door from Within“, suggesting a passage to another world.
During the Second World War, Father Gillard had the interior of the Eglise du Graal fully restored to create a gathering place where diverse beliefs could intertwine, uniting the community.
Decoration
Father Gillard’s vision was thus realised through a harmonious integration of Christian and Celtic motifs adorning every corner of the Eglise du Graal.
The priest commissioned two talented German prisoners of war, painters and sculptors Peter Wisdorf and Karl Rezabeck, to decorate the church.
Wisdorf sculpted the Twelve Stations of the Way of the Cross, while Rezabeck brought each scene to life. They used villagers and members of the clergy as models, thus immortalising their faces.
They drew inspiration from the surrounding forest to create scenes of King Arthur’s Round Table and his noble knights, as well as representations of the Celtic Judicaël, King of Brittany, and his sister Onenne, who converted to christianity.
They decorated the narthex with a monumental mosaic.
It represents the Fontaine de Barenton and the Perron of Merlin, guarded by majestic red lions and a large white stag, Cernunnos, the Celtic god with stag antlers, who symbolises wild nature, animals and fertility.
In the choir, Rezabeck described the mysteries of the Grail and the legendary life of Sainte Onenne, to whom the church is dedicated.
The colourful stained-glass windows also tell the Grail enigma, and relate also the life of Saint Onenne.
Father devoted more than twenty years and all his energy to perfecting the decoration of the Eglise du Graal.
The result is simply breathtaking!
We need to delve into the symbols to decipher their meaning.
Then, only will we be able to discover The Door from Within and set foot into the enchanted realm of the Arthurian legends, and meet Merlin.
Who knows…
Discover the magical Forêt de Brocéliande other sites
Tombeau de Merlin, Fontaine de Jouvence, Chêne des Hindrés, Château de Comper, Chêne d’Eon or Chêne à Guillotin, Fontaine de Barenton, Jardin aux Moines, Miroir aux Fées and Arbre d’Or in the Val Sans Retour, Hostié de Viviane or Tombeau des Druides, Tombeau des Géants ou Roche à la Vieille, Abbey of Paimpont, Forges de Paimpont and Pierres Droites
Department of Ille-et-Vilaine
Coordinates: Lat 48.007858 – Long -2.287205
