Basilicas in France—Picardy and Nord-Pays-de-Calais

I blogged about the following basilica on May 15, 2019.

• Cathedral Basilica of Notre Dame in Lille.

Cathedral Basilica of Notre Dame, Amiens, Somme

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius IX in 1854.

The Basilica is the cathedral for the Diocese of Amiens.  The Gothic church was built between 1220 and 1270—although modifications were later made—and is the largest cathedral in France.  Its 260,000 square yards could fit two buildings the size of Notre Dame in Paris.  The Basilica was built to hold the head of St. John the Baptist, purchased in Constantinople (other places also claim to have this relic).  The Basilica was damaged during the French Revolution—and St. John’s head was stolen—and the Second World War but has been restored.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of Notre Dame and St. Vaast, Arras, Pas-de-Calais

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius IX in 1855.

The Basilica is the cathedral for the Diocese of Arras.  A Gothic cathedral was built here between 1030 and 1396 but was destroyed during the French Revolution.  Work began on the Gothic and Classical Abbey Church of St. Vaast in Arras in 1750 and was interrupted by the Revolution.  Work resumed after the Revolution and authorities decided to make the Abbey Church the Cathedral for the Diocese.  The church was completed in 1834.  The church was heavily damaged in the First World War but has been restored.  

Pictures are from Expedia, Pinterest, and Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Gervasius and St. Protasius, Soissons, Aisne

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius IX in 1857.

The Basilica is the Cathedral for the Diocese of Soissons, Laon, and Saint-Quentin.  The Gothic church was built between 1177 and 1479.  Scholars think that Chartres Cathedral was inspired by this church.  Some of the stained-glass dates to the 13th Century.  A 15th Century tapestry depicts the lives of the church’s patron saints.

 

The first picture is from Pinterest and the other two are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Quentin, Saint-Quentin, Aisne

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius IX in 1876.

Several churches were built on this site as early as the 4th Century.  The current Gothic Basilica was built between the 12th and 15th Centuries.  It was badly damaged during the First World War and reopened in 1956.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Notre Dame, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Leo XIII in 1879.

A church has been on this site since Roman times.  An 11th Century church contained a statue of the Virgin Mary which attracted pilgrims.  This church was the location of the 1308 wedding of King Edward II of England and Isabella of France and became the cathedral for the new Diocese of Boulogne in 1567.  The church was destroyed during the French Revolution and the statue of the Virgin was burned.  After the French Revolution the Diocese of Boulogne was suppressed but the destroyed church was replaced.  The current Classical and Renaissance Basilica was built between 1827 and the 1870s.

Pictures are from a local source, Pinterest, and Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of Miracles, Saint-Omer, Pas-de-Calais

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Leo XIII in 1879.

A small chapel was built on this site in the 7th Century.  The current church dates to 1052 but was badly damaged by a fire around 1200.  Reconstruction took place from the 13th to the 16th Century.  At one time, this was the cathedral for the Diocese of Saint-Omer, but the diocese was suppressed in 1801.  A chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Miracles dates to the early days of the church.

The first two pictures are from a local source and the last two are from Wikipedia.  The last is a painting by Peter Paul Rubens.

Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Grace, Cambrai, Nord

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Leo XIII in 1896.

The Basilica is the cathedral for the Diocese of Cambrai.  The Neo-classical building was constructed between 1696 and 1703 as an abbey church.  The former cathedral in Cambrai was destroyed during the French Revolution and when the Diocese was restored in 1802, this church became the Cathedral.  It was damaged by fire in 1859 and by bombs during the First World War but has been restored.  The Basilica has an Italo-Byzantine painting of the Madonna from around 1340.

The first two pictures are from local sources, the third is from Pinterest, and the last is from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of Brebieres, Albert, Somme

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Leo XIII in 1899.

Churches have stood on this site since the 11th Century.  The church first designated as a basilica was built between 1885 and 1897.  The stone and red brick Byzantine Revival building had a 200-foot bell tower topped with a statue of Our Lady.  This building was almost completely destroyed during the First World War.  It was rebuilt from 1927 to 1931 under the direction of the original architect’s son.

 

The first two pictures are from local sources, the next two are from Pinterest, and the last is from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Notre Dame, Liesse, Aisne

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius X in 1912.

The Flamboyant Gothic church was built of stone primarily in the 12th Century although work continued at least until the 18th Century.  A statue of the Black Madonna attracted pilgrims including many members of the royal family.  Pilgrims prayed for deliverance from all the problems that plagued them.  It was one of the main Marian shrines in France until the 19th Century.  The statue of Our Lady was burned during the French Revolution and its remains are now in Montreal.  The Basilica’s current statue is a replica.

The top picture is from Flicriver, the second from Pinterest, and the other two from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of the Holy Cord, Valenciennes, Nord

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1922.

The Gothic Basilica was built between 1852 and 1864, although a church has apparently been on this site since the early 11th Century.  Some have nicknamed the church Minas Tirith after the fictional city in “The Lord of the Rings.”

The first picture is from a local source and the other two are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Maxellende, Caudry, Nord

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

The neo-Gothic Basilica was built between the 1830s and 1890 and is dedicated to a 7th Century martyr.  It is a place of pilgrimage for the blind and visually impaired.  It has two rose windows each of which has 4,600 pieces of glass.

The first picture is from the Basilica website, the second is from a local source, and the other two are from Wikipedia.