Eglise Saint Maurice de Millay

The parish of Millay is very old. It has only depended on the diocese of Nevers since the concordat of 1801. The patronage of the parish belonged in the past to the priory of Marcigny-lès-Nonains, a monastery of the Brionnais, founded in 1054 by Saint-Hugues, sixth abbot of Cluny, helped by his brother Geoffroy, baron of Semur. Tradition has it that the church of Millay was built within 10 years of the foundation of the monastery; it would therefore date from 1064 and would be one of the oldest churches in the Nièvre. The church was ceded on 8 May 1619, with the tithes of the parish, to the baron of La Roche-Millay. It is dedicated to Saint-Maurice, leader of the Theban legion, and is illuminated every evening

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXTERIOR
In spite of the works and alterations it has undergone, the original structure of the church of Saint-Maurice has been preserved. In 1837, the bell tower was in danger of collapsing: the west side was partially demolished and rebuilt identically. Look at it now: it is illuminated, on the bell level, by twin round-headed bays, separated by a column with a simple fluted capital, or laminated (south). The bell tower houses two bells today. Weighing 400 kg and christened Marie-Joséphine, the first bell was cast in 1852 under the administration of Mr. Peschaud, the parish priest. It was blessed by Mr Lyron, parish priest of Luzy, with Mr D'Amfreville as godfather and Mrs de Laplanche as godmother. The little bell, Marie-Thérèse, weighs 250 kg and was cast in 1875. Its godfather is MG de Laplanche, its godmother, Mrs Anginieur. On this little bell is engraved: "Sometimes I sing / Often I cry / But always I pray. "
On June 22, 1860, a hurricane seriously damaged the gable of the front facade, the apsidioles and the roof structure. In 1862, the front façade had collapsed following torrential rains, and one of the gables of the transept was in danger of falling apart. The façade was rebuilt in 1862-1863 by Claude Maillot, a contractor in Autun. On December 13, 1865, the mayor of Millay wrote to the Prefect: "Today the church is in very good condition. "

DESCRIPTION OF THE INTERIOR
The church of Millay is a Latin cross church with a circular apse and apsidioles, with a bell tower on the transept crossing. Its style is Romanesque from the middle of the 11th century. It has a nave with a ceiling of one vessel, flanked in its rear part by two side chapels. The single-vessel transept, whose arms open onto an apsidal chapel to the east, communicates with the side chapels through a semicircular arch. It has a regular crossing covered by a cupola on trunks. The Romanesque choir consists of a straight bay and an apse; the sacristy is built in the corner of the nave and the left side chapel. The vaults are in cul-de-four on the apse and the apses, in barrel vaulting on the other parts of the church, the barrel vaulting being transversal on the arms of the transept and the side chapels. The aesthetics of the Romanesque masonry are again present.
Major work was undertaken by the commune between 2001 and 2003, in particular to renovate the two apsidioles in their original state, the framework of the gallery, the north transept and the stained glass windows. These works were carried out to welcome every summer, during the festival Le Vent sur l'arbre, classical music performers who appreciate the remarkable quality of the acoustics of the church of Millay.

REMARKABLE ELEMENTS
The processional cross is made of bronze and silver brass. The elements are nested on a threaded rod; Christ, Saint Magdalene and the titulus are riveted. The decorations are cast, embossed and chiselled. Among the procession crosses preserved in the area, the Millay cross is one of the oldest, but also one of the most homogeneous.
With a height of 66 cm, it dates from the end of the 17th century / beginning of the 18th century. Its exact dating is difficult: if the top-shaped knot with its decoration of palmettes and gadroons evokes the 17th century, the design and the openings at the ends of the cross place the work in the first quarter of the 18th century.

ANECDOTES
In the 1930s, the baker Marcellin Perraudin was making his rounds and was spared by lightning which fell on his car. Following this miracle, the family had a statue of Saint-Christophe erected, which is currently in the church. This same Saint-Christophe is celebrated every year in Millay during a procession in August.

OPEN YOUR EYE!
Consultation of the land registry reveals that in 1940, the rectilinear bay of the choir was flanked on the left by a sacristy. Access to it was through a door that is now walled up and still visible in the choir
Have you noticed it?

DATAtourisme France