Les informations historiques pour les étrangers qui s'intéressent à la Cathédrale Saint-Etienne.
In the end of the 3rd Century the first bishop Saint Clement arrived in Metz and settled in the southern suburb, where stood the ruins of an enormous amphitheatre. He founded a modest sanctuary, Metz's first cathedral.
In the end of the 3rd Century the first bishop Saint Clement arrived in Metz and settled in the southern suburb, where stood the ruins of an enormous amphitheatre. He founded a modest sanctuary, Metz's first cathedral.
The saint's successor continued his work. New sactuaries appeared, outside and inside the town. In about 415 A.D. in the heart of the city, between the thermal baths and the Moselle, a solid basilica, Saint-Etienne oratory was built on the emplacement of the actual cathedral.
On Easter saturday of the year 451, Attila's hordes destroyed Metz in a fiery blood-bath. Only Saint-Etienne oratory survived the disaster with those inhabitants who had taken refuge in it. By the following century, Saint-Etienne became the cathedral.
It witnessed:
- the pomp of the Austrasian court;
- the pontifical services of Arnoul (611-617) ancestor of the Carolingians;
- the pontifical services of Chrodegang (742-766) past minister to Pépin-le-Bref;
- the pontifical services of archbishop Drogon (823-855) son of Charlemagne.
Saint Chrodegang inroduced the Roman liturgy to Gaul and imposed communal life on his canons by virtue of a Rule gradually accepted by all the Church. He beautified and enriched the edifice. He built the altar and arcades around the choir.
Among the great feast-days that took place in this cathedral were the reestablishment of Louis-le-Débonnaire on the imperial throne in 835 and the coronation of Charles-le-Chauve as king of Lotharingia in 869.
It witnessed:
- the pomp of the Austrasian court;
- the pontifical services of Arnoul (611-617) ancestor of the Carolingians;
- the pontifical services of Chrodegang (742-766) past minister to Pépin-le-Bref;
- the pontifical services of archbishop Drogon (823-855) son of Charlemagne.
Saint Chrodegang inroduced the Roman liturgy to Gaul and imposed communal life on his canons by virtue of a Rule gradually accepted by all the Church. He beautified and enriched the edifice. He built the altar and arcades around the choir.
Among the great feast-days that took place in this cathedral were the reestablishment of Louis-le-Débonnaire on the imperial throne in 835 and the coronation of Charles-le-Chauve as king of Lotharingia in 869.
The reigns of the Ottonians and the Capetians, the reforms of Cluny and Gorze brought about a vast renewal of the arts. Metz took a determined part in this mouvement and replaced its decaying ancient church which was falling into ruin by a Romanesque cathedral. Its construction was decided by bishop Thierry 1er (965-984). His successor Thierry II (1006-1047) was able to dedicate the new cathedral on the 27th of June 1040. The edifice had three naves, a transept and three apses.
The pre-Romanesque cathedral survived barely two centuries. Already, in the workshops of the Ile-de-France and of Champagne, a new style, which became known as Gothic, was being developed. Very soon it would dominate the whole of Christianity.
Metz, in full economic and political progression, felt obliged to replace its small and deteriorating Romanesque cathedral by a vast and sumptuous building.
During the bishopric of Conrad de Scharfeneck (1212-1224), the construction of the cathedral began. However the exiguity and the unusual configuration of the terrain seemed an insurmountable problem. The downward slope towards the north and east necessitated excessively costly substructures, and towards the south the cloister and several adjoining sanctuaries made any extension impossible. There remained the west side, that of the façade, where stood the collegiate church of six canons called Notre-Dame-la-Ronde (the round) because of the circular shape of its apsis.
Enlarging the building obliged the sixty canons of the cathedral and those of the collegiate church to unite the two churches under the same roof.
In about 1350, bishop Adémar de Monteil (1327-1361) added the bishops' chapel, now the chapel of the Holy Sacrament, which was only completed in 1443 by Jean de Commercy.
After a sixty-six year interruption, work began again. The vaulting of the upper nave was completed in 1380, at which time the wall separating Notre-Dame-la-Ronde and the cathedral was pulled down.
In 1486, Jacques d'Insming, vicar-general, canon and archdeacon of Metz, proposed to remodel at his expense the northern arm of the transept in which is the chapel of Notre-Dame-la-Tierce or Notre-Dame-l'Allemagne. In 1487 he laid the foundation stone of this chapel. In 1503 began the demolition of the old choir, the Saint-Nicolas chapel in the southern arm, and the Charlemagne tower. Building took place at great speed and by the 11th of April 1522 it was possible to hold the solemn inauguration of the choir and the transept. The architecture of these parts reflects the decadence of the Gothic style, nevertheless the whole ensemble is subordinated to the original plan and nothing disturbs the interiors carefully organized harmony. The cathedral was complete.
The pre-Romanesque cathedral survived barely two centuries. Already, in the workshops of the Ile-de-France and of Champagne, a new style, which became known as Gothic, was being developed. Very soon it would dominate the whole of Christianity.
Metz, in full economic and political progression, felt obliged to replace its small and deteriorating Romanesque cathedral by a vast and sumptuous building.
During the bishopric of Conrad de Scharfeneck (1212-1224), the construction of the cathedral began. However the exiguity and the unusual configuration of the terrain seemed an insurmountable problem. The downward slope towards the north and east necessitated excessively costly substructures, and towards the south the cloister and several adjoining sanctuaries made any extension impossible. There remained the west side, that of the façade, where stood the collegiate church of six canons called Notre-Dame-la-Ronde (the round) because of the circular shape of its apsis.
Enlarging the building obliged the sixty canons of the cathedral and those of the collegiate church to unite the two churches under the same roof.
In about 1350, bishop Adémar de Monteil (1327-1361) added the bishops' chapel, now the chapel of the Holy Sacrament, which was only completed in 1443 by Jean de Commercy.
After a sixty-six year interruption, work began again. The vaulting of the upper nave was completed in 1380, at which time the wall separating Notre-Dame-la-Ronde and the cathedral was pulled down.
In 1486, Jacques d'Insming, vicar-general, canon and archdeacon of Metz, proposed to remodel at his expense the northern arm of the transept in which is the chapel of Notre-Dame-la-Tierce or Notre-Dame-l'Allemagne. In 1487 he laid the foundation stone of this chapel. In 1503 began the demolition of the old choir, the Saint-Nicolas chapel in the southern arm, and the Charlemagne tower. Building took place at great speed and by the 11th of April 1522 it was possible to hold the solemn inauguration of the choir and the transept. The architecture of these parts reflects the decadence of the Gothic style, nevertheless the whole ensemble is subordinated to the original plan and nothing disturbs the interiors carefully organized harmony. The cathedral was complete.
Elena
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