Auxerre's St. Germain Abbey Church, Crypt, And Frescoes

St. Germain, or Germanus, was actually a pretty famous saint, bishop of Auxerre in the 5th century, defender of the faith against the Pelagian heretics, missionary to the Brits, etc. How he came to be a cleric is a truly informative story. Anyhow, he founded the abbey that now bears his name in Auxerre, and his tomb is there, in the crypt, along with some 9th century frescoes, that is, Carolingian frescoes, oldest such in France. The abbey has been converted to a Gallo-Roman museum, and the crypt can be visited only on a guided tour, which is en Francais. We were the only visitors that afternoon, and the young guide was only too happy to practice her Anglais. It was so good, including the theological and archaeological terms, she really needed no practice. When she wasn't looking, I snapped a few interdit pix in the crypt. Before the crypt, we visited the cloisters, the church, and some of the museum exhibit areas.

St. Germain from St. Eusebius

As I have observed before, the French abhor empty space, and in cloisters
one is particularly apt to see contemporary sculpture or other objects...e. g.,
beach chairs arrayed all around

A few attempted artistic renderings

Spare parts

Now in the church, 13th or so with much older bits below

Abhoring empty space

"Je deteste les espaces vides!"

In the museum/archaeological space

Specimen

Hallway depicting the line of French monarchy

Back in the cloister

Note patched-in half-timber wall

Now in the crypt, looking into the chamber where St. Germain's tomb is, for
centuries, a major pilgrimage site; the beams are 1200 years old

Photo of a photo, looking at the sarcophogus; when opened a few centuries ago,
it was found to be empty; we surmise all the body parts had been sold to other
churches, collectors, et al.

The sarcophogus in there somewhere

The frescoes, all of them Carolingian, were discovered only in 1927; here, the
stoning of Stephen

Education of bishops: new learning from old

Old learning from new (so the guide explained)

Back outside, the abbey's Romanesque tower