ASSOCIATION VIERGE NOIRE

DE SAINT GERVAZY

 

 

History

Notre dame de Saint Gervazy, Romanic black virgin of majesty, date of the second half of the XIIth century. She was in the chapel of the castle before being installed in the church. She was classified ancient memorial on December 5th, 1908. Stolen at night from 17 till 18 June 1983. It is a copy in plaster, gift of the technical and commercial services of the meeting of the national museums, that replaced her. It is only 18 years later that a student in art history noticed it in a catalog of auctions in Madrid. He warned the police and it is the central office of fight against the traffic of the cultural possessions that returned her in France. At present the inquiry continues to raise the field and find the thieves.

 

To Saint Gervazy a beautiful ceremony grouping together almost totality of the population of the village and the local authorities marked its return by testifying of the profound popular affection which arouses this black virgin, one of the most beautiful of the patrimony and the value of which is inestimable. Regrettably the enjoyment was of short duration because same evening the statue was driven under good escort to the treasure of Clermont Ferrand's cathedral where she is safe. She will stay there until important indispensable works to insure his protection and return the possible visits are realized in Saint Gervazy's church where she has to take back her place.