Saint-Josse
Encyclopedia
Saint-Josse, or Saint-Josse-sur-Mer, is a commune
in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France
.
on the D144 road. Before the 8th century, the sea came right up to the village, but it is nowadays 4 miles (6 km) to the west.
, a 7th century Breton
prince, the son of King Juthaêl, arrived in northern France and sought the protection of Haymon, Count of Ponthieu, to live as a hermit and renounce the crown of Brittany
.
A small monastery
was built in the 8th century at the place where Josse died. In 903, some monk
s, fleeing the Norman
invasion took refuge in England
. On their return, the abbey became a centre of pilgrimage
, especially popular with the Germans
in the 14th and 15th centuries.
The abbey was closed in 1772, sold and then destroyed in 1789, leaving no traces of the monumental building.
In the village church is the shrine
of Saint Josse, containing relic
s. In this shrine, opened in 1922, was a piece of 10th century Oriental fabric, which was sent to the Louvre
museum, referenced under ‘the shroud of Saint Josse
’.
Saint-Josse-on-Sea is still a famous place of pilgrimage. A procession takes place on the Tuesday following Whitsun
. The reliquary containing the relics of the saint is carried to the calvary
at the top of Bavémont hill at Airon-Saint-Vaast
.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Geography
Saint-Josse is located 4 miles (6 km) west of Montreuil-sur-MerMontreuil-sur-Mer
Montreuil or Montreuil-sur-Mer is a sub-prefecture in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is located on the Canche river, not far from Étaples...
on the D144 road. Before the 8th century, the sea came right up to the village, but it is nowadays 4 miles (6 km) to the west.
Population
| 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 622 | 559 | 575 | 671 | 914 | 1052 | 1203 |
| Census count starting from 1962: Population without duplicates | ||||||
History
In a place called Sidraga or Schaderias, JosseSaint Josse
Saint Judoc or Saint Josse was a seventh-century Breton noble who sought the protection of Aymon, a predecessor of the counts of Ponthieu, to live as a hermit and renounce the crown of Brittany, in a place then called either Sidraga or Schaderias or Runiacum, located in the coastal forest near the...
, a 7th century Breton
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
prince, the son of King Juthaêl, arrived in northern France and sought the protection of Haymon, Count of Ponthieu, to live as a hermit and renounce the crown of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
.
A small monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
was built in the 8th century at the place where Josse died. In 903, some monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s, fleeing the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
invasion took refuge in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. On their return, the abbey became a centre of pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
, especially popular with the Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
in the 14th and 15th centuries.
The abbey was closed in 1772, sold and then destroyed in 1789, leaving no traces of the monumental building.
In the village church is the shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
of Saint Josse, containing relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s. In this shrine, opened in 1922, was a piece of 10th century Oriental fabric, which was sent to the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
museum, referenced under ‘the shroud of Saint Josse
Suaire de St-Josse
The Suaire de St-Josse, the "Shroud of Saint Josse" that is now conserved in the Musée du Louvre, is a rich silk samite saddle cloth that was woven in northeastern Iran, some time before 961, when Abu Mansur Bakhtegin, the "camel-prince" for whom it was woven, was beheaded...
’.
Saint-Josse-on-Sea is still a famous place of pilgrimage. A procession takes place on the Tuesday following Whitsun
Whitsun
Whitsun is the name used in the UK for the Christian festival of Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples...
. The reliquary containing the relics of the saint is carried to the calvary
Calvary
Calvary or Golgotha was the site, outside of ancient Jerusalem’s early first century walls, at which the crucifixion of Jesus is said to have occurred. Calvary and Golgotha are the English names for the site used in Western Christianity...
at the top of Bavémont hill at Airon-Saint-Vaast
Airon-Saint-Vaast
-External links:*...
.