Historical exploration of the chapel of the grey penitents: a journey through the centuries
Discover the chapel of Pénitents Gris! It was founded around 1400 on the site of a former convent of the monks cordeliers offered by Louis IX to the inhabitants of Aigues-Mortes in 1248. The cordeliers are the true founders of the brotherhood of the grey penitents. The Wars of Religion: During the Wars of Religion in 1575, the chapel was destroyed and rebuilt around 1607. The brotherhood then experienced such an expansion that because of dissension among the leaders, another brotherhood was envisaged, bearing the name of white penitents. The altarpiece of Jean Sabatier: During the seventeenth century, the brotherhood grew and adorned with new embellishments. In 1687, an altarpiece representing «The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ» was built. It is made of stucco with faux marble decorations by Jean Sabatier in 1688. The Revolution: During the Revolution in 1789, the chapels were transformed into fodder warehouses. The high altar and the altarpiece are preserved thanks to the vigilance of the storekeeper, also penitent, who stacks bales of straw in front of them. The rest of the furniture is destroyed.