Église Notre-Dame de Benoîte-Vaux, Medieval pilgrimage church in Rambluzin-et-Benoîte-Vaux, France.
Église Notre-Dame de Benoîte-Vaux is a medieval church set in a forest valley between Verdun and Bar-le-Duc, marked by a Tuscan-style western facade carved with Christ and the four evangelists. The grounds contain multiple buildings for lodging with a combined capacity of 100 beds, plus a dining hall and religious bookshop.
The church was established in 1157 when Bishop Albéron de Chiny of Verdun granted the land of Basse-Ham, later named Benoîte-Vaux, to the Premonstratensian abbey of Notre-Dame de l'Étanche. This monastic foundation laid the groundwork for its role as a pilgrimage destination over the centuries.
The church houses a medieval statue of the Virgin Mary that was crowned in a liturgical ceremony in 1875, an event that remains central to the site's spiritual identity. This veneration of Mary continues to shape the place's religious character.
The site is located in a wooded area and requires taking time to explore the grounds and buildings at a relaxed pace. Visitors should plan to wander through the different areas to experience the various religious spaces and structures spread across the property.
The site features fourteen monolithic Stations of the Cross carved from stone quarried at Euville, completed by sculptor Désiré Fosse in 1895 based on Henri Chapu's original design. These carved reliefs form a rare artistic collection that few other locations possess in this form.
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