If the building welcomes the faithful of the region every Sunday, it is also worth a detour to discover its hidden treasures.
When he arrived in Espalion in 1872, parish priest Louis Brévier found himself facing a major problem. Faced with the expansion taken by the city, then sub-prefecture, the parish church could no longer accommodate all the faithful. If the notables as well as the senator Casimir Mayran and the bishop of Rodez leaned for the solution aiming at increasing the existing church, Louis Brévier succeeded in convincing Joseph Poulenc to support his project of new building on the other side of the boulevard and especially … To finance it.
The laying of the first stone will take place on September 28, 1879. Four years later this new church will be consecrated on October 3, 1883. It will keep the name of Saint John the Baptist because the old one, being the subject of a project for transfer the services of the town hall there, will be disused.
A neo-Gothic building
Oriented east-west, the bedside setting, the new building is preceded by a closed courtyard. To reduce the very high cost, the side walls are made of limestone coated with a plaster imitating sandstone, which in no way detracts from its aesthetics.
Dark red sandstone constitutes the entire facade, towers, buttresses and framing of the stained-glass openings.
A little cathedral air
Seen from a distance, the facade first appears in the form of two towers, 45 meters high, which form its bell tower.
These towers are surmounted by two statues of 3 meters representing the Virgin and Saint Joseph blessing the city. The central portal with a trumeau is surmounted by a rose window. The tympanum, the only real sculpted decoration, includes the statues of Saint John the Baptist and Saint-Hilarian framing that of the Good Shepherd. Six heads carved on the arched doorways, and coats of arms placed above the side doors, papal arms on the left and episcopal arms on the right, complete the decor.
A multitude of little treasures
The Ruthenian architect Grinda was able to give the building proportions which, despite the small length, gives the visitor a remarkable impression of the scale of the whole.
The nave, the vault of which is finely ribbed with ribbed crossings with historiated keystones, is flanked by two aisles and made up of four bays. Its main ornament consists of a beautiful stone pulpit decorated with figures of Christ and the four evangelists.
In the right transept, the first chapel is dedicated to Notre-Dame, the next is dedicated to the Sacred Heart.
In addition to an entombment on gilded wood, this transept contains a painting of the Last Supper which formed the central part of the altarpiece of the old church.
In the left transept, the last chapel is dedicated to Saint-Hilarian with a reliquary above the altar.
On the right a bronze represents the martyrdom of the saint.
This bronze is the work of Denys Puech who is also the author of the statue of Saint-Éloi facing him. On the bottom of the transept one can admire a magnificent ex-voto painting painted during the plague of 1653-54, representing the town of Espalion and the castle of Calmont protected by Saint-Joseph.
Under the statue of Sainte-Thérèse is the tomb of Canon Louis Brévier who deserved to rest in his church.
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