Saint-Pierre-en-Antioche Church, Ascq

About

Saint-Pierre-en-Antioche Church is a church located in Charles-de-Gaulle Square, in the village of Ascq, now Villeneuve-d'Ascq district.

Name: The church is frequently called the "Saint-Pierre d'Ascq Church" to distinguish it from the Saint-Pierre de Flers-Bourg Church located in the neighbouring village of Flers. The term "Saint-Pierre" would be explained by the church's membership in the Saint-Pierre chapter of Lille.

History: A trace of a church dedicated to St.Peter in Antioch in Ascq from 1128 onwards can be found in the heritage of the Abbey of St.Calixte of Cysoing, on which it depended. The Saint-Pierre-en-Antioch church of Ascq has existed since the end of the 15th century. At that time, it was a bell-free building made up of white limestone, the walls having a sandstone base. A tax survey at the time referred to intervention in roofs. If the choir dates from the 15th century, the great nave dates from the 16th century. In 1618 a brotherhood of Our Lady of Montaigu was erected in Ascq by Maximilian Vilain of Ghent, bishop of Tournai. In the church there is a painting painted in ex-voto in the 18th century. In 1753, various works took place in the...