Open Churches Days at
Sainte-Barbe

The ogival church is dedicated to Saint Barbara, the patron saint of coal miners. It is a neo-Gothic brick building dating from the second half of the 19th century.

Inside, the statue of Saint Barbara, dated 1865, is by A. Loor. Loor; it is a polychrome carved wood statue, 105 cm high, with a tower and a sword as her attributes.

Catholics pray to Saint Barbara for protection against lightning, but she is also the patron saint of architects, geologists, firemen, miners (and by extension, engineers), artillerymen, cannoneers, metallurgists and other fire-related professions, including oilmen. In particular, the great devotion shown to her by underground miners has gradually been passed on to workers and engineers in underground work (tunnels, caverns, etc.) as the Western mining industry has gradually disappeared.