Saint-Médard (Immaculée Conception)
Place Stroh
59440 Dourlers
Church | 1864 | Neogothic | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 January - 31 December
Mon 11.00 - 18.00
Tue 11.00 - 18.00
Wed 11.00 - 18.00
Thu 11.00 - 18.00
Fri 11.00 - 18.00
Sat 11.00 - 18.00
Sun 11.00 - 18.00
Religious offices
Description
The interior of the building is marked by the height of the nave, which opens onto a choir where the eye follows the journey of Christ: from the descent from the cross (central stained-glass window) to the burial (celebration altar and high altar). The rest of the furnishings follow this neo-Gothic style (pulpit, side altars, confessionals). The presence of a chapel recalls the place of the great seigneurial families, the last of which – the Bourbon-Bussets – remained owners of the château until the 1970s.
Stroll through Dourlers Church and admire the decorative details: murals, stained glass windows, statues...
After visiting the church, take the time to explore the village, which still boasts a wealth of heritage sites: the Saracen Wall, the hamlet of Mont-Dourlers and Saint-Julien Chapel.
*The commune took the name Wattignies-la-Victoire after the battle of 1793.
Did you know? In Avesnes-sur-Helpe, there is a statue known as the ‘little drummer Stroh’. It depicts a young teenager with a drum and his arms raised as if to beat the charge and encourage the troops. Oral tradition and certain commemorations hold that Joseph Stroh fell during the Battle of Wattignies, in Dourlers, in an alleyway near the church.
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Photos
Remarkable elements
The pulpit
Finely carved in the neo-Gothic style, it was moved to the back of the church, probably after the Second Vatican Council. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1980.
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The Marquis Chapel
The Marquis de Nédonchel family (originally from Saint-Polois) settled in Dourlers in the mid-19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, the seigneurial chapel – still separated from the church by a grille – was decorated with stained glass windows by the artist Marc-Joseph Bulteau (originally from the North). Saints Michel, Jeanne d'Arc, Louis and Jeanne de Valois (probably the latter) are represented there, accompanied by the coat of arms and motto ‘Antiquitas et Nobilitas’ of the Nédonchel family.
All of the church's stained glass windows are believed to be by the same artist, based on the technique used. Two of them are decorated with the coats of arms of families associated with the village and the church: the Bady, de Nédonchel and Bourbon-Busset families.
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The murals
On the walls of the choir are a series of murals symbolising Christianity:
- the pelican representing Christ's sacrifice for the salvation of mankind,
- the chalice containing the consecrated host representing Faith,
- the good shepherd giving his life for his sheep,
- the fish, when linked to bread, is associated with the Eucharist,
- the trigram composed of the three Latin letters IHS, which means ‘Jesus, Saviour of mankind’.
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The oculus
A work by stained glass artist Marie-France Willot depicting a blue dove in a quatrefoil. This stained glass window was unveiled in 2022.
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The side chapel dedicated to Saint Médard
On this neo-Gothic altar stands a statue of Saint Médard, which probably dates from 1517. The cult dedicated to Saint Médard spread rapidly, particularly in Flanders, where he was bishop in the mid-6th century (Tournai). He is known for his great piety and generosity, distributing his possessions to all.
Legend has it that as a child, he gave one of his father's horses to a poor man who had lost his own. Wanting to get it back, his father went out in the pouring rain accompanied by Medard, who did not get wet. An eagle had spread its wings to protect him, allowing him to stay dry. Popular tradition continues to invoke Saint Médard against excessive rain and preserves the meteorological proverb ‘if it rains on Saint Médard's Day (8 June), it will rain for 40 years’.
The presence of Saint Médard in the church adds to the confusion that still surrounds the official name of the church: Saint-Médard or Immaculate Conception?
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