Saint-Étienne Church of Tonnay-Charente

Saint Stephen (Saint-Etienne), to whom this church is dedicated, is one of the first seven deacons of the early Jerusalem community and is also the first martyr (martyr) of early Christianity. The church commemorates him on Boxing Day, December 26.
When Stephen cried out his vision of the open heaven, "And he, being filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55), the people were so indignant that that they drove him out of the city and stoned him.

The Saint-Étienne parish church was founded by the first lords of Tonnay at the end of the 11th century. The current bell tower is the oldest part (late 12th early 13th century) including the portal, semicircular and decorated with historiated capitals. 16th century graffiti in the bell tower and on the apse, testify to a restoration following a collapse of the vault due to the Wars of Religion. A hurricane which swept away the gable of the levant and part of the framework required a second campaign of work at the beginning of the 18th century. Inside, a tabernacle from the end of the 17th century (Cl.MH) comes from the Capuchin chapel and is said to have been offered by Louis XIV to Madame de Montespan.

The parish church of Saint Etienne was founded by the first lords of Tonnay at the end of the 11th century.
The early church had only one nave in the shape of a cross, with an apse in the present sanctuary of the Virgin Mary and a chapel forming an arm competing with the square tower.
Later, around the 13th century, there was a restoration. The old square tower was raised one story and topped by a slender and elegant spire. This building was partially destroyed in 1560 by Calvinist bands, and the arrow flared.
The church of Saint-Etienne was again destroyed in 1580 by the Protestants and restored between 1588 and 1594, but the vaults were not able to be made, although the foundations were laid for the future. The frame rested provisionally on squared pillars which were to give the appearance of a large, solidly supported barn. The exterior was more monumental. Two slender gables dominated the body of the building at both ends. The spire of the steeple had to be rebuilt at this time, and it was in the 18th century that it was swept away, along with the gables, by a hurricane. To the remains of the old nave were added the central and the south nave.
In 1723, part of the frame collapsed. It was at this time that a hurricane threw the front gable into the courtyard of the old rectory.
The old bell was mounted in 1741 and the big bell in 1861.
Things remained in this state until 1831 when the construction of the vaults supported by 2 rows of Greek columns, fluted cylindrical, with square pedestals, was decided.
In 1850, the “Souls of Purgatory” chapel was dug into the southern wall.
In 1894, the rose window of the great nave was opened, the glass diameter of which is 3.50m.
The upper medallion represents the martyrdom of Saint-Etienne, protector of the parish.
In December of that same year, the terracotta Way of the Cross was installed by the Giscard workshops in Toulouse.
The old Louis XIV style altar, which tradition claims to have belonged to the Capuchin chapel, was restored in 1887.
In 1816, acquisition of a maid of the Descent from the Cross by Rubens. This listed canvas has recently been restored.
In 1831, an instrument called: “mille chords” was installed in the gallery (currently unusable).
In 1873 the two large bays were reopened, with 16th century mullions, framing the beautiful glass roofs of the sanctuaries of the Virgin and of Saint Joseph.