EGLISE SAINT SEBASTIEN

When Dudon built the castle in 997, he had a chapel dedicated to St. Sebastian built next door at the same time. Several times during the Middle Ages, it was burned, looted and ransacked because of the wars. In 1482, a priest of Dieulouard, Jean Mengin, had it razed to the ground and rebuilt, by means of quests, on larger dimensions. The portal, of modern architecture and Corinthian order, is decorated with a statue of St Sebastian placed in a niche, two statues of angels and a cross. This portal was added by one of Dieulouard's priests, Nicolas Barthélémy, in 1739. It does not lack elegance but unfortunately is not in the style of the church. In one of the side walls is inlaid a stone on which is represented in relief the martyrdom of the patron saint of the parish. The church itself is ogival in style and has three naves supported by six pillars. In 1890 the left nave was extended by one bay. This construction work was paid for by Abbot Marchal, the parish priest of Dieulouard, out of his own money, as well as the costs of repairing the organ stop. The choir, which is accessed by two staircases of eight steps each, is decorated with carved oak woodwork. The design of these panelling is the work of the architect of the Benedictine convent. Below the choir is a crypt that appears to have been originally a Gallic dwelling. Two staircases carved into the rock, each with seventeen steps, lead to it. The crypt comprises two bays: one forms the nave, the other forms the choir, at the end of which are three Romanesque windows. Two German aerial torpedoes fell in 1917 on the parish church without exploding. This event was considered a miracle. The metal casings of these two bombs were attached to two pillars of the nave and still amaze visitors today.