Vigeois - Saint-Pierre

The parish church of Vigois is the last structure of the former "Abbaye Saint-Pierre", founded here by Yrieix du Limousin (aka "St. Yriex", "Aredius") within the 6th century.
So the "Abbaye Saint-Pierre" was one of the oldest convents within the Limousin.

In the 9th century the Normans (Vikings) looted and ruined the abbey. After some decades, the abbey recovered and got rebuilt. In 1070 it burnt down. Since 1082 it was dependent from Cluniac Saint-Martial Abbey in Limoges and prospered during the 12th century.

Destroyed again during the Hundred Years War, rebuilt again by the Bishop of Limoges. During the Wars of Religions Huguenot troops burnt down the nave of the church and vandalized many of the carvings. Another fire hit the church in 1705, when it fell into disrepair.

All buildings of the convent got demolished after the French Revolution, only the Saint-Pierre, now the parish church, survived the times. The renovation of the nave was completed in the 1860s. Apse and crossing, seen here, got restored early 20th century. The large apse never got severely damaged. Only some carvings are mutilated, but most of the capitals, dating back to the 12th-century, are still in situ.

Around the apse are some interesting capitals.

As the person to the very left can only be Lazarus, the couple in front can only be the rich man and his wife. Actually this capital may correspond to the rich man´s death (previous uplaod).

Luke 16:19-21

"There was a certain rich man who clothed himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted luxuriously every day. At his gate lay a certain poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. Lazarus longed to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead, dogs would come and lick his sores."