Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges - Cathedral

The village Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, named after a bishop of the once existing diocese here,was just like neighbouring Valcabrère once part of a large Roman settlement, that may have had about 30.000 inhabitants. In the early 5th century the Vandals sacked the city, in 585 merovingian troops razed the site, that probably had the bishopric seat already at that time.

Saint Bertrand of Comminges (1073–1123) restored and fortified the town. He commissioned the erection of the cathedral. Saint Bertrand´s tomb was a center of regional pilgrimage already before he got canonized around 1220.

Pope Clement V, who had once been Bishop of this diocese, strongly promoted the pilgrimage, so that soon after the Romanesque church was to small for the many "pelerins". Between 1304 and 1352 the major part of old nave got demolished to make room for a new, larger Gothic nave.

In 1586, during the Wars of Religion, the cathedral was looted and severely damaged by the Huguenot troops. It took the next centuries to restore and repair. Saint-Bertrand´s relics were hidden during the Huguenot raids and are meanwhile back in the cathedral.

These two capitals near the portal are interesting. There are two lions, bending down, on the left and two sitting monkeys on the right.

The carvings style as well as the combination lion/monkey can often be found in the southern part of Languedoc (eg Prieuré de Serrabone, Elne, Saint Michel de Cuxa). The ancient Diocese of Comminges, that existed up to the French Revolution, was rather large in medieval times. It included even areas south of the Pyrenees like the Val d’Aran.