page_title: Dol Cathedral
section_title: "La Chapelle Absidiale"
hierarchical_section_title: Dol Cathedral / Records of burials of bishops / "La Chapelle de la Sainte Vierge" and the "Sainte Vierge" altar / "La Chapelle Absidiale"
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Saint-Budoc, Saint-Magloire, Saint-Samson et Saint-Génevée. Verrière d'axe de la chapelle absidale de la cathédrale Saint-Samson de Dol (35) figurant les quatre premiers évêques de l'ancien diocèse de Dol.
context_page_description: Dol-de-Bretagne Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located in Dol-de-Bretagne. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Samson, one of the founding saints of Brittany. It was formerly the seat of the Archbishop of Dol, one of the nine ancient bishoprics of Brittany. The cathedral suffered badly from the excesses of the French Revolution, becoming successively a "Temple de la Raison", then a stable, then a warehouse. Revolutionaries caused considerable damage and many treasures were lost. When it eventually returned to being a house of worship, its role as a bishopric was abolished by the Concordat of 1801 when the Dol diocese was merged into the Dioceses of Rennes and Saint-Malo. The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII, signed on 15 July 1801 in Paris, which sought national reconciliation between revolutionaries and Catholics. The Concordat was abrogated by the law of 1905 on the separation of church and state.
  The building is notable for its eclectic mix of styles and idiosyncrasies, such as the incomplete north tower on the main west-facing entrance. The tower was begun in 1520 but never finished due to lack of funds.
context_section_description: We then come to the apsidal chapel which flanks the southern side of the sacristy. The chapel is dedicated to saint Samson and dates to the first half of the 14th-century, being built during the episcopacy of Jean du Bosc (1312–24). A number of bishops were buried here including du Bosc. The north and south walls have stone benches. There are three large bay windows with stained glass dating to 1859 . These three windows by René Échappé depict various Dol bishops and under each of these depictions is a small medallion showing an event in that bishop's life. They were all executed in 1859 and take up three of the cathedral's many bays. The first of these windows features four lancets containing depictions of saint Budoc, saint Magloire, saint Samson and saint Génevé.  The scene shown under saint Budoc who was the 3rd bishop of Dol depicts Monseigneur Brossais-Saint-Marc being presented by saint Melaine, the 1st bishop of Dol to saint Samson and offering him a window. Beneath saint Magloire who was the 2nd bishop of Dol, the scene shows the Comte de Jersey giving the bishop part of his land. Samson was the 1st Dol bishop and beneath his image, the scene shows Samson studying a plan of the monastery he will have built in the future. Finally under saint Génevé are the arms and motto of Monseigneur Brossais-Saint-Marc.
  In another window, this comprising three lancets, are depictions of saint Even, saint Leucher and saint Thuriau.  Even was the 20th bishop of Dol and in the scene beneath his image, the deacon Gilduin is shown refusing the bishopric and recommending to the Pope that Even is given the post. Leucher was the 4th bishop of Dol and in the scene beneath his image we see Leichet using the cross of saint Samson to put out a fire which threatened the church. Beneath Thuriau's depiction, the scene shows Rivallonqui who had set fire to a Dol run monastery asking Thuriau's pardon.
  In another of the windows are depictions of Monseigneur Révol, Monseigneur Thoreau and Monseigneur de Hercé.  Beneath the image of Révol, a bishop is shown blessing the sea, beneath Thoreau a bishop and a man are shown by a water pipe and beneath de Hercé the scene shows de Hercé being shot in 1795 with Mr.de Sombreuil. The altar is the work of Hérault, the Rennes sculptor and was executed in 1859. The absidial chapel also contains the tombs of Jean Louis de Bouschet de Sourches, Mathurin de Plédran, Antoine de Révol, Mathieu Thoreau and Jean-François Dondel.
caption: The window in the apsidial chapel
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