page_title: Saint-Pol-de-Léon Cathedral
section_title: Skull boxes (39)
hierarchical_section_title: Saint-Pol-de-Léon Cathedral / The choir area / Skull boxes (39)
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Vitrail de Lobin (1868) au centre du chœur de la cathédrale Saint-Paul-Aurélien de Saint-Pol-de-Léon, représentant saint Jean-Baptiste (à gauche), une scène centrale de confession de saint Pierre (présence des Évangélistes et des Agneaux mystiques) et saint Paul (à droite). This object is indexed in the base Palissy, database of the French furniture patrimony of the French ministry of culture,&#160;under the reference&#160;IM29000791. беларуская (тарашкевіца)‎&#160;| brezhoneg&#160;| català&#160;| Deutsch&#160;| English&#160;| español&#160;| suomi&#160;| français&#160;| magyar&#160;| italiano&#160;| македонски&#160;| Plattdüütsch&#160;| português&#160;| українська&#160;| +/−
context_page_description: Paul Aurelian Cathedral was a Roman Catholic cathedral, now basilica, in Saint-Pol-de-Léon, in France .Saint-Pol-de-Léon is a commune in the Finistère department in Brittany in north-western France. It is noted for the 13th-century cathedral which stands on the site of the original church founded by Saint Paul Aurélien in the 6th century and the Notre-Dame du Kreisker Chapel, with its 80-metre-high spire, the highest in Brittany. It was also the scene of the a battle during the Breton War of Succession, where the Montfortists and their English allies defeated an army led by Charles of Blois.
context_section_description: Called "Les Etagères de la nuit", these wooden "skull boxes" or "boîtes à crâne" are kept behind a grill in the cathedral's ambulatory. Each box holds a skull and the box is inscribed with the name of the person to whom the skull belonged. The box takes the form of a small chapel surmounted by a cross with a trefoil shaped opening. At one time these "skull boxes" were common in Brittany and it was the practice up until the 19th century to remove skeletons from the cemetery after they had been buried for 5 years in order to create space for new remains. The bones were placed in the ossuary or charnel house but the skulls were passed to the deceased's family and many chose to have the skull placed in these chapel shaped boxes and kept on display. The skulls seen on the shelves come from all classes of society from a baker, a health inspector, an infant aged only 6 and a priest to Hamon Barbier the archdeacon of Kéménédilly who owned the famous Kerjean château.
  In the first window of the choir and on the left there is a four-panelled stained glass window. The first panel depicts King Salomon, the king of the Bretons holding his crown ("Salomon, roi des Bretons tenant en main sa couronne"). the second shows Saint Pol passing his stole around the neck of the dragon defeated by Kergonadec'h ("Comment saint Pol terrassa le dragon"). The third portrays the sieur of Kergonadec'h and the fourth Saint Françoise d'Amboise. This window dates to the 16th century and was the work of the Lobin factory in Tours.  The window also bears the coat of arms of Françoise d'Amboise.
  The central window dates to 1868. It comprises four lancets. In the first panel is John the Baptist, in the second and third lancets Jesus is shown with Saint Peter and the fourth panel depicts St. Paul. The arms of Léon appear at the top of the window as well as those of the cathedral chapter. Above the window, two écu are held by two angels. One bears the motto "vexillum regis" and is the insignia of the de la Bouéxière family and the other is the insignia of the du Cleuzious.
  The window on the right side depicts Saint Hervé and his dog in the first lancet, in the two central panels is a depiction of Saint Pol kneeling before Childebert ("Comment Childebert fit sacrer saint Pol évêque de Léon") and in the fourth lancet we see Saint Yves ("Saint Yves avocat des pauvres"). This window by Lobin is located to the right of the choir and commemorates Childebert appointing St Pol as bishop of Léon ("Comment Childebert fit sacrer St Pol évêque de Léon") whilst on either side of this scene are depictions of Saint Hervé with his dog and Saint Yves.  In the tracery, various angels are shown playing musical instruments. The window is inscribed " SAINT HERVE EXORCISTE ; COMMENT CHILDEBERT FIT SACRER SAINT PAUL EVEQUE DE LEON ; ST YVES AVOCAT DES PAUVRES" and includes the coat of arms of La Bouëxière.
caption: Window depicting John the Baptist, Saint Peter and Saint Paul
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