Église Sainte-Marthe de Tarascon
Église Sainte-Marthe de Tarascon or Collégiale Royale Sainte-Marthe is a collegiate church in Tarascon, France, dedicated to Saint Martha. It is where, according to a local tradition, the biblical figure Martha is buried. History. Collegiate Sainte-Marthe was dedicated in 1197 and enlarged in the 14th and 15th centuries. It was built half-Romanesque in the 12th century and half-Gothic in the 14th century. The tympanum and lintel of the Romanesque southern portal were severely damaged during the French Revolution. The tip of the church tower was destroyed during Allied bombings on  August 16, 1944. It was later rebuilt. Features. The crypt dates from the 3rd century. It houses the relics of Martha in a sarcophagus of the 4th century. Church paintings include: Painting by Charles-André van Loo: Paintings by Joseph-Marie Vien. Based on the narrative of the "Golden Legend", they were initially part of a series painted for the convent of the Capuchins in Tarascon. Paintings by Nicolas Mignard: Paintings by Pierre Parrocel: Painting by Philippe Sauvan: