Saint-Aurélien Chapel

The Chapel of Saint-Aurélien, in Limoges

The Chapel of Saint-Aurélien is the small chapel of the confraternity of the butchers of Limoges, nestled in the Rue de la Boucherie and dedicated to Saint Aurélien, their patron. The Limoges audio-guided tour stops here, with respect, to evoke this place of devotion intimately linked to the corporation that watches over it for centuries.

The chapel of the confraternity of the butchers

In the heart of the Rue de la Boucherie nestles a modest but moving chapel, the Chapel of Saint-Aurélien. Built in the fourteenth century, it is intimately linked to the corporation of the butchers of Limoges, who made it their chapel and dedicated it to Saint Aurélien, whom they chose as their patron saint. According to tradition, Aurélien would have been one of the first evangelisers of the region, companion or successor of Saint Martial. For centuries, and remarkably until today, it is the descendants of the butcher families, gathered in a confraternity, who watch over the chapel, maintain it and perpetuate the traditions of devotion attached to their patron saint. This uninterrupted fidelity, transmitted from generation to generation, makes Saint-Aurélien a unique place, where religious history and the memory of a trade mingle. Inside, in the contemplation of this small sanctuary, you discover a rich decor, statues, reliquaries and precious objects of worship amassed over the centuries by the confraternity. In front of the chapel stands a fine wrought stone cross. Modest by its size but deep by its history, the Chapel of Saint-Aurélien testifies to the attachment of a trade to its faith and its memory. A sanctuary of the butchers and a place of devotion, the Chapel of Saint-Aurélien is discovered with respect.

What to see

Here you discover, with respect, the modest fourteenth-century chapel of the confraternity of the butchers, dedicated to Saint Aurélien, their patron; for centuries, the descendants of the butcher families have watched over this sanctuary, that keeps a rich decor of statues, reliquaries and objects of worship, and in front of which stands a fine wrought stone cross. The Chapel of Saint-Aurélien is a place of memory of Limoges. It is a stop to be discovered with respect.

Practical information

The Chapel of Saint-Aurélien lies in the Rue de la Boucherie, in the heart of old Limoges, reachable on foot. A place of worship maintained by the confraternity of the butchers, it can be visited with respect; entry is generally free, but hours vary. It is best to check them before coming and to respect the sacred character of the place.

What is particular about the Chapel of Saint-Aurélien in Limoges?

It is the chapel of the confraternity of the butchers of Limoges, built in the fourteenth century and dedicated to Saint Aurélien, their patron; remarkably, it is for centuries the descendants of the butcher families who watch over this sanctuary, that keeps a rich decor of statues, reliquaries and objects of worship.

Where is the Chapel of Saint-Aurélien in Limoges?

In the Rue de la Boucherie, in the heart of old Limoges, in France.