In the heart of Vence, in southeastern France, archaeologists have uncovered an exceptional discovery: the remains of a Christian cathedral over 1,500 years old, accompanied by a remarkably preserved baptistery. Beneath the city's market halls, this treasure from the Christian past serves as a reminder of the profound depth of our country's Catholic roots.
The excavations, conducted since last March under the direction of Franck Sumera and Fabien Blanc-Garidel, have revealed a complex nearly thirty meters long that traces over six centuries of Christian life, from the 5th to the 11th century. Experts do not hesitate to state that this is one of the most important discoveries of the last fifty years in Europe.
An intact baptistery, witness to ancient faith
Among the most striking discoveries is a perfectly preserved exterior baptistery. It is a circular edifice likely surrounded by columns, covered, and containing an octagonal baptismal font that is cross-shaped on the inside. Remarkably, this font is still covered with the Roman concrete known as opus signinum.
This baptistery reminds us of an era when baptism was still performed by partial immersion, primarily for adults, long before liturgical practice evolved into the ablution we know today. It is a striking proof of the vitality of the faith in the early centuries, when Christians, despite persecutions, were already affirming their identity in solid and solemn buildings.
Archaeologists have also recovered burials in the nave of the cathedral, most likely those of bishops and canons. The tombs, constructed with Roman tiles arranged in a roof-like fashion, reflect the funerary customs of the time.
Fabien Blanc-Garidel, the excavation director, emphasizes that these discoveries confirm the antiquity of the episcopal seat of Vence and allow for a better understanding of the rise of Christianity in the Alpes-Maritimes and Provence. Located between Italy and Gaul, Vence established itself as a crossroads of faith and ecclesiastical organization.
The memory of a Christian people
The Vence site has not only yielded a cathedral: beneath its foundations, archaeologists have discovered the remains of a Roman house, showing the historical continuity between the ancient world and the nascent Christian society. After the 11th century, the old cathedral was razed to make way for a new church. In the abandoned nave, two bell molds were installed, probably for use in the neighboring building, once again testifying to the continuity of the faith.
Even as the city of Vence continues the renovation of its commercial halls, the remains will not be forgotten: a system will allow the public to view the baptistery under a protective glass slab, while the foundations of the cathedral's apse will be visible under a transparent floor. Thus, the memory of the early Christians will remain alive in the very heart of the city.