“Working for the seat of the Holy Father is truly unique”, they are making the Pope’s chair for his visit to Corsica

The Angevin association SOS Calvaires which restores religious calvaries has just won a miraculous contract: to supply the pope's furniture for his visit to Corsica. A prestigious mission which includes the seat of the pope and those of the cardinals but also an immense cross in the shape of a marine anchor. A challenge to be accomplished by an army of volunteers in less than two months.

“There, I see the knots that have split, you will have to plug them. Behind, I also saw them on the top of the backrest” notes Eloi Verly, one of the volunteer carpenters of SOS Calvaires, while examining one of the six cardinals' seats under construction in the association's Angevin workshop in addition to the papal seat.

Sos Calvaires is an association which is responsible for the restoration of calvaries, crosses and monuments which line the roads, often in the countryside.

It is located in the small town of Lion d'Angers, between Angers and Segré, in the north of Maine-et-Loire.

Created in 1987 under an old name (Association of Friends of Chapels and Calvaries of the Lion-d'Angers region) it was renamed “SOS Calvaires” in 2019.

Since 2020, it has taken on a national scale by opening multiple departmental branches and now brings together 4,000 volunteers throughout France.

On its website, the association claims to restore “more than one ordeal per day since January 2023“, like here in the Rhône.

The headquarters is still located in Lion-d'Angers, it has moved to a larger workshop and the association now has 6 employees.

More accustomed to ordeals, the association instead receives a blessing with this official order from the diocese of Ajaccio (South Corsica) for religious furniture used during Pope Francis' first liturgical trip to Corsica on December 15.

READ ALSO. Pope in Corsica: Experience the visit of the Holy Father live all day on December 15 on Via Stella

These include the chair on which the pope must sit during the mass he is to lead in Ajaccio.

A pine seat with the inscription “SPES”, hope in Latin, and digitally engraved undulations to symbolize the sea, two themes linked within the Catholic Church as François Bauchet, carpenter of the association based in Châteauroux in Indre.

“You will have a marine anchor which will be displayed at the top of the backrest and will complete all the symbolism of this seat“continues the carpenter.

“We received specific dimensions for the Pope's seat. We're not sure why, but potentially, it may be to help him get up more easily during ceremonies“François Bauchet speculates.

I saw on one of the drawings that it had written “for Pope Francis”

François Bauchet

Carpenter SOS Calvaires Châteauroux

“I discovered that it was for the Pope when my SOS Calvaires branch manager in Châteauroux asked me to make liturgical furniture in record time. When he showed me the plans that the monks of the Abbey of Fontgombault in Indre I saw on one of the drawings that he had written 'for Pope Francis'.

This workshop specializing in the restoration of Calvary has already built 370 crosses this year.

But this prestigious order, which arrived in mid-October from the diocese of Ajaccio, created a surprise within the association.

“The vicar general of the diocese of Ajaccio, Father Constant, who contacted us, began by telling us that it was for the conference on Popular Piety which was being held in Ajaccio on December 14 and 15.” explains Jeanne Cumet, communications assistant for SOS Calvaires.

“When he detailed the furniture that needed to be made, he surreptitiously slipped in “a papal seat”. We said to ourselves, but papal, there is pope in it, so what does that actually mean?“ smiled the young woman.

“He told us: “we must not say it”, specifies Jeanne Cumet.

We had to keep our tongues shut for a few weeks to keep this project a little secret until the Pope actually decided to come to Corsica and it became official.

Jeanne Cumet

communications assistant for SOS Calvaires

The association relied on its network of 4,000 volunteers in France to ensure this extraordinary order.

Loïc and François, carpenters in Chateautoux in Indre, have paused their construction sites to be available.

“Working for the seat of the Holy Father is still unique” explains François Bauchet who himself is personally a practicing Catholic.

I think I still don't really realize it. Maybe I'll realize the day I see him on it. For now we are trying to really aim for excellence.

François Bauchet

carpenter SOS Calvaires in Châteauroux

“Potentially, it will be seen by billions of people. It feels weird to say it” confesses the carpenter.

Originally, the order was for a large cross.

After three intense weeks, it's time for finishing touches.

The cutting is finished, what remains is the assembly of this cross measuring 6 by 3 meters which will welcome the Pope and the pilgrims during the mass planned in Ajaccio on December 15.

Oak wood and a sea anchor shape that is different from the ordinary.

“It's different, but not more complicated” confides Louis-Joseph Marchal, carpenter and workshop manager at SOS Calvaires.

“By dint of making crosses, we only make half-wooden assemblies. It's always a bit redundant, we repeat ourselves” adds the carpenter.

The fact of being able to make other assemblies, as we can see here are mortise tenons which really fit into the room. And it's a pretty cool thing to do.

Louis-Joseph Marchal

carpenter and workshop manager at SOS Calvaires Lion-d'Angers

The carpenters work until late in the evening to get everything ready.

The furniture must leave next Wednesday for Corsica.

Written with Laurence Couvrand

The report by Laurence Couvrand, Cyril Dudon, edited by Stéphane Hérel

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