Basilique Saint Aphrodise
BEZIERS , Hérault – Cultural heritage
About
The basilica of Saint-Aphrodise, a pre-Romanesque jewel built over the grotto of the saintly evangelizer and first bishop of Béziers, bears witness to an ancient faith. Built on an early Christian necropolis, it combines history, legend and spiritual fervor.
The Saint-Aphrodise basilica, a pre-Romanesque edifice from the VIIIᵉ century (reworked from the XIIᵉ to the XIVᵉ), rises over the grotto that houses the tomb of the holy evangelizer, patron saint and first bishop of Béziers: Aphrodise.
A former Egyptian priest of the cult of Amon, he is said to have left everything behind to proclaim the word of Christ, after welcoming the Holy Family fleeing the “massacre of the Innocents”. Setting off with his camel, he evangelized Béziers before being beheaded by the Romans in Place Saint-Cyr. With his head under his arm, he is said to have crossed the city to a grotto where he buried himself: this would be the present-day crypt of the basilica.
It is known that the church was built on an early Christian necropolis. After twenty years of closure due to the instability of its walls, the building has now been stabilized and is once again open to the public.
Spoken languages : French
