After reviewing the Liber Sancti Iacobi, I decided to focus on the Church of the Sacred Cross in Orléans, also known as l’Église Sainte-Croix in French. The church is noted in the text for hosting the True Cross and the chalice of St. Evortus, a bishop and confessor, though the church does not contain his remains.
To begin, I will create a summary of the sources from which I will draw. Then, I shall present a brief history and description of the church.
A Short Selection of Sources
Starting with Google, I found several sources that fall into three major categories: encyclopedic, travel information, and stock image sites.
To streamline the process, I am only listing a few of the travel sites, because they become repetitive and contain less relevant information. Moreover, the sites that are selling usage of stock images of the cathedral are of no use to me, so I am omitting them.
Encyclopedic
Orleans Cathedral – Ancient History Encyclopedia
Sainte-Croix Cathedral | cathedral, Orléans, France | Britannica
Orleans | History, Geography, & Points of Interest | Britannica
Travel Sites
Orleans Cathedral of Sainte-Croix, history and visitor information
Basilique Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d’Orléans, France
Orleans Cathedral | France – Loire Valley
Having reviewed the most pertinent information from these sources, I will summarize the at-hand knowledge a casual student may encounter.
The History of Church of the Sacred Cross at a Glance
The site of the Cathedral of St Croix was originally home to a 4th century Christian church, from the early days of Christianity in France. Accounts vary, as some claim that the church there was built around or before 340 AD, while other believe it was constructed in 375.
Those who promote the 375 date attribute its building to St. Euverte (the same saint called Evortus in the LSI ). According to tradition, St. Euverte saw a vision in which the hand of God appeared in the sky to bless the church on its founding. The symbol of God’s hand can still be seen on the keystone of the chancel ceiling.
Others who promote the earlier date claim its connection to Saint Helena, mother of Constantine, who is traditionally connected to the discovery of the True Cross, a piece of which she donated to the church in its early days. This is one of a few theories as to the origin of the church’s name.
Another is that Charlemagne gifted a piece of the True Cross in the 9th century to Theodulf, the Bishop of Orleans. Archeological evidence points to the church having had ties to the True Cross centuries before, however. Evidence also shows that before Christianity arrived in the region, this sacred spot may also have been home to a Roman pagan temple.
The Cathedral contains many unique items and architectural pieces that remain despite its many redesigns. A wall from the fourth century church is found on the north side of the cathedral. In the fifth century, that church was replaced by a basilica. In the eighth century, a large floor mosaic was added to the crypt, which can still be seen today. The church was rebuilt again in the 9th century, impressively enough to host the coronations of Charles the Bald (848) and King Odo of West Francia (888). The next year, the cathedral and most of the city were destroyed by a fire.
However, Hughes Capet, King of the Franks, ordered that a new Romanesque cathedral would be built on the spot, and it was completed under his son’s reign c. 1000. It was added onto over the next century, but in the 13th century, it partially collapsed. The rebuilding began in 1287, but because of interrupting wars, this iteration would not be completed for over 150 years. However, in 1429, records show that Joan of Arc attended Mass in the cathedral during the English siege. Her attendance, heroism, and connection to Orléans overall creates a strong connection between her history and that of the church.
The new cathedral, in the Gothic style, was finally completed in 1530. However, it took great damage during the protests of the Huguenots in 1568. It was repaired and restored to glory, with other additions and partial, stylistic rebuilding projects over the centuries. However, the church was badly damaged during World War II, with the two front towers and many of the stain glass windows taking extensive damage. Once more, the cathedral was repaired, and it is still painstakingly maintained today.
Next Steps
With a cursory view of the history of this place, as well as a few notes on interesting points worth looking into further, such as the history of the chalice, the crypt, and the True Cross. Next, I will conduct research into the academic sources found in the library databases!
Omnia Disce 
