Visit to Orl茅ans, France
Inside Fleury basilica, Saint-Beno卯t-sur-Loire
Old Members鈥� Trust Graduate Conference and Academic Travel Fund Travel Report 鈥� James Drysdale Miller (2020 DPhil in History)
In January 2024 I travelled to Orl茅ans, France, to carry out research in support of my DPhil thesis, 鈥楻elics and Memory: Fleury and the Body of St Benedict, c. 750鈥揷. 1140鈥�.
My doctoral research explores the history of St Benedict鈥檚 relics at the abbey of Fleury, using the medieval community as a case study for how medieval relics were venerated and how meaning was assigned to them. This research trip supported my studies both by allowing me to visit Fleury itself and to consult several key manuscripts housed in Orl茅ans libraries.
The first part of the trip was a visit to the abbey of Fleury, which lies about 20 miles to the east of Orl茅ans. This visit, which had long been delayed by the pandemic restrictions in place when I started my DPhil, was greatly exciting. I was able to meet members of the modern monastic community who kindly gave me a tour of the basilica and of the abbey鈥檚 rich medieval stonework collection. The opportunity to walk around the basilica and the various surrounding chapels was especially informative for my research, much of which considers the importance of processions as ways by which the monks shaped their understandings of relics. To finally visit the site around which which my thesis revolves was a very special occasion.
Orl茅ans M茅diath猫que MS 322, with some marginal additions just visible
The second part was spent in the Orl茅ans M茅diath猫que (formerly the municipal library), consulting medieval manuscripts which had been owned and used by the monks of Fleury. The M茅diath猫que鈥檚 high-quality digitization program meant that I had been able to complete most of my research through online facsimiles, but in-person consultation of some of the manuscripts was still required. This allowed me to identify delicate signs of use not visible in the online photographs. Access to Orl茅ans M茅diath猫que MS 322 was especially exciting, as the application of UV light revealed a series of erased marginal additions not visible under normally lighting conditions.
I am grateful for the financial support offered by the Old Members鈥� Trust Graduate Conference and Academic Travel Fund, which made this research trip possible, and the kind assistance of monks of Fleury and the librarians at the Orl茅ans M茅diath猫que.
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Published: 31 May 2024