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Carolingian Monastic Reform and the Plan of St. Gall, Part III: Some Comparisons

© George R. Hoelzeman

One of the earliest constructions resembling St. Gall is the church of Hagios Leonidas at Corinth-Lechaion. H. Leonidas, constructed about 450, was an enormous (610 ft with atrium and forecourt) triple-aisle basilica with a semi-circular entry apse remarkably similar to St. Gall. A slightly elevated causeway, the solea, extended from the raised sanctuary to the ambo, which stands in a place almost identical to the ambo in the Plan. At St. Gall, however, the benches for the monastic community face the altar in parallel rows in front of the main altar. H. Leonidas has the more typical antiphonal arrangement. In spite of the similarities between these churches, the more direct influence on the St. Gall plan derives from certain late eighth- and early ninth-century plans. These constructions include the monastery churches of Centula (St. Riquier, c.790-799) and Fulda (c. 800-822), and the Carolingian cathedral of Cologne (c. 820-870)1.

The oldest of these, Centula, was the first large Frankish church based on a Latin cruciform pattern. This construction corresponds well with the dimensions of the St. Gall church2. It possessed a monumental West entrance, complete with round towers flanking the facade. After passing through a vestibule containing the sarcophagus of St. Angilbeth, the visitor encountered the font and associated altar of St. Dennis (Dionysus). This and the position of the Altar of the Holy Cross (nave center) are almost identical to the arrangement in the St. Gall plan. Further east in the nave, altars flank the great piers supporting the crossing. Two more altars are located in the transepts and the altar of St. Peter stands at the entrance to the choir3. After passing the tomb of St. Riquier, a series of steps lead up to the high altar dedicated to the same saint.

There are significant parallels in the arrangement of the altars in these two churches. At Centula the altar of St. Dennis is associated with the font, perhaps because of the imperial connection to that saint. The corresponding altar at St. Gall is dedicated to SS. John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. This dedication is almost certainly based on the dedications of the three altars in the baptistery at St. John Lateran in Rome. The third altar at the Lateran was dedicated to the Holy Cross, the next altar in sequence at St. Gall. The altars of Ss. Stephen and Lawrence are located west of the crossing bay at Centula exactly as at St. Gall. The altars of SS. John and Martin at Centula are replaced by the altars of SS. Benedict and Columban at St. Gall. The position of these altars at the entrance to the choir may have been reserved for saints of local importance. The transept altar dedications at Centula to SS. Quintan and Maur are replaced at St. Gall by SS Philip and James (north), and Andrew (south). Quintan is dropped entirely at St. Gall but an altar dedicated to Maur appears lateral to the Holy Cross in the south aisle of St. Gall.

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