“A church built near a railway station? How peculiar.” Chapelle Saint-Léonard in Râches has such a story. This isn’t the original Chapelle Saint-Léonard. The first chapel, a site of pilgrimage since 1228, stood where the roads met, near Baillon. Pilgrims sought Saint Leonard’s intercession for miracles and healings. Princes of Bergues Saint Winoch restored it in 1444, having acquired it from the lords of Saint-Léger. Sadly, nothing remains of this original structure except perhaps a doorway arch, preserved on a nearby house.
The old chapel, serving as the parish church after the revolution, fell into disrepair. Abbé Gadenne, then the parish priest, faced immense challenges replacing it. He eventually succeeded. The new Chapelle Saint-Léonard, built near the railway station, was consecrated in 1860. Inside, a statue depicts Saint Leonard in celestial beauty. A relic, a bone from the saint’s arm, gifted by Cardinal Déprez, is also venerated here.
Historically, Chapelle Saint-Léonard was famed for its healings. Arnold de Rayshs, writing in 1228, noted pilgrims came from afar seeking cures. Ex-votos, chains, crutches, and gifts of wax, silver, and gold filled the old chapel. Bishop Herman Ortenberg of Arras ordered these healings documented. Sadly, most ex-votos were lost, save a silver heart inscribed “Glory to the Victor. J. Fougnies, 3rd king of the Confraternity of Saint Leonard of Péruwelz, 1826.” Even today, pilgrims visit, particularly seeking help for children’s ailments. The confraternity is no longer active. However, the veneration of the relic continues, particularly on the Sunday after Pentecost. Chapelle Saint-Léonard stands as a testament to faith and healing, a beacon of hope built near the modern marvel of a railway station.