The current church dates from the XVIIIe century.
The old church was located close to the cemetery, it was a Romance vault which one finds the first mention in 1031; this church dedicated to Saint Martin's day had a crypt where certain lords and certain priests of the village were buried.Considered to be undoubtedly too small and especially too far away from the village it was replaced during the XVIIIe century by the current church, it does not remain almost more nothing of this old church, the tradition wants that one used of them the stones for the construction of the new church.
The church is of only one nave ending in a square apse; on both sides of the nave open six vaults, three Northern side, three Southern coast. The Gothic vault of style is divided into five spans, each one of them comprises an intersecting ribs out of bricks whose key is out of granite. On the wall of the bottom a platform is pressed. The walls are out of stones related to the lime mortar.
The first stone was posed on May 5, 1756; The work lasted a score of years until 1778, date engraved on the keystone of the first span.
The stone gate of size is surmounted by three balls of which one out of marble. One can read, carved in the granite, the date of March 2, 1776.
On right-hand side while returning one will notice the Romance baptismal font cut in only one part in the pink marble of Conflent, they rest on a granite grinding stone. The stoup of the XVIIe century is out of pink marble; baptismal font and stoup come from the old church of the village.
First vault on the right. One can see the altar piece of Saint-Hyacinthe there works of Honore Rigau, postpones large father of the famous painter of Louis XIV. This altar piece goes back to 1594 and comes from the convent from Dominican of Perpignan, it was acquired by the parish of Joch during the French revolution. All the scenes which make it up are painted on wood. In the center the virgin appears in Saint Hyacinthe, on the right Saint françois d'Assise receives the marks.
First vault on the left.Altar piece of Holy the Cecile and Agnes, it also comes from the convent from Dominican of Perpignan, it is a work of the painter Jean-Antoine Marti, it is dated back to 1623. The central statue is a statue of Saint-Benoît cheese transformed into Saint-Anthony, a saint whom one venerates in this vault and whom one celebrates in Joch on January 17. The altar piece is surmounted Catalan blazon.
Second vault on the right.It is the vault of Sanch (passion of Christ), the only ornament of this vault is a very beautiful Christ in cross of the type baroque (XVIIIe century). The pulpit out of wooden is decorated with four carved and gilded reasons representing the evangelists.
Second vault on the left. Vault sheltering the small altar piece of the Virgin of the Rosary.
Third vault on the right. The altar piece of Midsummer's Day Baptist comes from the old church of the village, it is a work generally allotted to the large Catalan sculptor Joseph Sunyer (retables of the high altars of Prades, Collioure...). It is a altar piece of pure style baroque recalling several episodes of the life of Midsummer's Day. (Baptism of Christ, decapitation). Behind the standard which the saint (central statue) holds one can read the date of 1698.
Third vault on the left. One venerates in this Saint-Sébastien vault but the altar piece with its flowering ash is dedicated to Our Injury of the Angels.
High altar. The altar piece of the high altar is dedicated to Saint Martin's day owner of the village, it also comes him from the old church and is dated back to 1728; it is a work baroque also allotted to Joseph Sunyer. One can admire there several scenes of the life of the saint. In the center the statue of Saint Martin's day bishop celebrated on November 11, on the right the statue of Gaudérique Saint, protective saint of the farmers.
Visits with accompanying notes of the church of Joch twice per week during the summer (Wednesday and Friday starting from 15h.) Apart from the days of visit and worship the church is closed. One can however ask for the key to visit it.
Services
Service Sunday morning at 9h30
The painted ceiling
In one of the rooms of the old presbytery (nowadays the town hall) you will be able to admire a superb painted ceiling dating the XVII nd century.
Click here to view images.
In one of the rooms of the old presbytery (nowadays the town hall) you will be able to admire a superb painted ceiling dating the XVII nd century.
Click here to view images.