Saint Aicard Church is an abandoned church. Its new purpose is a boxing school. It is under the guarding eye of Anton Gris. Here you can bet on the watch of Anton Gris and pick up powerups.
Known references[]
07B.01 - The Altar[]
Above the altar is a medieval inscription with god, angels and some saints on it. It's original can be found at the Saint-Génis-des-Fontaines Abbey in southern France called Église Saint-Michel. The thing is called a lintel and was made in the 11th century.
The text is also used in the game. It reads: ANNO VIDESIMO QUARTO RENNATE ROTBERTO REGE WILIELMUS GRATIA ABA ISTA OPERA FIERI IUSSIT IN ONORE SANCTI GENESII CENOBII QUE VOCANT FONTANES.
Which translates as: In the twenty-fourth year of the reign of King Robert, William, by the grace [of God] abbot, ordered this work to be made in honour of Saint Genesius the hermit, which is called Fontanes.
07B.02 - Stained glass[]
The stained glasses in the game comes from: Holy Roseary Chapel in Norwood, Ohio in the USA. Only six of the 15 are used in the game.
A bit messed and disordered considering this iconographic sequence must have a logical order - Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries - as it appears at the original chapel - here they just picked a few of them in no particular order, which will never happen in a real church- but still beautiful and shows the care of the developers to provide something real for the game textures.
07B.03 - Fresco 1[]
- Painter: Piero della Francesca (1415-1492)[1]
- Made in: 1450
- Name: Baptism of Christ
- Current location: National Gallery in London, United Kingdom
- Original: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Piero_della_Francesca_-_Baptism_of_Christ_-_WGA17595.jpg
07B.04 - Fresco 2[]
- Painter: Piero della Francesca (1415-1492)[2]
- Made in: 1452-1458
- Name: Death of Adam
- Current location: Basilica of San Francesco, Arezzo, Italy
- Original: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Piero_della_Francesca_033.jpg
07B.05 - WAKKA punching bag[]
The boxer looks a bit like Steven Seagal, but it could be me. The WAKKA punching bag, maybe a reference to Wakka from Final Fantasy X. That game was released in 2001.
07B.06 - Paper on the table[]
In front of the boxing ring on a table are two notes with texts on it.
First one says: théatre de Capitol, Rue de Rohan, Paris. Vendredi et samedi, …. août le 3 et 4. 3 Expositions Quotidiennes. Spécial, Ray Sunshine vs Kurt Merkin. This can be translated as: Théatre de Capital, Rue the Rohan, Paris. Friday’s and Saturday’s in august from 3 and 4. Daily three expositions.
- I looked up the "Rue de Rohan" in Paris but it is really short street next to the Louvre. It consist of two buildings but none are a theatre.
- I looked up the "théatre de Capitol", but there is none in Paris. There is one in Toulouse.
The second note says: Spécial: Ray Sunshine v Kurt Merkin.
- I found an album from Ray Sunshine "Blue Skies forever" (1980)[3] [4]
- But Ray could also be Ray Tran a developer
- I don’t know who is “Kurt Merkin”. I found what is a Merkin. [5]
Unknown references[]
07B.07 - Statue of Saint Aicard[]
I presume it would be Saint Aicard.
07B.08 - Rose window[]
Notice the white dove in the center, that is the Holy Spirit.
Couldn't find it on the internet. If you have a suggestion leave a comment.
Trivia[]
07B.09 - Posters with the names of the creators[]
This is an easter egg! Read more here
07B.10 - Anton Gris[]
The name "Gris" is french for "Grey" in English.
Murty Schofield has many references to the "Greys" his documentation.
07B.11 - The name st. Aicard[]
If you think about it. “St. Aicard” seems like a strange name for a church or a saint. You don’t hear it often.. So what about it? This website refers to three people:
- Aicard of Marseilles was the Archbishop of Arles from 1070 to 1080,
- Amiel Aicard was the Abbot of the Cathar Monastery of the Château de Montségur and
- Jean François Victor Aicard (1848 - 1921).
So.. Amiel Aicard seems interesting especial with the word Montségur. Ring a bell? No.. look at the level the Vault of Trophies. One of the Lux Veritatis names is Montesegur. Bogomil is the name of a priest and a religious movement in Bulgaria which lead to Catharism. Occitan is the name a part of south France which is associated with the Cathars. Limoux is a city in France.
Amiel Aicard stayed at Grotte de Lombrives. “The cave has served as a refuge for centuries: prehistoric Neolithic human groups, brigands, hermits, lepers, simple shepherds as well as counterfeiters took shelter there. The cave would have served as a refuge for Catholic bishop Amiel Aicard after the fall of the castle of Montsegur in 1244. It sheltered priests and nobles during the French Revolution and then Republicans during the First Empire.” From the French wikipedia.
In an interview with Murti Schofield he refers to the Cathars as well. See for the full interview at Tomb of Ash.
07B.12 - Goofs[]
There are three places that have collision, but it is useless there.
07B.13 - Unused pictures[]
07B.14 - Background chatter[]
In the church on the background is some chatter. I hear some commercials, a male voice saying something and a female voice telling the news something with the then president of France: Jacques Chirac. If someone understands French and would translate this, please let me know.