Originally the calvary's sculpture was substantial, with records showing that it was decorated with almost one hundred statues telling the story of the life and death of Jesus Christ, but the calvary was vandalized during the 1793 French Revolution leaving many statues broken and decapitated with others disappearing completely.
What is now left of the calvary stands on a large octagonal granite base and fragments of the mutilated figures are placed around the cross itself.
The Notre-Dame church at Kergrist-Moëlou dates back to the early 16th Century and was built by the brothers Guillaume and Pierre Jézéquel.
It was commissioned by the Baron de Pont-l'Abbé to celebrate the recovery of his daughter who was dying but recovered after he had made a pilgrimage to Kergrist to pray for help.
[2][3][4] On the upper surface we have a depiction of a Jew thought to have been part of the original scene depicting Jesus appearing before Pontius Pilate and a man on a horse which was probably part of the original scene showing the procession involving Jesus carrying the cross to Golgotha.
We also have a scene showing the mouth of hell and the descent into limbo and a depiction of the Virgin Mary with child accompanied by one magi.
In the nativity scene the Virgin Mary has lost her head whilst Joseph is shown kneeling behind the ass and the cow.
A winged angel, a shepherd and two magi surround the child Jesus who is shown as a boy rather than a new-born baby.
Les Ateliers du XVe au XVIIe Siècle" by Emmanuelle LeSeac'h.
Kergrist-Moelou parish church with calvary to the right
On the lower level we see Pontius Pilate washing his hands whilst a servant stands to his right with a bowl of water. Then we see what would have been part of the flagellation scene with Jesus, his feet bound and tied to a column, although Jesus has lost his head. Then we see a scene showing Jesus being crowned with thorns. To the left of Pontius Pilate, Jesus stands held by two soldiers and wearing the crown of thorns and before that we see the group including Jesus carrying the cross. On the upper surface and to the left we see the cavalier riding a horse which has lost most of its legs and on the far right the Angel of the Annunciaton
Sculpture depicting the nativity on the calvary's north face. Jesus lies between two magi whilst the heads of two cattle loom above him
The "mise au tombeau". Jesus' body is prepared for burial. On the right
Saint John
is comforting the
Virgin Mary
On the lower level left we see Jesus having the crown of thorns pushed onto his head. Next we see Saint Peter putting his sword back in its sheath whilst to his right are the remains of the scene which depicted Peter removing Malchus' ear and Jesus' arrest after betrayal by Judas, who stands clutching his purse. The damage to the group between Peter and Judas is very bad and the sculpture is difficult to interpret. On the upper level we see the horned devil on the right of the statue of a female saint. On her left are the two figures without heads one of whom was thought to be Saint Yves
View of Kergrist-Moelou calvary. On the upper level we see the cavalier on horseback. The horse's legs are broken. To his left are two headless figures. On the lower level and from left to right we see the nativity, then Mary Magdalene in tears before the Virgin Mary whose hands are raised in blessing, followed by the group en route to Golgotha, Jesus shown carrying the cross
