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Mary Connolly | all galleries >> Paris - February 2006 >> Sunday February 12th ~ Working-Class Paris: Belleville & Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise > Heloise et Abelard
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2.12.2006 Mary Twiss Connolly

Heloise et Abelard

Pere Lachaise

These 2 are famous medieval lovers. Pierre Abelard was a famous teacher & philosopher. Heloise was the niece of Canon Fulbert.
They married in secret, she had a baby and sent her to a monastery until they could break the news to her uncle.
Nonetheless, Fulbert discovered the deed but not understanding they were married, had Abelard hunted down & castrated (in the streets!).

They stayed married but she became abbess of a nunnery and he became abbot of a monastery.
They kept their love alive through letters that are still read today.

In any case, the romantic duo were brought to this cemetery in order to drum up business for the newly opened graveyard.
It worked so well that people were dying to get in (bad pun, I know, I'm sorry).

Olympus C-5500 Sport Zoom
1/50s f/3.5 at 7.9mm iso80 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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