Saint-André church

Saint-André church in Jamioulx was Napoleon’s last known stop before entering Charleroi on 15 June 1815. The present building dates back to 1858 but the grave of the priest Jean Nicolas Jénicot is still visible in the cemetery.

It is said here that the Emperor was struck by the intelligence of this priest and that he promised to appoint him Bishop of Tournai. It is important to note that Napoleon considered the Catholic religion to be a body of the French state in itself. He tried to reconcile the anti-clerical revolutionary values and moral and social role played by the church. As such, the Emperor appoints bishops and clergy is paid by the French State. The priests could, in a manner of speaking, be considered state officials.