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Wise Pilgrim APPSaint-Antoine-de-Pont-d'Arratz is the first village in the Gers department, and it has a history that's worth knowing. The Antonin order founded a commandery here in the late 12th century to treat victims of ergotism, a gangrenous condition caused by contaminated rye that was known as Saint Anthony's Fire. The order operated here for over 600 years.
The church has a Mozarabic-influenced portal with three Romanesque archivolts and tau symbols on the vault keys, the emblem of the Antonin order. Medieval wall paintings were discovered during restoration in 2006. The commandery is inscribed as a Historic Monument.
At the village fountain, an inscription reads: Go pilgrim, continue your quest. No shops.
The commandery was founded by the Order of Saint Anthony, established to treat ergotism, a devastating disease caused by the ergot fungus in rye grain. The order treated patients with a combination of nursing care, amputation when necessary, and the use of a special balm. At its peak, the Antonin network operated hospitals across Europe. The commandery was inscribed as a Historic Monument in 1972.
