Post 14. Oratory of the Brotherhood of Florey

Until the early twentieth century, on the site of the statue of Saint-Georges, there was a small neighbourhood oratory that served as altar, during the Corpus Christi procession.

It was called “ Florey Oratory,” even if it did not belong to the Florey family. This name was given because the Oratory was built against the southern wall of the building known as the House of Florey. A society called “Tsapellèt-a di Florey” in patois (meaning, “the small chapel of Florey”) formed by local residents, maintained the oratory with flowers for the solemn occasion of the feast of Corpus Christi. Like all old Anniviard societies, this one had its own vineyard in Sierre, a wine cellar in the village, and a room for meetings. Around 1901, the society was dissolved and the Oratory demolished. The vineyard, wine cellar and meeting room were all sold. This information comes from William Florey (1894-1984) who, as a child already, was one of the last heirs of the society and who attended the session deciding its dissolution.

In 1981, a new chapel dedicated to Saint-Georges, was built in the same place by descendants of the Florey family of Anniviers in memory of the previous association. On this occasion a new society was created under the name of “ Confrérie de l’oratoire des Florey ” But in turn, it was dissolved in 2010. The Oratory along with the capital of the society, were bequeathed to the « Société du village » of Vissoie.

Voir www.notrehistoire.ch (« Oratoire des Florey », deux documents : l’un sonore, l’autre écrit).

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Follow the lane toward the Zinal road. The house of the baker Epiney is a large three-story masonry building.