Calvaire

Calvaire is the French term for Calvary, the site traditionally identified with Jesus’s crucifixion on Golgotha. In Catholic tradition, calvaries are depictions or monuments of the crucifixion, often featuring a central cross with accompanying figures and sometimes placed on a hill or along a devotional path. The term can refer to real places or symbolic spaces, including roadside shrines, chapels, or sculptural monuments associated with the Passion.

In modern culture, Calvaire is also used as a title. The most widely known use is the 2004 Belgian psychological horror film Calvaire, released internationally as The Ordeal. Directed by Fabrice Du Welz, the film follows a traveling singer who experiences increasing isolation and violence while stranded in a rural community, and it is noted for its stark, unsettling atmosphere.

The word appears in place names and institutions in French-speaking regions, and it is used in art and literature to evoke themes of suffering, sacrifice, or spiritual trial. The concept of Calvary has influenced Christian iconography and devotional practices for centuries, shaping the design of churches, stations of the cross, and various devotional artworks.