Saint-Pierre de Montmartre () is one of the oldest surviving churches in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, second to the
Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres
An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns.
The conc ...
, but the lesser known of the two main churches in
Montmartre
Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...
, the other being the more famous 19th-century
Sacré-Cœur Basilica, just above it. Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, begun in 1133, was the church of the prestigious Montmartre Abbey, destroyed in the French Revolution.
[Dumoulin, Ardisson, Maingard and Antonello, ''Églises de Paris (2010)'', pp 180-183]
According to the earliest biography of
Saint Ignatius Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola, Society of Jesus, S.J. (born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; eu, Ignazio Loiolakoa; es, Ignacio de Loyola; la, Ignatius de Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Spain, Spanish Catholic ...
, the martyrium of Montmartre Abbey was the location at which the vows were taken that led to the founding of the
Society of Jesus
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
.
History
![Grange Bateliere & Porcherons (Truschet)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Grange_Bateliere_%26_Porcherons_%28Truschet%29.jpg)
According the traditional history of the church, it was founded by
Saint Denis in the third century, but only scattered signs of Gallo-Roman occupation have been detected at the much-disturbed site,
Merovingian
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...
sarcophagi and column capitals dating from the 7th century indicate that there was church on the summit of the butte of
Montmartre
Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...
, dedicated to Saint Peter, since the 6th century.
[Dumoulin, Ardisson, Maingard and Antonello, ''Églises de Paris (2010)'', pp 180-183] Théodore Vacquier, the first municipal archaeologist of Paris, identified remains of a wall as belonging to the Temple of Mars, from which he believed Montmartre took its name.
An early church, the "Sanctum Martrium", or "Chapel of Martyrs", was built on the same site in the 9th century, to mark the traditional location on the southern side of the hill where it was believed that the Patron Saint of Paris,
Saint Denis, was beheaded, along with the priest Eleuthere and the Diacre Rustique.
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola, Society of Jesus, S.J. (born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; eu, Ignazio Loiolakoa; es, Ignacio de Loyola; la, Ignatius de Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Spain, Spanish Catholic ...
and his followers chose the same site for the foundation the Company of Jesus, or
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
order in 1534. In the Ninth Century the church became a stop for pilgrims going to the
Saint Denis Basilica
The Basilica of Saint-Denis (french: Basilique royale de Saint-Denis, links=no, now formally known as the ) is a large former medieval abbey church and present cathedral in the commune of Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. The building ...
.
In 1133
Louis VI purchased the territory of Montmartre from the monks of the Abbey of Saint-Martin-des-Champs. He and his wife, Adelaide de Savoye, founded a royal convent for Benedictine nuns from the Monastery of Saint-Pierre-des-Dames. The church had two functions; the eastern portion, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and to Saint Denis, was used by the nuns, while the western portion, dedicated to Saint Peter, were used by the residents of the local parish.
The Abbey was reconsecrated by
Pope Eugenius III
Pope Eugene III ( la, Eugenius III; c. 1080 – 8 July 1153), born Bernardo Pignatelli, or possibly Paganelli, called Bernardo da Pisa, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1145 to his death in 1153. He w ...
in 1147, in a lavish royal ceremony where
Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux, O. Cist. ( la, Bernardus Claraevallensis; 109020 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templars, and a major leader in the reformation of the Benedictine Order through ...
(better known as Saint Bernard) and
Peter, Abbot of Cluny acted as
acolytes.
In 1622, the chapel of the Holy Martyr was converted to a priory, which was designated "the lower church". The 1670s and early 1680s marked a special moment in the history of the abbey. During the years when Françoise Renée de Lorraine, the sister of
Marie, Duchess of Guise
Marie de Lorraine (15 August 1615 – 3 March 1688) was the daughter of Charles de Lorraine, Duke of Guise and Henriette Catherine de Joyeuse and the last member of the House of Guise, a branch of the House of Lorraine.
Biography
Marie de Lor ...
, was abbess, and especially while
Marguerite Louise d'Orléans
Marguerite Louise d'Orléans (28 July 1645 – 17 September 1721) was a Princess of France who became Grand Duchess of Tuscany, as the wife of Grand Duke Cosimo III de' Medici.
Libertine and unruly in conduct from an early age, her relations wit ...
, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, was in confined residence there (starting in 1675), music came to play an important role in the abbey religious services.
Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Marc-Antoine Charpentier (; 1643 – 24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his ''Te Deum'', ''Marche en rondeau''. This theme is still us ...
, Marie's composer, wrote devotional music to be performed there.
By the 1680s the buildings of the upper abbey were in poor condition. In 1686 the religious community abandoned the buildings, except for the abbey church, and moved down the hill to a new priory. The church was preserved as a choir for the nuns and a sepulchre for the Abbesses.
Revolutionary destruction and rebuilding
[
File:Eglise-Saint-Pierre-de-Montmartre and ruins of the abbey 1820.jpg, Ruins of the chapel, with a tower used as telegraph station, by Antoine-Louis Goblain (1820)
File:Paris (75), église Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, dessin anonyme, XIXe s. coll. Hippolyte Destailleur, BNF rés. FOL-VE-53.png, The ruined church in the 19th century
During the French Revolution, the Abbey of Montmartre and the crypts were destroyed, and the chapel was transformed for a time into a "Temple of Reason", then largely abandoned. In 1794 the tower was rebuilt by Claude Chappe for the purpose of sending messages by visual telegraph signals to other towers in line of sight. Following the defeat of Napoleon, it was used as a barracks by occupying Russian soldiers in 1814. It barely escaped demolition, but was largely abandoned. It was finally restored by the architect Ernest-Claude Sauvageot between 1899-1905, and was formally returned to the church in 1908.
Exterior
The entry to the church is nearly hidden behind a tree-filled courtyard. The facade dates from the 1775, and features three modern cast bronze doorways, added in 1880 by the Italian sculptor Tommaso Gismondi (1906-2003). They illustrate scenes from the lives of three figures associated with the church; the Virgin Mary, Saint Peter, and
Saint Denis of Paris
Denis of Paris was a 3rd-century Christian martyr and saint. According to his hagiographies, he was bishop of Paris (then Lutetia) in the third century and, together with his companions Rusticus and Eleutherius, was martyred for his faith by d ...
. A gateway from the parvis of the church gives access to the Cemetery of Calvary, the old graveyard of the parish. It is only open on
All-Saints' Day
All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the saints of the church, whether they are know ...
, November first.
[
File:CimetiereCalvaireMontmartre1.JPG, The cemetery and church, looking up the Basilica of Sacré Coeur
File:Eglise Saint-Pierre de Montmartre @ Observatory @ Dome @ Basilique du Sacré Cœur de Montmartre @ Paris (34229062305).jpg, The church seen from above, from the dome of the Basilica of Sacre Coeur. The Cemetery of Calvary is to the right of the church.
File:Église Saint-Pierre de Montmartre - portail.jpg, The west front and portal
File:Paris - Saint-Pierre-de-Montmartre 01.jpg, Detail of the bronze central doorway
Interior
The plan of the interior follows the Romanesque model; the nave is flanked by lower side aisles, the transept between the nave and choir does not extend outside the central structure, and the apse at the east end has a ring of small radiating chapels.
The nave dates to the 12th century. The pillars that support the vaulted roof have a cruciform shape, and are composed of bundles of slender columns. The capitals of columns have a variety of Romanesque and early Gothic motifs, including acanthus leaves, crochets and stylised water lilies.
The lower aisle on the right side of the nave, facing the choir, has several picturesque capitals on the columns, dating from the 12th century. These feature several fantastic birds, as well as allegorical figures; one capital features a man with the head of a pig astride another man with the head of a goat, representing Luxury and Sorcery.
[
File:Procès-verbal de la Commission Municipale du Vieux Paris, 1898, 5, page 47.jpg, The plan of the Church in 1898, with the transept still unfinished.
File:Paris (75), église Saint-Pierre, nef, vue vers l'est 6.JPG, The nave, looking toward the east
File:Paris (75), église Saint-Pierre, chœur.JPG, The choir and apse of the church
The oldest and most picturesque architecture is found in the choir and the apse. The single traverse of the choir was given a new vaulted ceiling in 1147, with a crossing ribs. The apse was rebuilt at the end of the 12th century in the shape of a pentagon. Its roof is supported by a network of six elegant ribs. The double arch which separates the choir from the apse has another unusual feature; it rests upon two ancient columns, dating from the 2nd or 3rd centuries AD, with carved marble capitals from the
Merovingian
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...
period (6th-7th centuries A.D.)
[
File:Paris (75), église Saint-Pierre, bas-côté nord, 4e travée, chapiteau dans l'angle sud-est 1.jpg, Column capital representing Luxury and Sorcery (12th c.)
File:StPierreMontmartreColonneAntique.JPG, A re-used ancient Roman column with a Merovingian capital
File:Paris (75), église Saint-Pierre, bas-côté sud, 1ère travée, chapiteaux dans l'angle nord-ouest.JPG, Merovingian
The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...
column capitals (6th-7th c.), south side, first traverse
File:Paris (75), église Saint-Pierre, croisillon nord, chapiteaux dans l'angle sud-est.JPG, Column capitals on the north traverse, southeast angle
File:Paris (75), église Saint-Pierre, chœur, 1ère travée, voûte.JPG, Traverse and vault of the choir (12th c.)
Art and Decoration
-The church displays a statue of Our Lady of Montmartre, also known as Our Lady of Beauty, the patron saint of the artists of Montmartre. It was donated to the church in 1942 by a Montmartre painter, Prince Gazi. It is now the object of an annual pilgrimage on November 11, renewing a tradition that dated back before the French Revolution.
-The Chapel of Baptisms features an oval baptismal font, dating from 1537, and made in the form of the traditional cradle of Moses. The decoration on the font is in the Renaissance style.
-The statue of Saint Peter on his throne, located in the lower aisle on the south side, is a copy of a work displayed in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in Rome.
-The painting "Christ in the Garden of Olives", in the choir, was created by Joseph-François Parrocel (1704-1781). It depicts Christ receiving a message from God carried by an angel, while the apostles sleep below, and contrasts the somber shadows of the earthly world below with the illumination of the heavens at the top of the painting.
File:Paris (75), église Saint-Pierre, absidiole sud, fonts baptismaux 1.jpg, THe baptismal font, in the form of the cradle of Moses (16th century)
File:Statue de Notre-Dame-de-Montmartre dans l'église Saint-Pierre.jpg, Statue of Our Lady of Montmartre, Patron Saint of the artists of Montmartre
The Chapel of Baptisms features an oval baptismal font, dating from 1537, and made in the form of the traditional cradle of Moses. The decoration on the font is in the Renaissance style.
File:P1270371 Paris XVIII eglise St-Pierre statue St-Pierre rwk.jpg, Saint Peter on his Throne (copy of a work in the Vatican)
File:Paris (75), église Saint-Pierre, chœur, 1ère travée, côté sud 2.jpg, "Christ in the Garden of Olives" by Joseph-François Parrocel, in the Choir (1704-1781)
The Organ
The main organ originally was located in the church of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette,, which was demolished in 1840. The case of the organ is made from oak, with three towers, and dates to the end of the 18th century. It is classified as a national historic object. The instrument was entirely reconstructed in 1868-69 by
Aristide Cavaillé-Coll
Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (; 4 February 1811 – 13 October 1899) was a French organ builder. He has the reputation of being the most distinguished organ builder of the 19th century. He pioneered innovations in the art and science of organ buildi ...
[.]
File:P1270372 Paris XVIII eglise St-Pierre orgue rwk.jpg, The organ installed over the west portal.
File:Paris (75), église Saint-Pierre, orgue de tribune 2.jpg, The case of the organ.
Burials
*
Adelaide of Maurienne
Adelaide of Maurienne, also called Alix or Adele (1092 – 18 November 1154) was Queen of France as the second wife of King Louis VI (1115-1137).
Family
Adelaide was the daughter of Count Humbert II of Savoy and Gisela of Burgundy. Adelaide's olde ...
See also
*
Martyrium of Saint Denis, Montmartre
The hill of Montmartre became a place of popular pilgrimage after a chapel was erected by the people of Paris, around 475, where Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris, was martyred. In the ninth century, the chapel, which had become ruined, was r ...
*
Église de Saint-Germain-des-Prés=
*
List of historic churches in Paris This is a list, not yet complete, of churches in Paris classified by the French Ministry of Culture as national historic monuments, They are listed by historical periods though many have features from several different periods.
Romanesque and Goth ...
Bibliography (in French)
*Dumoulin, Aline; Ardisson, Alexandra; Maingard, Jérôme; Antonello, Murielle; ''Églises de Paris'' (2010), Éditions Massin, Issy-Les-Moulineaux,
*Hillairet, Jacques; ''Connaissance du Vieux Paris''; (2017); Éditions Payot-Rivages, Paris; (in French).
References
External links
Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Pierre De Montmartre
12th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in France
Pierre
Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...
Montmartre
Society of Jesus