Sainte-Jeanne-de-Chantal () is a Catholic church in Paris built of concrete in Byzantine style with a large dome. It was constructed between 1932 and 1956.
History
The ''Église Sainte-Jeanne-de-Chantal'' is located on the grounds of some old fortifications.
The population of the Paris neighborhood of the ''Porte de Saint-Cloud'' was growing fast in the 1920s, and a new church was needed.
A Parisian woman from the area made a significant donation to help with the construction before she entered the convent of the Order of the Visitation, founded by
François de Sales
Francis de Sales (french: François de Sales; it, Francesco di Sales; 21 August 156728 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to ...
and
Jeanne de Chantal. The architect
Julien Barbier (1869–1939) was made responsible for the construction.
The first stone was laid in 1932.
The ''Église Sainte-Jeanne-de-Chantal'' was near to the
Renault factories, and was bombed by the allies during
World War II (1939–45).
After the liberation of Paris construction resumed as part of the ''Chantiers du Cardinal'' program.
Some changes were made to the design. The nave was enlarged and the dome flattened.
Construction was not complete until 1956.
The building was finished in 1962.
Cardinal
Jean-Marie Lustiger
Aron Jean-Marie Lustiger (; 17 September 1926 – 5 August 2007) was a French cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Paris from 1981 until his resignation in 2005. He was made a cardinal in 1983 by Pope John Paul II. His lif ...
, Archbishop of Paris, was curé of the parish of Sainte-Jeanne-de-Chantal from 1969 to 1979, when he was named Bishop of Orleans.
Structure
The ''Église Sainte-Jeanne-de-Chantal'' has a Byzantine style, which had become popular in Western Europe after the rediscovery of ancient
Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
It features a large dome.
The structure is concrete, and the walls are covered in "reconstituted stones".
In 1962
Robert Juvin created a bas-relief ''Bienheureuse Vierge de la Merced'' for the facade of the church.
The bell tower is separate from the church and dominates the square.
The interior is spacious and has a sober elegance.
The Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, in the apse, can be hidden from the nave by a large curtain.
Only this chapel has figurative stained glass. The eight windows by
Jacques Le Chevallier Jacques Le Chevallier (July 26, 1896 – 1987) was a French glassmaker, decorative artist, illustrator, and engraver. He was mobilized during World War I; after the war he became a master artisan in the studio of Louis Barillet, with whom he remai ...
(1954) illustrate the Litany of the Virgin.
The church has stations of the cross by Hervé Quenolle (2001) and sculptures by Jean Touret (1975) and Sébastien Touret (2004).
The Tourets, father and son, undertook the liturgical furniture and much of the decoration.
References
Sources
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External links
Sainte Jeanne de Chantal website(in French)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sainte-Jeanne-de-Chantal, Eglise
Roman Catholic churches in the 16th arrondissement of Paris