Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet
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Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet () is a
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
church in the centre of
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 ...
,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, in the 5th arrondissement. It was constructed between 1656 and 1763. The facade was designed in the classical style by
Charles Le Brun Charles Le Brun (baptised 24 February 1619 – 12 February 1690) was a French painter, physiognomist, art theorist, and a director of several art schools of his time. As court painter to Louis XIV, who declared him "the greatest French artist of ...
. It contains many notable art works from the 19th century, including a rare religious painting by
Jean-Baptiste Corot Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot ( , , ; July 16, 1796 – February 22, 1875), or simply Camille Corot, is a French landscape and portrait painter as well as a printmaker in etching. He is a pivotal figure in landscape painting and his vast ...
. Since the expulsion of the parish priest and his assistants by
traditionalist Catholic Traditionalist Catholicism is the set of beliefs, practices, customs, traditions, Christian liturgy, liturgical forms, Catholic devotions, devotions, and presentations of Catholic Church, Catholic teaching that existed in the Catholic Church befo ...
s in 1977, the church has been run by the Society of St. Pius X, which celebrates
Traditional Latin Mass The Tridentine Mass, also known as the Traditional Latin Mass or Traditional Rite, is the liturgy of Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church that appears in typical editions of the Roman Missal published from 1570 to 1962. Celebrated almo ...
es there.


History


Establishment

A chapel was first built in 1230, in a field planted with chardons (thistles), hence the name. It originally was a dependence of the Abbey of Saint Victor. As the population of the neighbourhood grew, a series of larger churches were built. In 1656, the construction of the present church began, under architects Michel Noblet and François Levé. Due to a shortage of funds, the church was not finished until 1763. Only the bell tower, built sometime before 1600, remains from the earlier church.Dumoulin, Ardisson (2010), p. 101 In the late 17th century, noted
harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...
ist
Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy (1633 – 11 March 1694) was a French harpsichordist, organist and composer.The registration of baroque organ music Barbara Owen - 1997 "Jean-Nicolas Geoffrey (fl. 1633-94)" His birthplace is unknown; he died in Perpignan. ...
(1633–1694) served as titular organist of the church. The church was closed and badly damaged during the French Revolution, and most of the art was destroyed. It was gradually replaced with new work by French artists in the 19th century. Since 1905, the city of Paris, following the enactment of the law on separation of Church and State, claims ownership of the church but grants the Roman Catholic Church a free usage right.


1977 occupation and rededication

On 27 February 1977, traditionalist priest Monsignor
François Ducaud-Bourget Monsignor François Ducaud-Bourget (November 24, 1897 - June 12, 1984) was a prominent traditionalist Roman Catholic French prelate, priest and close ally of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. French resistance Ducaud-Bourget was born in Bordeaux. Durin ...
, who opposed the post-Vatican II Mass, organised a meeting of his followers at the nearby Maison de la Mutualité. He led the attendees to Saint-Nicolas church, where a service was just concluding. Ducaud-Bourget entered in procession, went to the altar and said Mass in Latin. The parish priest was ejected. The occupation was intended to be just for the length of the Mass, but then it continued indefinitely. The parish priest went to court and obtained an order for the expulsion of the occupiers, but the application order was delayed pending mediation, with writer Jean Guitton appointed as mediator. After three months of mediation between the occupants and the
Archbishop of Paris The Archdiocese of Paris (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Parisiensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Paris'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. It is one of twenty-three archdioceses in France ...
,
François Marty Gabriel Auguste François Marty (18 May 1904 – 16 February 1994) was a French Catholic Church, Catholic Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal and Archbishop of Paris. Early years He was born in Vaureilles, Pachins, in France. His family were fa ...
, Guitton admitted his failure to resolve the issue; the police made no attempt to enforce the expulsion order. The occupiers aligned themselves with the
Society of Saint Pius X The Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) ( la, Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Pii X; FSSPX) is an international fraternity of traditionalist Catholic priests founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, a leading traditionalist voice at the Sec ...
(SSPX), and received help from its leader, Archbishop
Marcel Lefebvre Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre (; 29 November 1905 – 25 March 1991) was a French Catholic archbishop who greatly influenced modern traditional Catholicism. In 1970, he founded the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a community to train ...
. In 1978, the
Court of Cassation A court of cassation is a high-instance court that exists in some judicial systems. Courts of cassation do not re-examine the facts of a case, they only interpret the relevant law. In this they are appellate courts of the highest instance. In th ...
confirmed that the occupation was illegal but the order of eviction was never implemented.2002 V. 83 - Vœu relatif à l'occupation de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet
On 20 February 1987, the '' Conseil d'État'' ruled that the disturbance to
public order In criminology, public-order crime is defined by Siegel (2004) as "crime which involves acts that interfere with the operations of society and the ability of people to function efficiently", i.e., it is behaviour that has been labelled criminal ...
resulting from an expulsion would be higher than that resulting from the illegal occupation. Ducaud-Bourget died in 1984, and was replaced by
Philippe Laguérie Philippe Laguérie (born 30 September 1952 in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine) is a French Traditionalist Catholic priest. He was the first Superior General of the Institute of the Good Shepherd (french: Institut du Bon Pasteur), which upholds the Tridentin ...
. In 1993, the SSPX members, led by Laguérie, unsuccessfully attempted to occupy another church in Paris, St-Germain l'Auxerrois. In April 2020, during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, the congregation of Saint-Nicolas defied the
social distancing In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious disea ...
regulations then in force by holding an
Easter Vigil Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil or the Great Vigil of Easter, is a liturgy held in traditional Christian churches as the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Historically, it is during this liturgy that people are ba ...
. A live stream on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
showed the priest and deacons in close contact, without wearing masks, and
Holy Communion The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted ...
was given with bare hands. About 40 people were in attendance. The priest was warned and booked, and given a €135 fine.


Exterior

File:Facade Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet Paris.jpg, The west front (completed 1937), with main doorway and bell tower File:P1340989 Paris V eglise St-Nicolas Chardonnet rwk.jpg, Soutwest side of the church along Rue des Bernardins File:P1340942 Paris V eglise St-Nicolas Chardonnet rwk.jpg, The apse of the church The construction of the primary facade of the church on Rue Monge, designed by architect Charles Halley, was long unfinished, and was not completed until 1937. It follows the classical style of the rest of the building. The side doorway along the rue des Bernardins, designed by
Charles Le Brun Charles Le Brun (baptised 24 February 1619 – 12 February 1690) was a French painter, physiognomist, art theorist, and a director of several art schools of his time. As court painter to Louis XIV, who declared him "the greatest French artist of ...
, dates to 1669, and is a particularly good example of the classicism of the period. It features
pilasters In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wall ...
in the Ionic and composite style, triangular frontons or pediments, and sculpted angels. The door, designed by Nicolas Legendre, is richly decorated with carved wreaths and heads of cherubs. File:P1220530 Paris V eglise St-Nicolas portail ouest detail rwk.jpg, Side portal on rue des Bernardins, by
Charles Le Brun Charles Le Brun (baptised 24 February 1619 – 12 February 1690) was a French painter, physiognomist, art theorist, and a director of several art schools of his time. As court painter to Louis XIV, who declared him "the greatest French artist of ...
(1669) File:Église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet, rue des Bernardins, Paris 5e.jpg, Detail of portal on Rue des Bernardins File:P1220527 Paris V eglise St-Nicolas portail ouest detail rwk.jpg, Carvings over the portal on Rue des Bernardins


Interior

File:PlanJoanne.png, Plan of the church File:Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet Nave, Paris, France - Diliff.jpg, left, The nave. Note the absence of a "table" altar; Masses are celebrated with priest facing the altar (
ad orientem ''Ad orientem'', meaning "to the east" in Ecclesiastical Latin, is a phrase used to describe the eastward orientation of Christian prayer and Christian worship, comprising the preposition ''ad'' (toward) and ''oriens'' (rising, sunrise, east), p ...
). File:P1340973 Paris V eglise St-Nicolas Chardonnet choeur rwk.jpg, The Altar File:Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet - nef et choeur.jpg, The nave and the choir
The interior of the church is a good example of the Baroque style, lavishly decorated with paintings, medallions and sculpture, dedicated to visually expressing the glory of God. The nave is lined with rows of cruciform pillars, and pilasters with capitals decorated with
acanthus leaves The acanthus ( grc, ἄκανθος) is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration, and even as the leaf distinguishing the heraldic coronet of a manorial lord from other coronets of royalty or nobility, which us ...
in the classical style The arcades that separate the outer aisles from the nave have rounded arches, also in the classical Roman style. The arrangement of the interior was modified to suit pre-Vatican II liturgical arrangements after 1977 when the church was occupied by the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X. In the pre-Vatican II Tridentine Mass, the priest always celebrates Mass facing east, rather than the congregation, and thus the freestanding "Novus Ordo" altar was removed.


Art and Decoration - the Chapels


Chapels of Lower Right Aisle - Le Brun and Corot

File:MartyrdoLe Brun.jpg, "The Martyrdom of Saint John the Evangelist at the Latin Gate" by
Charles Le Brun Charles Le Brun (baptised 24 February 1619 – 12 February 1690) was a French painter, physiognomist, art theorist, and a director of several art schools of his time. As court painter to Louis XIV, who declared him "the greatest French artist of ...
File:Bapteme du Christ.jpg, "The Baptism of Christ" by
Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot ( , , ; July 16, 1796 – February 22, 1875), or simply Camille Corot, is a French landscape and portrait painter as well as a printmaker in etching. He is a pivotal figure in landscape painting and his vast o ...
The chapel in the first traverse displays an early work by
Charles Le Brun Charles Le Brun (baptised 24 February 1619 – 12 February 1690) was a French painter, physiognomist, art theorist, and a director of several art schools of his time. As court painter to Louis XIV, who declared him "the greatest French artist of ...
, called "The Martyrdom of Saint John the Evangelist at the Latin Gate." Le Brun was a student of
Simon Vouet Simon Vouet (; 9 January 1590 – 30 June 1649) was a French painter who studied and rose to prominence in Italy before being summoned by Louis XIII to serve as Premier peintre du Roi in France. He and his studio of artists created religious and m ...
, who later became the court painter of Louis XIV. It depicts Saint John, who has been sentenced by the Emperor
Diocletian Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...
to be thrown into a vat of boiling oil, from which his body emerges unscathed. The painting displays his early skill depicting the human form and the sense of movement.Dumoulin, Ardisson (2010), p. 102 The Chapel of the Baptismal Fonts displays a rare religious painting by
Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot ( , , ; July 16, 1796 – February 22, 1875), or simply Camille Corot, is a French landscape and portrait painter as well as a printmaker in etching. He is a pivotal figure in landscape painting and his vast o ...
, "The Baptism of Christ". The Baptism itself occupies only the lower third of the painting, and follows the classical style of
Nicolas Poussin Nicolas Poussin (, , ; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was the leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome. Most of his works were on religious and mythological subjects painted for a ...
. The upper two-thirds are occupied by an angel flying above a majestic tree and landscape, the subjects for which Corot became famous.
Eugène Delacroix Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix ( , ; 26 April 1798 – 13 August 1863) was a French Romantic artist regarded from the outset of his career as the leader of the French Romantic school.Noon, Patrick, et al., ''Crossing the Channel: Britis ...
saw the painting in Corot's studio, and described it in his journal as "His grand baptism of Christ, full of naive beauties."


Sculpture in the chapels

File:Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet - chapelle de la Très Sainte Vierge Marie.jpg, Chapel of the Virgin File:P1340943 Paris V eglise Chardonnet Lebrun rwk.jpg, Tomb of the court painter of Louis XIV,
Charles Le Brun Charles Le Brun (baptised 24 February 1619 – 12 February 1690) was a French painter, physiognomist, art theorist, and a director of several art schools of his time. As court painter to Louis XIV, who declared him "the greatest French artist of ...
File:Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnay Tomb.jpg, Tomb of Julienne Le Be, mother of
Charles Le Brun Charles Le Brun (baptised 24 February 1619 – 12 February 1690) was a French painter, physiognomist, art theorist, and a director of several art schools of his time. As court painter to Louis XIV, who declared him "the greatest French artist of ...
, by Jean Collington File:P1340956 Paris V eglise St-Nicolas Chardonnet tombe Jerome Bignon rwk.jpg, Tomb of Jerome Bignon, tutor of
King Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown. ...
, by sculptors
François Girardon François Girardon (10 March 1628 – 1 September 1715) was a French sculptor of the Louis XIV style or French Baroque, best known for his statues and busts of Louis XIV and for his statuary in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. Biography ...
and Michel Anguier
The central feature of the Chapel of Saint-Charles-Boromée is the funeral monument of Charles Le Brun and his wife, Suzanne Butay, made by the sculptor
Antoine Coysevox Charles Antoine Coysevox ( or ; 29 September 164010 October 1720), was a French sculptor in the Baroque and Louis XIV style, best known for his sculpture decorating the gardens and Palace of Versailles and his portrait busts. Biography Coysevo ...
(1640-1720). In the same chapel, the sculptor Jean Collignon (died 1702) created the tomb of Juilienne Le Be, the mother of Le Brun, following a drawing by Le Brun. The composition of the sculpture follows a theme typical of the French Baroque style at the beginning of the 18th century. The deceased is depicted emerging from her tomb, praying, with her eyes upward. Above her is a sculpture of an angel with a trumpet, announcing the Judgement Day and her resurrection.Dumoulin, Ardisson (2010), p.103 File:P1340958 Paris V eglise St-Nicolas Chardonnet chaire rwk.jpg, The pulpit in the nave File:Altar, Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet, Paris.jpg, Altar in Chapel of Saint Vincent de Paul File:2021-05-29 12-13-30 egl-St-Nicolas-Paris.jpg, Carved sculpture in the nave


Services

The priests of the SSPX at Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet livestream every Mass offered at the church on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
, along with
Vespers Vespers is a service of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic Church, Catholic (both Latin liturgical rites, Latin and Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern), Lutheranism, Lutheran, and Anglican ...
, clergy-led
Rosaries The Rosary (; la, , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), also known as the Dominican Rosary, or simply the Rosary, refers to a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church, and to the physical string of knots or b ...
, and catechism lessons.


References


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).


External links


Official website of the church

Tridentine Missa Cantata (Sung Latin Mass) for the Last Sunday after Pentecost

YouTube channel of the church, with streamed Masses.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint-Nicolas-Du-Chardonnet Buildings and structures of the Society of Saint Pius X Roman Catholic churches in the 5th arrondissement of Paris Churches completed in 1703