Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin () is a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

church located in the

7th arrondissement of Paris The 7th arrondissement of Paris (''VIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements of the capital city of France. It is known for being, along with the 16th arrondissement and the ''commune'' of Neuilly-sur-Sein ...

, place Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin, between the rue du Bac and the

boulevard Saint-Germain The Boulevard Saint-Germain () is a major street in Paris on the Rive Gauche of the Seine. It curves in a 3.5-kilometre (2.1 miles) arc from the Pont de Sully in the east (the bridge at the edge of Île Saint-Louis) to the Pont de la Concord ...

. The church is named for

Saint Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas ( ; ; – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest, the foremost Scholastic thinker, as well as one of the most influential philosophers and theologians in the Western tradition. A Doctor of the Church, he wa ...

, a Dominican friar and priest, and influential philosopher and theologian in the 13th century. It was originally a chapel of an abbey of the Dominican order in Paris. Construction began in 1682, and the church was consecrated in 1682. The friars were expelled and the church was closed during the French Revolution, and was not returned to the Catholic church until 1802. During the 19th century, the City of Paris endowed the church with many fine examples of French religious art. The church was declared an Historic Monument in 1982. The newest campus of

SciencesPo Sciences Po () or Sciences Po Paris, also known as the Paris Institute of Political Studies (), is a public research university located in Paris, France, that holds the status of ''grande école'' and the legal status of . The university's unde ...

, 1, Saint-Thomas, stands next to it.

History

In 1632 the friars established a small training centre with a chapel in the Faubourg Saint-Germain neighbourhood on the left bank in Paris, named for the founder of the order,

Saint Dominic Saint Dominic, (; 8 August 1170 – 6 August 1221), also known as Dominic de Guzmán (), was a Castilians, Castilian Catholic priest and the founder of the Dominican Order. He is the patron saint of astronomers and natural scientists, and he a ...

. As the convent grew, in 1682 the friars decided to enlarge the monastery and build a larger church. Work began under architect Pierre Bullet in 1683, with funding provided by

Cardinal Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis, 1st Duke of Richelieu (9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), commonly known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a Catholic Church in France, French Catholic prelate and statesman who had an outsized influence in civil and religi ...

and other donors. In 1722 a separate choir for the friars (now called the Chapel of Saint Louis) was added to the church. The French Revolution began in 1789, and in 1791 the church was transformed into a parish church, and was rededicated to Saint Thomas Aquinas. The rapidly developing Revolution turned life at the church upside down. The friars were expelled in 1793, and the abbey buildings were turned to a factory for making munitions. The church was then designated as the site of the future revolutionary museum of the history of artillery (The history of artillery collection gathered for the museum is now found in

Les Invalides The Hôtel des Invalides (; ), commonly called (; ), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and an old soldi ...

). In 1797, the church was redesigned a "Temple of Peace" for a group calling themselves "Theophilanthropes". It then became a meeting hall for the radical

Jacobins The Society of the Friends of the Constitution (), renamed the Society of the Jacobins, Friends of Freedom and Equality () after 1792 and commonly known as the Jacobin Club () or simply the Jacobins (; ), was the most influential List of polit ...

, until their downfall. It was finally returned to the Church by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, under the

Concordat of 1801 The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between the First French Republic and the Holy See, signed by First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII on 15 July 1801 in Paris. It remained in effect until 1905, except in Alsace–Lorraine, ...

Exterior

The facade of the church is in the classical style, inspired by the

Italian Baroque architecture Italian Baroque architecture refers to Baroque architecture in Italy. Introduction The Baroque architecture period began in Italy during the late-16th century. It originated during the Counter-Reformation, which was mainly headed by the Catholi ...

, particularly the facade of the

Church of the Gesù The Church of the Gesù (, ), officially named (), is a church located at Piazza del Gesù in the Pigna (rione of Rome), Pigna ''Rioni of Rome, rione'' of Rome, Italy. It is the mother church of the Society of Jesus (best known as Jesuits). Wi ...

, the church of the

Jesuits The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

in Rome. finished in 1584. The Gesu facade was widely copied in Paris and other cities. The facade was designed by the Dominican friar Claude Navan, and was built between 1765 and 1769. Following the style of

classical architecture Classical architecture typically refers to architecture consciously derived from the principles of Ancient Greek architecture, Greek and Ancient Roman architecture, Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or more specifically, from ''De archit ...

, the lower level has columns of the

Doric order The Doric order is one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of t ...

while the upper level columns are in the

Ionic order The Ionic order is one of the three canonic classical order, orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric order, Doric and the Corinthian order, Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan order, Tuscan (a plainer Doric) ...

. On either side of the facade and one-story wings, connected with the facade by curving wings, and capped at the corners by Obelisques, which serve as buttresses for the upper level. The tympanum of the triangular pediment over the entrance is decorated with a relief sculpture called "La Religion", made in 1769 by François-Charles Butteux (1732-1788). It depicts an allegorical figure of Religion, supported by Truth, holding the tablets symbolising law. Another more recent relief sculpture is placed over the central portal; Two angels hold palms and crowns. File:Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin, Paris 14 January 2017 002.jpg, Facade decoration File:Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin (Paris) 4.jpg, Angels by Louis-Joseph Daumas, 1801-1887 File:Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin (Paris) 2.jpg, "Virgin giving rosary to Saint Dominique" (1867). by Théodore-Charles Gruyère

Interior

The interior follows the traditions of beauty as defined classical architecture, with symmetry and rigorous lines. expressing symmetry and strong lines. The nave is covered by a barrel vault, and the nave is separated from the side aisles by two arcades with rounded arches, supported by columns with classical Corinthian order capitals. The central element in the choir is a miniature classical temple over the altar, with a series of rounded arches behind it, decorated with murals. File:Interior of Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin (Paris) 01.JPG, Nave facing the choir File:Interior of Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin (Paris) 08.jpg, The tribune and organ File:Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin @ Paris (31936395720).jpg, Altar and stalls in the Choir A major painting by

Salvator Rosa Salvator Rosa (1615 – March 15, 1673) is best known today as an Italian Baroque painter, whose romanticized landscapes and history paintings, often set in dark and untamed nature, exerted considerable influence from the 17th century into the ...

(1615-1753) "the Assumption of the Virgin", is displayed on the lower right side. Following the theatrical style of the Counter-Reformation, it presents two adjoining worlds; the earthly world, where the Apostles find the empty tomb of the Virgin Mary; and the celestial world, where the Virgin is transported to heaven by a flight of angels. The expressions of astonishment of the apostles contrast with the serene expressions of Mary and the angels above.

The Chapel of Saint Louis

The Chapel of Saint Louis, in the choir behind the altar, is the most highly decorated space in the interior. It was originally the choir used by the friars. It was built in 1722 and is decorated to commemorate the return of the original

Crown of Thorns According to the New Testament, a woven crown of thorns ( or ) was placed on the head of Jesus during the Passion of Jesus, events leading up to his crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion. It was one of the Arma Christi, instruments of the Passion, e ...

from the Crucifixion to France, carried by two Dominican friars in 1239. The walls are covered with carved wood panels and confessionals from the 19th century, and by murals. The 19th-century painting under the classical pediment depicts "Saint Louis renders justice beneath an oak tree," painted by

Luc-Olivier Merson Luc-Olivier Merson (21 May 1846 - 13 November 1920) was a French academic painter and illustrator. He was also known for his postage stamp and currency designs. Biography Born Nicolas Luc-Olivier Merson in Paris, France, he grew up in an arti ...

(1846-1920). Saint Louis is joined by an angel, by a figure representing Religion, and an angel. The ceiling of the chapel is covered with an 18th-century fresco by Francois Lemoyne (1688-1737), "The Transfiguration". In the painting, a vision of Christ, accompanied by Moses and Elijah, appears in the heavens to the apostles Peter, James and John. The illusion of looking into the heavens is enhanced by the painted architecture that merges with the real architecture of the chapel below. Not long after making this fresco, Lemoyne painted a similar monumental fresco for the ceiling of the Salon of Hercules in the

Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...

. In the third traverse is a painting by another Italian master of the 17th century, Giovanni-Francesco Barbieri, better known as

Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as (il) Guercino (), was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vigorous n ...

(1591-1666). This painting was originally in the Church of the Rosary in Cento, where the artist was born. It depicts "The Virgin Mary appears to Saint Jerome."

Saint Jerome Jerome (; ; ; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was an early Christian priest, confessor, theologian, translator, and historian; he is commonly known as Saint Jerome. He is best known for his translation of the Bible ...

(340-420 AD) was the author the first translation of the Bible into Latin, known as the

Vulgate The Vulgate () is a late-4th-century Bible translations into Latin, Latin translation of the Bible. It is largely the work of Saint Jerome who, in 382, had been commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the Gospels used by the Diocese of ...

. In the painting, Saint Jerome's face shows his emotions inspired by the vision of the Virgin. The lower side also presents the painting "The Transfiguration", by

Jean II Restout Jean Restout the Younger (26 March 16921 January 1768) was a French artist, who worked in painting and drawing. Although little remembered today, Restout was well-respected by his contemporaries for his religious compositions. Biography Restout w ...

(1692-1768), which features the figures of Saint John and other Apostles painted with a vivid chromatic palate.Dumoulin, "Églises de Paris" (2010), p. 139 File:Chapelle Saint-Louis @ Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin @ Paris (32163755382).jpg, Chapel of Saint-Louis Chapelle Saint-Louis @ Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin @ Paris (32193845341).jpg, "The Transfiguration" by Francois Lemoyne, Ceiling of the Chapel of Saint Louis File:Abel de Pujol - Saint Étienne prêchant l'Évangile - St Thomas d'Aquin.jpg, "Saint Stephen preaching the Gospel" by Abel de Pujol File:Le Guerchin - La Vierge apparaissant à saint Jérôme (1650).jpg, "The Virgin and Child appearing to Saint Jerome" by

Decoration

File:Saint Pierre guérissant le boiteux.jpg, "Saint Peter Heals a Lame Beggar" by Louis-Vincent-Léon Pallière (1819) File:Interior of Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin (Paris) 05.JPG, "Saint Louis, accompanied by the Royal Family, receives the Crown of Thorns" by Jean André (1714-1717) File:Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin @ Paris (32193817411).jpg, Saint Stephen preaching the gospel by Alexandre Denis Abel de Pujol (1817) File:Interior de St. Thomas d'Aquin 03.JPG, Dome of the choir, with paintings of "Force and Justice" by Merry-Joseph Blondel (1781-1853). File:Interior of Église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin (Paris) 07.JPG, Paintings in the nave and choir File:Interior de St. Thomas d'Aquin 08.JPG, Decoration of nave arcades File:P1110374 Paris VII église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin banc d'oeuvre rwk.JPG, Choir stalls File:P1110375 Paris VII église Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin chaire rwk.JPG, The pulpit (1814) Merry Joseph Blondel provided decorative ceiling paintings for the church in the 19th century. His decorative work is also found in the

Palace of Fontainebleau Palace of Fontainebleau ( , ; ), located southeast of the center of Paris, in the commune of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. It served as a hunting lodge and summer residence for many of the List of French monarchs ...

, the

Louvre Museum The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...

, the Brongniart Palace (also known as the Bourse de Paris), the

Luxembourg Palace The Luxembourg Palace (, ) is at 15 Rue de Vaugirard in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was originally built (1615–1645) to the designs of the French architect Salomon de Brosse to be the royal residence of the regent Marie de' Med ...

, and the church of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. * Organ originally by François-Henri Clicquot (1771) * Mural paintings by Merry-Joseph Blondel (1841) * Altar of Saint Vincent de Paul (1848) * Portrait of Saint Louis by

, in the chapel of Saint-Louis (1887) * Stained glass by Dideron and Langlade (1902)

Notes and citations

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 site of the parish
(French)

(French)

Article in patrimoine-histoire.fr, on the history and art of the church {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Thomas Aquinas Church Paris Roman Catholic churches in the 7th arrondissement of Paris