The Cathedral of Saint-Louis-des-Invalides is a Roman Catholic Cathedral 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 ...
that serves as the seat of the bishop to the members of the French armed forces. It is located within the park of
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 ...
, the home for French army veterans. It was commissioned by King
Louis XIV
LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...
and was built beginning in 1676 by architect
Jules Hardouin-Mansart
Jules Hardouin-Mansart (; 16 April 1646 – 11 May 1708) was a French Baroque architect and builder whose major work included the Place des Victoires (1684–1690); Place Vendôme (1690); the domed chapel of Les Invalides (1690), and the Gra ...
. It is located directly behind and adjoining the Dome Church of Les Invalides.
The nave of the church displays flags captured by the French army in various wars and conflicts over its history.
File:The Dome Church at Les Invalides - July 2006.jpg, The cathedral is to the left, behind the dome church
File:Rez de chaussee.png, plan of the Les Invalides, with dome and church at top center
Catedral de San Luis de los Inválidos, París, Francia, 2022-10-30, DD 113-115 HDR.jpg, The window behind the altar looks into chapel of the dome
Catedral de San Luis de los Inválidos, París, Francia, 2022-10-30, DD 107-109 HDR.jpg, Nave of the cathedral, with captured flags
File:Chaire église des soldats 1107257.jpg, Pulpit of the cathedral
File:Cathedral of Saint-Louis des Invalides @ Musée de l'Armée @ Les Invalides @ Paris (25699326071).jpg, Exterior of cathedral
File:Paris - Cathédrale Saint-Louis des Invalides - L'orgue - 001.jpg, The cathedral organ, built 1679-1687
The church was built beginning in 1676 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, following a concept of
Liberal Bruant, the architect of the larger Invalides project. It was opened to soldiers beginning in 1679. The clock tower adjoining the church was intended to call the soldiers to their obligatory morning and evening prayer, and the obligatory attendance at mass and at vespers on Sunday and on important holidays.
[Anne Muratori-Philip, Histoire des Invalides, Éditions Perrin, 2001, p. 20.]
In 1957, the a position of vicar was created to oversee the spiritual education of the army. In 1986 a position of the Bishop of the armies was established and placed at the church.
References
{{coord missing, France
Laurent
Laurent may refer to:
*Laurent (name), a French masculine given name and a surname
**Saint Laurence (aka: Saint ''Laurent''), the martyr Laurent
**Pierre Alphonse Laurent, mathematician
**Joseph Jean Pierre Laurent, amateur astronomer, discoverer ...
Monuments historiques of Paris