History Saint-Louis-du-Louvre

1 history

1.1 saint-thomas-du-louvre
1.2 saint-louis-du-louvre
1.3 protestant church

history
saint-thomas-du-louvre

saint-thomas-du-louvre on turgot map of paris (1736)

on 8 october 1164, thomas à becket, archbishop of canterbury, after intensifying conflict henry ii on efforts reduce power of church through constitutions of clarendon, put on trial , convicted of various offenses henry in northampton castle. becket proceeded flee france welcomed , hosted 6 years louis vii. shortly after return england in 1170, becket famously murdered in canterbury cathedral , subsequently canonized in 1173. in 1179, louis vii travelled canterbury pay respects saint, making donation of gold chalice , annual donation of 100 muids (~3,400 gallons) of wine celebration of annual feast.

inspired brother s devotion, robert of dreux founded new collegiate church, saint-thomas-du-louvre, in 1187, endowment 4 canons. after robert s death, wife, agnès de baudemont, obtained confirmation of foundation of church pope clement iii in 1189. philip augustus provided further confirmation in 1192 means of letters-patent great seal in green wax. papal bull pope innocent iii in 1199 took church, property , clergy, under protection of pope. in 1428, john vi, duke of brittany endowed more prebends church donating adjoining hotel, la petite bretagne, on condition canons pray family. increased number of canons seven, chosen alternately king , bishop.

saint-louis-du-louvre

ground floor plan saint-louis-du-louvre, book architecture françoise jacques-françois blondel



cross section of saint-louis-du-louvre



the entrance , cross section of church saint-louis-du-louvre

by 1739 church had fallen ruin , louis xv gave 50,000 crowns rebuilt. during demolition process portion of church left continuing use of chapter. while canons performing office remaining structure collapsed, burying them in ruins. accident led union of chapter of neighboring saint-nicolas-du-louvre, had been founded robert of dreux , had @ various times been united saint-thomas, , rededication of reconstructed church saint louis in 1744. in 1749, saint-maur-des-fossés merged new congregation.

the new church designed thomas germain, known best work silversmith, , consisted of nave , apse. entrance of church in circular projection decorated ionic pilasters. apse housed choir stalls of canons surrounding high altar. nave decorated corinthian pilasters surmounted entablature. in chapel of virgin there sculpture of annunciation jean-baptiste ii lemoyne. church decorated works members of families of painters, coypel, restout, , van loo. building enjoyed reputation in middle of 18th century singular plan , rich internal decoration. however, style of exterior , portico came under criticism.

when cardinal fleury, tutor , chief minister of louis xv, died in 1743 king decided mausoleum placed in saint-louis-du-louvre. competition held commission create tomb, landmark event in history of 18th century french sculpture due solicitation of public input. philibert orry, director of royal buildings, solicited proposals sculptors members of royal academy. models tomb offered nicolas-sébastien adam, edmé bouchardon, charles-françois ladette, jean-baptiste ii lemoyne, , jean-joseph vinache. wax maquettes of proposals displayed @ salon public response. bouchardon won competition though lemoyne given commission family of cardinal fleury , tomb remained unfinished @ time of church s suppression. church home tomb of architect, thomas germain.

at time of french revolution church had provost, cantor, , twenty canons provost, cantor , fifteen canons nominated archbishop, 4 duke of penthièvre in role count of brie, , 1 les gallichets. on 24 february 1790, chapter declared revolutionary authorities annual revenues of 98,562 livres, great sum time. on 11 december 1790, municipal officers came church announce canons suppression of chapter , abolition of titles. inventory of objects in church made , church s properties , possessions turned on state.

protestant church

paul-henri marron, pastor of reformed congregation



the choir seats church found in l oratoire du louvre

in 1791, @ behest of jean sylvain bailly, mayor of paris, , marquis de lafayette, empty saint-louis-du-louvre rented newly formed reformed congregation in paris annual sum of 16,450 livres, first service held on easter. in 1598, protestant worship had been forbidden in paris edict of nantes. in 1685, edict of fontainebleau made non-catholic services illegal in of france. inaugurated long period of persecution french protestants, though in paris able worship in chapels of dutch , swedish embassies.

the edict of tolerance in 1787 gave protestants legal status , congregation formed under pastorship of paul-henri marron, had been serving chaplain @ dutch embassy. congregation gained permission worship openly in 1789 during revolution , met in variety of places including wine shop before gaining permission rent saint-louis-du-louve, first building dedicated protestant worship in history of paris. dedication of new church, or temple french protestants referred buildings, pastor marron preached text, soyez joyeux dans l’espérance, patients dans l’affliction, persévérants dans la prière, (be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (romans 12:12)). when mayor, jean bailly, attended in person on 13 october 1791 marron chose passage, vous connaissez la vérité et la vérité vous rendra libres, (you know truth, , truth set free (john 8:32)).

as revolution became increasingly hostile christianity, marron arrested on 21 september 1793. released , rearrested , released once more, having made concession of having services once every ten days according revolutionary calendar instead of on sundays. marron once more arrested in june 1794 continuing marry , baptize in secret after christian practice had been banned robespierre in favor of cult of supreme being. freed prison fall of robespierre.

in concordat of 1801, napoleon came agreement pope pius vii reconcile catholic church french state. concordat led official recognition of, , state control over, other religious groups including protestants. result, 3 former catholic churches dedicated use of reformed believers in paris, sainte-marie-des-anges, chapel of pentemont abbey, , saint-louis-du-louvre. in 1806 however, napoleon decreed expansion of louvre require demolition of existing structures between louvre , tuileries palace including church of saint-louis. replacement reformed congregation given l oratoire du louvre, had been suppressed in revolution. choir , of other woodwork preserved , can seen in l oratoire, including misericorde seats in choir stalls enabled canons rest while standing. while of church demolished in 1811, portion remained standing until construction of denon wing of louvre in 1850.