Saint-François-Xavier, Paris
St Francis Xavier | |
---|---|
St Francis Xavier of the Foreign Missions | |
Saint-François-Xavier (in French) | |
Province of Paris | |
Archdiocese | Archdiocese of Paris |
Deanery | Orsay-Breteuil |
Clergy | |
Rector | Mgr Bruno Lefèvre-Pontalis |
Laity | |
Director of music | Éric Leroy |
Organist(s) | Denis Comtet Éric Leroy |
St Francis Xavier Church (
History
The church takes its name from Saint
In 1637, as part of the
A séminaire destiné à former des missionnaires à l’apostolat en pays lointains (seminary for foreign missions) had been set up on rue du Bac in 1637 by Monseigneur Duval, with an accord from
In 1842, the parish was renamed Saint
The site chosen for the new church was selected to fit into an intersection of Haussmann's new boulevards. The Boulevard des Invalides and a new boulevard were designed to cross the and to meet the Seine level with the
Before the above-ground work began, Uchard saw that the structure of the church would be hindered by the design of the new boulevards. The proposed site was an elongated hexagon, long enough for the church but very narrow at the west front, with no room for a proper portal and towers. Uchard asked Haussman's city planners to alter the new street plan to allow a wider west front. which they did. The work resumed and on the exterior of the church was completed on 15 July 1874. The building was finished by Easter 1875, though the interior decor was still not complete. It was consecrated on 23 May 1894, the eve of
Exterior
The exterior was modelled after the Italian basilicas of the Renaissance, with the modern advantage of an iron frame hidden by the stone walls, allowing less massive walls, more interior space, and larger windows. The triangular fronton is decorated with sculpture illustrating "Saint Francois-Xavier baptising inhabitants of India and Japan."[3]
-
south side of church
-
The west portal
-
west Fronton with sculpture of "Saint Francois-Xavier preaching in Japan and India" byGabriel-Jules Thomas
-
The apse at the east end containing the Chapel of the Virgin
Interior
The nave is flanked by two lower aisles lined by chapels, separated from the nave by massive pillars with Corinthian capitals. The decor of the nave is largely Neo-classical in design, with while the adjoining Chapel of the Virgin, at the east end, is decorated in Renaissance style. The iron structure of the church, hidden by the stone walls, makes possible the larger windows and abundance of light.[3]
The interior is dominated by the massive theatrical arch over the choir and the altar, painted with a frieze by Romain Cazes (1808-1881), depicting "Two Angels supporting the Book of the Evangelists." The figures of the angels stand out from the floral background behind them, which is decorated with the symbols of the angels. The frieze was inspired by the ornamental designs of illuminated manuscripts. A second major decorative element is the wall above the altar, with a painting of Moses and the tablets of the Ten Commandments; accompanied by figures of an angel appearing in a burning bush, and a figure of Aaron, holding rods, instruments of Biblical punishment.[4]
Above these scenes a large painting entitled "Saint Francois-Xavier presents to Christ the peoples he has converted." The figure of Christ is modelled after Byzantine figures, and the figures painted below feature the colorful costumes of countries where Saint Fraocois-Xavier made converts; India, Japan and China. The interior of the cupola over the altar and the ceilings also have lavish paintings, depicting the twelve apostles, around a lamb.[3] The dome interior was painted in the Neo-Byzantine style by Charles Lemeire.[4]
The bronze altar piece is a modern work in the classical style by the sculptor Poussielegue-Rustand, installed in 1984.
-
The nave, facing the altar
-
The Choir and altar seen from the nave
-
Interior of the cupola, with paintings of the twelve Apostles
Chapels
-
The Chapel of the Virgin in the apse
-
The shrine and reliquary ofSaint Madeleine-Sophie Barat, founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart
-
The Chapel of the Sacred Heart
A chapel in the church displays the shrine and reliquary of
Art and decoration
-
"The Last Supper". by Tintoretto (1559)
-
Christ and Saint-Francis-Xavier, in the Neo-Byzantine style
The most famous work in the church is "The Last Supper" by
The chapels of the church are filled with works of art, dating from the Renaissance to the 20th century. The Chapel of Saint Louis displays a major work by the Baroque painter Luca Giordano, (1632-1705), "The Crucifixion of Saint Peter." Following the school of Caravagio and Ribera, the painting depicts the corpse of the Saint in dramatic fashion. in the night, head down, being removed from the cross.[6]
The chapels on the left aisle also contain notable works, including "The Apotheosis of Saint Gaetan of Thiene", by
Another important Baroque work found in the church is "The Virgin and Child with John the Baptist and Saint Genevieve", by
Organ
-
The principal organ
-
"The Organ Rehearsal", depicting the church organ, by Henry Lerolle (1885), now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The main organ is located in the rear of nave, over the portal. It was built in 1878 by the firm of Fermis and Persil. It was modified in 1830, again in 1923, and then was entirely restored beginning in 1993. The restored organ was inaugurated in 1996.
The organ of the church is featured in "The Organ Rehearsal", a work by
Organists
The following have served as organist of Saint-François Xavier church since 1878:
- 1878–1891: Albert Renaud
- 1891–1941: Adolphe Marty
- 1941–1946: Achille Philip
- 1946–1994: Gaston Litaize
- 1994–present: Denis Comtet
Bibliography (in French)
- Dumoulin, Aline; Ardisson, Alexandra; Maingard, Jérôme; Antonello, Murielle; Églises de Paris (2010), Éditions Massin, Issy-Les-Moulineaux, ISBN 978-2-7072-0683-1
- Hillairet, Jacques; Connaissance du Vieux Paris; (2017); Éditions Payot-Rivages, Paris; (in French). ISBN 978-2-2289-1911-1
Notes and citations
- ^ a b Dumoulin, Ardisson (2010), p. 132
- ^ a b Site of the parish Saint-François-Xavier (in French)
- ^ a b c Dumoulin, Ardisson, "Églises de Paris" (2010), p. 132
- ^ a b Site of the parish Saint-François-Xavier
- ^ Site of the parish Saint-François-Xavier (in French)
- ^ a b c Dumoulin, Ardisson, "Églises de Paris" (2010), p. 134-35
- ^ The Organ Rehearsal at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- ^ [1] Site of the Church (in French)