Saint-François Xavier des Missions étrangères
Encyclopedia
Saint-François Xavier des Missions étrangères (St Francis Xavier of the Foreign Missions) is a church and parish in the 7th arrondissement of Paris
dedicated to Francis Xavier
. It gives its name to the nearby Metro station Saint-François-Xavier
.
, during the Counter Reformation. The seminary's oratory
or chapel was built between 1683 and 1689, with interior decoration by Jacques Stella
, Nicolas Poussin
and Simon Vouet
, and it was this chapel that operated secretly as a parish church for the area during the Revolutionary era when the area's actual parish church of Saint-Sulpice was shut down. In 1801 the chapel was attached to the church of Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin, which became the church for the Faubourg Saint-Germain
, and the "Missions étrangères" parish was officially recognised and split from the parish of Saint-Sulpice in 1802, at which time its curé
was abbé Dessaubaz.
40 years later, in 1842, the parish was dedicated to St Francis Xavier. However, the chapel soon became too cramped for the seminarians and parishioners to share and the parishioners began construction on a new church in 1861 under abbé Jean-Louis Roquette (curé of the church from 1848 to 1889), headed by Adrien Lusson then Joseph Uchard
and paid for by the Ville de Paris
. The chosen site was in the corner of boulevard des Invalides and a planned boulevard right across the district towards rue des Saints-Pères that would meet the Seine level with pont du Carrousel
. According to the principals of Haussmann's renovation of Paris
, the new church would then form the end to this planned boulevard, explaining why its siting seems odd today, shifted over the boulevard and the hôtel des Invalides. Lusson began the works, but they were interrupted in 1863 and resumed under Uchard after Lusson's death. Work on the exterior was completed on 15 July 1874 and inaugurated at Easter 1875, at which point the interior decor was still incomplete. It was finally consecrated on 23 May 1894, the eve of Corpus Christi
, in a ceremony presided over by François-Marie-Benjamin Richard
, archbishop of Paris
.
Notable vicars of the new church have included abbé Louis Esquerré (from 1894 - founder of the Patronage du Bon Conseil), Georges Chevrot (1930–58) and Georges Derry (beheaded in Cologne in 1943). The parish now contains 24,000 inhabitants.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
dedicated to Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier, born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta was a pioneering Roman Catholic missionary born in the Kingdom of Navarre and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. He was a student of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits, dedicated at Montmartre in 1534...
. It gives its name to the nearby Metro station Saint-François-Xavier
Saint-François-Xavier (Paris Metro)
Saint-François-Xavier is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro in the 7th arrondissement.The station was opened on 20 December 1923 as part of the original section of line 10 between Invalides and Croix Rouge...
.
History
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 pope Urban VIIIPope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
, during the Counter Reformation. The seminary's oratory
Oratory
Oratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus...
or chapel was built between 1683 and 1689, with interior decoration by Jacques Stella
Jacques Stella
-Life:Stella was born in Lyon. His father was François Stella, a painter and merchant of Flemish origin, but he died too soon to train Jacques in painting. Jacques's siblings included François , Françoise and Madeleine...
, Nicolas Poussin
Nicolas Poussin
Nicolas Poussin was a French painter in the classical style. His work predominantly features clarity, logic, and order, and favors line over color. His work serves as an alternative to the dominant Baroque style of the 17th century...
and Simon Vouet
Simon Vouet
Simon Vouet was a French painter and draftsman, who today is perhaps best remembered for helping to introduce the Italian Baroque style of painting to France.-Life:...
, and it was this chapel that operated secretly as a parish church for the area during the Revolutionary era when the area's actual parish church of Saint-Sulpice was shut down. In 1801 the chapel was attached to the church of Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin, which became the church for the Faubourg Saint-Germain
Faubourg Saint-Germain
The Faubourg Saint Germain is an historic district of Paris. The Faubourg has long been known as the favorite home of the French high nobility and hosts many aristocratic Hôtels particuliers...
, and the "Missions étrangères" parish was officially recognised and split from the parish of Saint-Sulpice in 1802, at which time its curé
Cure
A cure is a completely effective treatment for a disease.The Cure is an English rock band.Cure, or similar, may also refer to:-Film and television:* The Cure , a short film starring Charlie Chaplin...
was abbé Dessaubaz.
40 years later, in 1842, the parish was dedicated to St Francis Xavier. However, the chapel soon became too cramped for the seminarians and parishioners to share and the parishioners began construction on a new church in 1861 under abbé Jean-Louis Roquette (curé of the church from 1848 to 1889), headed by Adrien Lusson then Joseph Uchard
Joseph Uchard
François Joseph Uchard , known as Joseph Uchard, was a French architect. His projects include the completion of Saint-François Xavier des Missions étrangères.-External links:...
and paid for by the Ville de Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The chosen site was in the corner of boulevard des Invalides and a planned boulevard right across the district towards rue des Saints-Pères that would meet the Seine level with pont du Carrousel
Pont du Carrousel
The Pont du Carrousel is a bridge in Paris, which spans the River Seine between the Quai des Tuileries and the Quai Voltaire.-History:Begun in 1831 in the prolongation of the rue des Saints-Pères on the Left Bank, the original bridge was known under that name until its inauguration, in 1834, when...
. According to the principals of Haussmann's renovation of Paris
Haussmann's renovation of Paris
Haussmann's Renovation of Paris, or the Haussmann Plan, was a modernization program of Paris commissioned by Napoléon III and led by the Seine prefect, Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, between 1853 and 1870...
, the new church would then form the end to this planned boulevard, explaining why its siting seems odd today, shifted over the boulevard and the hôtel des Invalides. Lusson began the works, but they were interrupted in 1863 and resumed under Uchard after Lusson's death. Work on the exterior was completed on 15 July 1874 and inaugurated at Easter 1875, at which point the interior decor was still incomplete. It was finally consecrated on 23 May 1894, the eve of Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi (feast)
Corpus Christi is a Latin Rite solemnity, now designated the solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ . It is also celebrated in some Anglican, Lutheran and Old Catholic Churches. Like Trinity Sunday and the Solemnity of Christ the King, it does not commemorate a particular event in...
, in a ceremony presided over by François-Marie-Benjamin Richard
François-Marie-Benjamin Richard
François-Marie-Benjamin Richard , archbishop of Paris, French prelate, was born at Nantes, Loire-Atlantique....
, archbishop of Paris
Archbishop of Paris
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Paris is one of twenty-three archdioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The original diocese is traditionally thought to have been created in the 3rd century by St. Denis and corresponded with the Civitas Parisiorum; it was elevated to an archdiocese on...
.
Notable vicars of the new church have included abbé Louis Esquerré (from 1894 - founder of the Patronage du Bon Conseil), Georges Chevrot (1930–58) and Georges Derry (beheaded in Cologne in 1943). The parish now contains 24,000 inhabitants.