Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet

Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet (French pronunciation: ​[sɛ̃ ni.kɔ.lɑ dy ʃaʁ.dɔ.nɛ]) is a Roman Catholic church in the centre of Paris, France, located in the 5th arrondissement.[1] Since 1977, after expelling the parish priest and his assistants, the church has been used by traditionalist Society of St. Pius X and remains in the Society's hands.

Church of Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet
Église Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet
Church of Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet
48.8491°N 2.3502°E / 48.8491; 2.3502
Location	23, Rue des Bernardins, 75005 Paris
Country	France
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church (Tridentine Mass)
Website	www.saintnicolasduchardonnet.fr
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architectural type	Church
Style	Classical
Groundbreaking	1658 (1658)
Completed	1703 (1703)
Administration
Province	Archdiocese of Paris, since 1977 used by traditionalist Society of St. Pius X
Clergy
Priest in charge	Patrick de La Rocque (since 2014)

History until 1977

The nave

A chapel was first built in the 13th century, in a field planted with chardons (thistles), hence the name. It was later replaced with a church. The clocktower is part of an earlier structure, built sometime prior to 1600. The church was reconstructed between 1656 and 1763.[2] In 1612, Adrien Bourdoise founded a seminary at Saint-Nicolas.

In the late 17th century noted harpsichordist Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy (1633–1694) served as titular organist of the church.

In the 19th century the adjacent Mutualité site was occupied by a seminary. There, Ernest Renan studied under the direction of the Abbé Dupanloup, who attained celebrity in 1838 when he reconciled the notoriously amoral diplomat Talleyrand, who had received the minor orders at Saint-Nicholas, to the church on his death-bed. (Dupanloup subsequently became Bishop of Orléans and a member of the Académie française).

The painting, Le Baptême du Christ, is by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, who also decorated the ceiling.[3]

Since 1905, the city of Paris, following the law on the separation of Church and State, claims ownership of the church but grants the Roman Catholic Church a free usage right.

1977 occupation and consequences

On 27 February 1977, traditionalist priest Monsignor François Ducaud-Bourget, who opposed the post-Vatican II Mass, organised a meeting of his followers at the nearby Maubert Mutalité Lecture Hall. He led the attendees to Saint-Nicolas church, where a service was just concluding. Ducaud-Bourget entered in procession, went to the altar and said Mass in Latin. The parish priest was ejected.[4][5] The occupation was intended to be just for the length of the mass, but then it continued indefinitely.[5] The parish priest went to court and obtained an order for the expulsion of the occupiers, but the application order was delayed pending mediation, with writer Jean Guitton appointed as mediator.[4] After three months of mediation between the occupants and the Archbishop of Paris, François Marty, Guitton admitted his failure to resolve the issue; the police made no attempt to enforce the expulsion order.[6] The occupiers aligned themselves with the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), and received help from its leader, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.[5]

In 1978, the Court of Cassation confirmed that the occupation was illegal but the order of eviction was never implemented.[7] On 20 February 1987, the Conseil d'État ruled that the disturbance to public order resulting from an expulsion would be higher than that resulting from the illegal occupation.[8]

Ducaud-Bourget died in 1984, and was replaced by Philippe Laguérie. In 1993, the SSPX members, led by Laguérie, unsuccessfully attempted to occupy another church in Paris, St-Germain l'Auxerrois.[9]

On 22 June 2002, the municipal council of Paris passed a resolution that the SSPX should be expelled from the church,[7] against the wishes of the socialist Mayor Bertrand Delanoë.[10][11]

Current situation

It is now the SSPX first church in the city of Paris itself, the second being Notre-Dame-de-Consolation Chapel[12] (others exist in the Île de France) and although it is not their official French headquarters[13] it is seen as their de facto national centre.

Covid-19 pandemic

In April 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the congregation of Saint-Nicolas defied the social distancing regulations then in force by holding an Easter Vigil. A livestream on YouTube showed the priest and deacons in close contact, without wearing masks, and Holy Communion was given with bare hands.[14] About 40 people were in attendance. The priest was warned and booked, and given a €135 fine.[15]

References

1. Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet Church at Structurae
2. "Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet", The Organs of Paris
3. Galignani's New Paris Guide, Thirteenth edition, 1838, p. 386 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
4. "Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet : avec foi mais sans loi". Libération (in French). 11 May 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
5. Moreau, Theresa Maria (19 September 2017). "Celebrating Fortieth Anniversary of Takeover of Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet, Paris". The Remnant. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
6. Hargrove, Charles (5 July 1977). "Mediator in church dispute admits defeat". The Times.
7. 2002 V. 83 - Vœu relatif à l'occupation de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet Archived 2007-03-11 at the Wayback Machine
8. 183 - Vœu présenté par M. Sylvain GAREL et les membres du groupe "Les Verts" sur l'occupation de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet (in French)
9. Les Lebevristes se déchirent, La Croix, 9 September 2004. (Archived: 7 February 2012) (in French)
10. Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet: Un procès à la hauteur de nos espérances, Les Verts. (Archived: 27 September 2011) (in French)
11. Chevalet, Martine (26 June 2002). "Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet divise la majorité municipale". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 13 April 2020.
12. Chapelle Notre-Dame de Consolation : horaires des offices pour l'année 2013-2014
13. The SSPX list their French headquarters as Prieure Saint Pie X, 11, rue Cluseret, BP 125, from Headquarters of the SSPX Archived 2006-08-11 at the Wayback Machine, from their website in the USA
14. "Vigile Pascale 22h30". Eglise Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet YouTube Channel. 11 April 2020.
15. Hansrod, Zeenat (13 April 2020). "Traditionalist Paris priest defies lockdown and holds Easter Vigil service". RFI. Retrieved 13 April 2020.

External links

• Tridentine Missa Cantata (Sung Latin Mass) for the Last Sunday after Pentecost