Jeannie's Travel Addiction

May 19, 2014

As I’m looking back through the  photos from my April in Paris trip, I realized I  needed to post about this beautiful  church that, literally, sits in the shadows of the Pantheon.  It could easily be overlooked, but it’s well worth taking the time to look inside.   The building of St. Etienne-du-Mont began in  1492 and was  finished in 1626.   It contains the shrine of St. Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris.  

Walking inside will catch you by surprise… ( well, maybe not – now that I have told you).  With the streets of Paris a few steps outside so busy, St.  Etienne is  almost empty, so quiet and peaceful.

 This Rood Screen,  the double -stair arch that separates the choir from the rest of the church is beautifully carved and unusual, as it is the only  rood screen left in Paris .

The  wooden pulpit dates from 1651. Sampson is holding up the pulpit and the carvings of  the seven women that  surround the pulpit  symbolize the virtues: Prudence, Justice, Faith,  Hope, Temperance, Fortitude,and Charity.

How humbling to  walk into a  church  this old, yet  so captivating – not only by the  incredible architecture but also because  I know  I can’t begin to imagine all of the history  that took place inside these walls.   Then I light a candle for safe travels…..