Oratoire du Louvre

The Église réformée de l'Oratoire du Louvre, is an historic Protestant church located at 145 rue Saint-Honoré – 160 rue de Rivoli in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, across the street from the Louvre. It was founded as a Roman Catholic church in 1611, became the royal chapel of France and under Louis XIII, and then became a Protestant Church under Napoleon I in 1811. It is now a member of the United Protestant Church of France.

Oratory church (1611-1621)

The French Oratory was founded in 1611 by Cardinal Pierre de Bérulle, as the first Paris church of the Oratory of Jesus, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who lived together in a religious community without taking formal vows. In 1612 the French Regent, Marie de Medicis, officially recognized the Oratory. Pope Paul V recognized the Oratory in 1613. The Oratory grew until it had some sixty churches in France.

The first Paris church of the Oratory was in the Faubourg Saint-Jacques, close to the future Val de Grace church. As the congregation grew, De de Bérulle began the search for a larger home for the Oratory. In 1616 Beruille bought a large former mansion on Rue de Marengo, near the Louvre and dedicated a chapel there.The new chapel attracted a large following, and Beruille began planning for an even larger church. In 1619 he bought several houses and parcels of land, and in 1620 bought large parcel of land at what is the present site, on the present Rue de l'Oratoire, next to the Louvre. At the end of 1620 he commissioned the royal architect Clément Métezeau to design the new church.

Royal Chapel (1621-1625)

The first stone was laid on 22 September 1621 by Hercule, Duke of Montbazon, the governor of Paris. King Louis XIII actively supported the church, giving it the status of the Royal Chapel, and gave the clergy the status of royal chaplains. The most prestigious artists of the time, Philippe de Champagne, Charles Le Brun and Simon Vouet participated in the decoration of the chapels. Most of their work was destroyed during the French Revolution, but some art remains. The church hosted the funerals of both the King and of Cardinal Richelieu, as well as Queens Anne of Austria and Maria Theresa of Spain. However, with changes of regime and financial difficulties, the constructio of the he church was suspended in 1625.

Neoclassical additions (1741-1750)

Construction of the unfinished church finally resumed 1741 under architect Pierre Caqué. He completed the last two traveres of the nave, built the Neoclassical facade on rue Saint-Honoré (1744-1746) and then redesigned the interior with a balance of the earlier Baroque architecture and the new neo-classical style. He commissioned classical sculptures from Claude-Clair Francin and Nicolas-Sebastien Adam to decorate the facade. In 1747 he finished the main altar and the baldequin. The interior was completed in 1748, and was consecrated in 1750.

Revolutionary meeting hall and Bank of France (1792 to 1811)

In 1792, during the French Revolution, the Revolutionary government formally abolished all religious orders, including the congregation of the Oratory. the church was closed, and was turned into a meeting place the for the national academy of medicine, and also to store sets for the Paris Opera and the Comedie-Francaise. In 1793, as the Revolution became more radical and anti-clerical, the church was ransacked, the statues and architecture mutilated, and the chapels emptied of their art. Fortunately twenty-nine paintings from the church were sent for safekeeping to the Museum of French Monuments. As the Revolution came to an end, in 1800 the newly-created Bank of France was installed in the empty church building.

Protestant Temple (1811 to present)

In 1811, Napoleon gave the building to the Protestant congregation of Saint-Louis-du-Louvre whose own church that building was demolished to make way for the expansion of the Louvre.

Between 1820 and 1828, the church was restored and modified by architect to adapt to Protestant services. A sacristy was created, An organ was installed, and tribunes were added in the chapels. In 1853, to make room for the Rue de Rivoli, one of the new streets cut through the center of the city by Baron Haussman, the convent of the old church was demlished. A statue and monument of Admiral Gaspard de Coligny, the prominent Huguenot leader of the 16th century, was raised on the rue de Rivoli end of the church in 1889.

The title "Oratory" of the Catholic was preserved in the Protestant church. August Decoppet, the pastor of the church from 1878 to 1906 explained, "Our church bears the most beautiful name that can be given to a church, that of "oratory", which signifies a house of prayer, a place where the human soul and God can come together."

20th and 21st century

The Paris church today is one of the most prominent temples of the Reformed Church of France. It is noted for its Religious liberalism.

The Exterior

The exterior of the church has very different styles on the Rue du Rivoli and the Rue Saint-Honore. The facade on the Rue Saint-The facade on the Rue Saint-Honorḗ is neoclassicl, eOCLaaixL while the apse is largely in the Baroque style.

The closest métro station is Louvre – Rivoli.

Interior

THe nave underwent major modifications in the 18th century, replacing Baroque elements wih elements of Neoclassical architecture. This is particularly visible in the nave, lined with stately classical columns and pilasters topped with Corinthian capitals, and wooden tribunes or balconies were placed into the chapels that line the nave. However, some baroque elements can still be seen the chapels that line the nave. The chapels were originally decorated by families close to the Oratory members. who commissioned the leading painters of the period, including Simon Vouet, Philippe de Champagne , and Charles le Brun to decorate them. But only one of the original Renaissance ceiling paintings is still in place.

Art and Decoration

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The central sculpture over the portal represents the Protestant leader Gaspard II de Coligny, who was killed during the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre. It was created by the architect Scellier de Gisors and the sculptor Gustave-Adolphe Crauck (1827-1905)

Most of the paintings from this period were destroyed during the French Revolution. The only original painting from this period still visible is "The Conversion of Saint Paul on the Road to Damascus" by Charles Le Brun (1619-1690) It it is surrounded by small paintings of angels holding the instruments of the Passion of Jesus.