L'Oratoire du Louvre

l'Oratoire du Louvre
Temple Protestant de l'Oratoire du Louvre
The front of the church from rue Saint Honoré
l'Oratoire du Louvre The location of l'Oratoire within Paris
48°51′42.7″N 2°20′25.1″E / 48.861861°N 2.340306°ECoordinates: 48°51′42.7″N 2°20′25.1″E / 48.861861°N 2.340306°E
Location	Paris
Country	France
Denomination	United Protestant Church of France
Previous denomination	Reformed Church of France
Churchmanship	Liberal[1]
Website	oratoiredulouvre.fr
History
Former name(s)	La congrégation de l’Oratoire de Jésus
Authorising papal bull	1613
Founded	November, 1611
Founder(s)	Pierre de Bérulle
Consecrated	July 12, 1750
Events	Made royal chapel of the Louvre Palace by Louis XIII (1623), Suppressed during the French Revolution (1792), Protestant Church (1811)
Associated people	Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu, Anne of Austria, Paul-Henri Marron
Architecture
Status	Parish church
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Monument Historique PA00085789[2]
Designated	1907
Architect(s)	Jacques Lemercier, Clément Métezeau, Pierre Caqué
Architectural type	Christian Church
Style	Baroque
Years built	1621-1625, 1740-1745
Groundbreaking	September 22, 1621
Completed	1745
Administration
Synod	Synode régional d'Île-de-France
Clergy
Pastor(s)	Marc Pernot, James Woody

The Temple Protestant de l'Oratoire du Louvre, also Eglise Réformée de l'Oratoire du Louvre, is a 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 in 1611 by Pierre de Bérulle as the French branch of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri. It was made the royal chapel of the Louvre Palace by Louis XIII on December 23, 1623 and was host to the funerals of both Louis and Cardinal Richelieu. Work on the church was suspended in 1625 and not resumed until 1740, with the church completed in 1745.

It was suppressed in 1792 during the French Revolution, looted, stripped of its decor, and used to store theater sets. In 1811 it was given by Napoleon to the Protestant congregation of Saint-Louis-du-Louvre when that building was demolished to make way for the expansion of the Louvre. A statue and monument of Admiral Gaspard de Coligny, the great Huguenot leader of the 16th century, was built on the rue de Rivoli end of the church in 1889. It continues as one of the most prominent Reformed congregations in Paris, noted for its liberal theology.^[3] The closest métro station is Louvre – Rivoli

Prominent Pastors

• Paul-Henri Marron (1811-1832)
• Athanase Laurent Charles Coquerel (1832-1868)
• Adolphe Monod
• Wilfred Monod

Gallery

• Interior
• 
  The pulpit and choir
• 
  The nave and organ
• 
  Memorial to church members killed in World War I
• 
  The upper room, onetime home to the American Church in Paris and later The Scots Kirk, Paris
• 
  Decoration that survived the French Revolution

• Exterior
• 
  The facade before restoration work, from rue Saint-Honoré
• 
  View of the church from Rue de Rivoli
• 
  Statue of Gaspard de Coligny

References

1. "Bienvenue". L'Église Protestante Réformée de l'Oratoire du Louvre à Paris.
2. "Temple de l'Oratoire du Louvre (ancienne chapelle du couvent de l'Oratoire)". Monuments Historique. Ministère de la Culture.
3. "L'histoire de l'Oratoire". l'Oratoire du Louvre.

Sources

Braunstein, Philippe (2011). L'Oratoire du Louvre et les protestants parisiens. Paris: Labor et Fides. ISBN 978-2830914320.

External links

• Official site (French)