150 Churches in Paris and elsewhere

I really liked this early twentieth century brick church. In particular, there are some of my all-time favourite Stations of the Cross, a fine cross in empty space, and an altar table, lectern and tabernacle in quietly decorative style. The baptismal font and some of the crucifixes are also worth the trip. The organ has many pipes. The church was built in 1909 and opened in 1910, named after the local neighbourhood. It looks very contemplative, but apparently the bloody shirt of a young Catholic working man, who had been killed in an attack on a Catholic procession, was buried in the foundations of the building.

  I’ll be getting to the Catholic cathedral a bit later. What was immediately noticeable when I visited this cathedral was the contemporary art installations. I have already commented on this blog about the sometimes contradictory  attitude of organized religion to modern and contemporary art. On the one hand, churches don’t want to be seen as old-fashioned and out of touch. On the other hand, the most influential  art over the last 150 years or so has often been iconoclastic, individualistic, anti-authority, all stuff which is not so churchey. Anyway there’s plenty of that art here. Spiritual slogans in neon lights, and a fine modernist sculpture “The Outraged Christ” complete with slightly obscure blurb and internet address of artist. Also a painting of your three crosses on Calvary, complete with menacing blue sky. Also lovely volumes outlined in brick.