164 Paris - Saint Anthony of the fifteen twenties.
The Saint Anthony in question did not live in the fifteen twenties, but this church used to be attached to the hospital of the “quinze vingts” - the fifteen twenties, way back. The hospital was so called because it had three hundred beds. You probably guessed. Some say the hospital was set up to care for the three hundred soldiers who came back from the seventh crusade in the 1250s having had their eyes gouged out by the enemy. But this may be made up. The hospital is today a leading opthalmoplogical centre. Church completed in 1903. in a Romanesque Revival style (note them semi circular arches). Rather rustic style of confessional, and dour poor box. In one of the stained glass windows a remarkable and rare representation of God the Father holding out his crucified son to show the world. There is a fine modernist pared down stations of the cross, which was made by Sister Dolores of Dourgne abbey. So it’ s one of those fairly rare sets of stations of the cross ...