4.3.09

Sainte-Trinité Church



Hi! I’m back. Thanks for all kind words during my absence. Not much new to report from Sweden and Gothenburg which you have not already seen in previous posts (and the snow was gone), so here is again something from Paris.


The Sainte-Trinité Church is rather recent, built 1861-67. It got its place here as part of the Haussmannian restructuring of the city. The church is huge and impressive with a mixture of styles. Not visible iron structures have allowed creating a lot of “air” without pillars.

There are free concerts every Thursday during lunch hours. There are two very good organs (Cavaillé-Coll). Olivier Messiaen, one of the 20th century great composers, got the title as organist of this church at the age of 23 and kept it to his death in 1992, for 61 years!
The parish offers, four days per week during the major part of the year, a free simple lunch to anybody who is in need. It takes place in the crypt which you can reach from the back of the church. I visited and talked to some volunteers who had just served some 200 persons.

54 comments:

Shionge said...

Welcome Back Peter :D

Karen said...

Welcome back, Peter. What a beautiful church and so good that it feeds people. I will have to go to hear the music when I return.. another thing to put on the list.. :=]

Thérèse said...

I must say I am a little bit disappointed of not seeing any snow upon your return on your blog!
45 minutes to line up 200 people for the soup? That makes 13 second per person! And I presume the line is not going to be shorter soon. Il m'arrivait dans le temps de m'arrêter à la Trinité, c'était d'un calme.

Olivier said...

on peut remercier tous les volontaires qui donnent de leurs temps pour aider les pauvres et les SDF.
Cette eglise est magnifique, et j'aime beaucoup la deuxieme photo, on voit l'importance de cette eglise

alice said...

Ravie de te retrouver, Peter!

hpy said...

Välkommen hem igen. Hemifrån.

Adam said...

My local church as you know Peter! I hope you a had a nice time in Sweden.

What I find particularly interesting about this church is that it is almost a 'drive-thru'! A street runs right past the front door, under most of the facade and steeple. This was obviously to allow the wealthier parishioners to arrive by carriage right at the front door and not have to get wet when it rained!

claude said...

Coucou, Peter !
Elle est magnifique cette Eglise et l'intérieur est somptueux. On y pratique bien la charité puisqu'on peut y boire et manger.
Un très beai post pour ton retour. A bientôt !

Catherine said...

L'église où j'ai fait ma communion. Elle n'a pas changé, moi si !
Les bénévoles de la paroisse tenaient aussi un restaurant à Pigalle, le Bistrot du Curé, où toutes sortes de gens se croisaient pour un repas au prix dérisoire. Un curé derrière le bar. Il y a longtemps ...

EMNM said...

Welcome back Peter!!
Very nice church and very interesting post, as usual

Anonymous said...

Bonjour Peter,
Nice to see you back.

Très belle, ta photo d'ouverture.
Elle donne une belle impression d'espace et de volume lumineux.

200 personnes à la soupe populaire, ça donne une idée de la détresse ambiante. Ca fait mal au coeur.

Bagman and Butler said...

What beautiful photography! I wish I had had a better camera 6 years ago when my wife and I had a week in Paris. That's right, blame the camera. Always a good excuse for lazyiness.

SusuPetal said...

Welcome back, Peter. Did they have snow in Gothenburg. Helsinki is melting little by little.

Cezar and Léia said...

Welcome back dear friend !
You came with a gold key to start this week!
I loved know about the organ and about the charity. It`s so nice when people can help each other because I believe when you do the “right” in this life you help yourself! Ohhhh forgive me I`m philosophizing about!
Wonderful post!
Léia

Anonymous said...

It looks wonderfully golden inside (but I'm not fond of baroque churches)

Eddy said...

depuis longtemps je regardais votre blog.Je me rends compte que vous êtes un véritable amoureux de Paris.je connais bien cette église, je travaille à coté.
A bientôt.

Alain said...

Content que tu sois rentré.
Je suis passé devant cette église deux fois par jour pendant quelques années, et elle me paraissait bien commune. A voir tes photos, il semble que je me trompais.

Michelle said...

Glad to see you back! Hope you had a nice trip. Great pictures of the church.

Eddy said...

J'ai dit que vous etiez un amoureux de Paris ?
Moi qui suis en admiration pour ma ville, vous etes un vrai Parisien :)

Jane Hards Photography said...

It just doesn't get better than this. Truly magnificent virtual wanderings around Paris.

GMG said...

Hi Peter!
Sorry I couldn’t visit you for the last two weeks, but it seems you were also absent! I’m trying to catch-up and see the wonders you have around!
The Sainte-Trinité is wonderful and you got some wonderfully lighted pictures. It looked a gorgeous sunny day, which helped to get some great interior shots; but why were the lights on? ;))
Your mother's picture is excellent; I've also found some similar at my parents'...
«Le Bon Marché» is looking fabulous; didn't notice LVMH bought it, but they were buying everything... ;)
Hope you have a great rest of the week!
Gil

Azer Mantessa said...

i would rush for the soup
welcome back :-)

lyliane six said...

Merci pour la neige rapportée de Suède, c'est tout blanc ici ce matin.
Elle est vraiment claire cette église, tu t'es porté volontaire pour servir la soupe populaire? bravo on ne pourra plus dire que les "retraités" ne servent plus à rien!.

Jill said...

Good to see you back Peter. You are a good son to visit your 'old' mother. I enjoyed see the photos and reading the info today. As always, you provide us a great education!

Cergie said...

J'ai dû passer deux fois devant, AR en partant de St Lazare, je ne sais plus pour quelle raison, je cherchais qch sans doute.
La structure métzlliqsue habillée me rappelle les immeubles de la rue de Rivoli dont on explique la construction au musée des Arts et Métiers.
[Bon retour parmi nous, Peter...]

Lara said...

how beautiful! divine art, in the souls of people!

Anonymous said...

Greetings from somewhere East Finland, I am in the train going to nurse my youngest grandchild in Espoo.
Thank you again for a wonderful piece of an architecture in Paris. I enjoy it here in the middle of a grey white landscape.

Daniel Chérouvrier said...

Bonjour,
c'est un quartier intéressant, j'y ai travaillé pendant 3 ans au 43 rue de la Chaussée d'Antin et récemment je me suis rendu rue Labruyère à la Fondation Taylor ( du nom du baron Taylor, personnage haut en couleurs, quia publié ses Voyages pittoresques et romantiques en France illustrés par de très belles lithos.

Jessica said...

Glad to see you back, Peter! If you wanted some snow, we've got some spare you could take. The school kids had a day and a half off this week due to snow!

Have you ever listened to the lunchtime concert? Sounds like a nice way to spend a lunch break.

Anonymous said...

If they would let me in I would go there. Nice place..

Abraham Lincoln
Brookville, Ohio

Jilly said...

Such an impressive church - as you say a mix of styles but somehow they all blend together and say 'look at me' - good to read of your visit with the volunteers who serve in the crypt. 200 lunch is no mean feat!

Kate said...

It sounds like your trip was both successful and uneventful (no problems), which is the best kind. The church is beautiful with a successful blending of styles. The soup kitchen sounds like it is needed.

Virginia said...

Great to have you back with us Peter! It wasn't the same without you! I want to see this beautiful church and you know I'd like to have a chance to meet the volunteers that help in the soup kitchen. ( I might need your translation skills. My French class is moving slowly!) Reminds me I need to get back down to my breakfast crowd very soon.
V

PS You will be proud to know that we learned how to read a Metro map in class! I'm sure I can still get turned around and lost!HA

Parisbreakfasts said...

For anyone who is in need, quite nearby is La Bonbonniere de la Trinite...
merci :)

Shammickite said...

Welcome back. And what a beautiful church. Hot soup served by volunteers makes the church even more beautiful!
Don't get too close to the computer screen, I have a very bad cold (ATISHOO!! sniff sniff) and I would hate to spread my nasty germs all the way to you in Paris!

Unknown said...

The church building is fantastic but the interiors are absolutely gorgeous! Great shots!

PeterParis said...

Shionge:
Thanks!!

Karen:
As I already said, you will be very bsuy or have to stay for quite long!

Thérèse:
Well, actually they are served at table... and I believe the 45 minutes are just the limit for arrival.

PeterParis said...

Olivier:
Je ne peux être que d'accord!

Alice:
Merci Alice! :-)

HPY:
Tack sà mycket!

PeterParis said...

Adam:
You are right! I should have emphasised this, but, as you know, this part is under restoration and it was difficult to get a decent photo.

Claude:
Coucou!

Catherine:
Un bel endroit pour une communion!

PeterParis said...

Matritensis:
Gracias!

Nathalie:
Je pense que ils ont déjà servi 300 ou 400 certains jours!!

Butler and Bagman:
Nice to find you here ... and as a follower. (I will have a look at your blog, of course!)

PeterParis said...

SusuPetal:
(Almost) no snow in Gothenburg!

Cezar & Léia:
So nice to hear from you! Anxiously waiting for the reopening of your blog!

April:
With the Cologne dome around, comparisons become difficult!

PeterParis said...

Eddy:
Merci de cette première visite (je crois)! A bientôt!!

Alain:
Tout le monde peut se tromper! :-)

Michelle:
Thanks!!

PeterParis said...

Eddy (bis):
Voilà un vrai compliment!!

Babooshka:
That was a real compliment! Thanks!!

GMG:
Thanks for taking your time to look through all my posts, dear non-retired person!

PeterParis said...

Azer:
Are you sure that you need this soup? :-))

Lyliane:
C'est bien les retraités qui peuvent encore servir!

Jill:
Maybe I shouldn' have added the 'old', but for obvious reasons she must be quite old! :-)

PeterParis said...

Cergie:
Il va falloir que je retourne au musée! Volontiers. Il est très bien!

Lara:
I believe you are also a first-timer here! I have now a number of new blogs - for me - to visit! :-)

Leena:
Trust you have now arrived to Espoo! Still snow also there?

PeterParis said...

Deslilas:
Taylor. Il faudrait donc aller voir!

Jessica:
Yes, I have listened. There are quite a few churches which offer this! Really nice and mostly of very good quality!

Pat and Abe:
I'm sure you would both be more than welcome!

PeterParis said...

Jilly:
You are also a first-time-commentator I believe! This is the day!!

Kate:
Yes, unfortunately needed!

Virginia:
I'm sure you will manage very well with the metro ... and the rest!

PeterParis said...

ParisBreakfasts:
... and it's NOW that you tell me!! :-)

Shammickite:
Take care! :-)

JM:
Thnaks for your always encouraging comments!

krystyna said...

Beautiful and really impressive church. Great job!
Really as there is said -
a picture is worth a 1.000 words.
Yours photos are worth muuuch more.

Thank you so much for your kind words, Peter.
I'm going to put my son's other video about 3x/week.

PeterParis said...

Krystyna:
Good! I will then be able to listen to your son regularly!!

Virginia said...

Well, I"ve taken your suggestion. I'll just stay forever.
( Ha, wish I could!!) It's getting close now. We are trying to find a good airline price! I might need some advice on our "program"! As you know, I always want to see more than I cam possible squeeze in. Three weeks seems like heaven but I"m sure it will fly by.
V

Ruth said...

I'm so glad to have you back, Peter. Back to your skillful photos and informative posts. The church is gorgeous, I've never seen it or heard about it, so thank you. I would so love to go there for a Thursday lunch concert!! And that organist, wow! It's sad to me that there are very few people nowadays who stick with one calling like that for a lifetime. I think we lose out on valuable expertise when people move from job to job. Also, I hate to see older people retire, just when their skills are the most keenly developed! But I suppose he deserved to retire (or die!).

Sounds like Sainte-Trinité does many good things, the free food is wonderful.

Ash said...

Great to see you back. Lovely images of the church!

PeterParis said...

Virginia:
I certainly hope that I can be of some help!

Ruth:
Wold be happy to join you for a concert! I believe Messiaen stayed to the "bitter end" despite many other activities!

Ash:
Thanks!