Scaffolding

I think this scaffolding is just too impressive and must be shown. Well, there is still time to see and show it. The restoration works will last for some six years, costing some 10M € - despite the fact that the church, Sainte-Trinité, is “only” some 150 years old.

Just a reminder: Since 1905, there is a French law about the Separation of Church and State, based on the freedom of religious exercise with a complete neutrality of the State. However, the religious buildings, the buildings only, previous to 1905, are still under ownership of the State (e.g. cathedrals) or of the municipal governments. This explains why you can read the text in front of the church that the renovation work is undertaken by the City of Paris.   

I already made a post about the church, see here, so I will not repeat myself too much, but just say that the church is open during the work… and that the parish still offers simple meals to needy people.

… and, of course, I could not resist against entering the church and take some photos again.

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.