SAINT SULPICE CLASSICAL

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SAINT SULPICE CLASSICAL

Bel Canto performs Handel’s Messiah in beautiful Saint Sulpice church

Johnny Paris Tours

Mar 23, 2025

Transcript

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Saint-Sulpice is the third largest church in Paris, just slightly smaller than Notre-Dame and Saint-Eustache. Dedicated to Saint Sulpitius the Pious, construction began in 1646, replacing a Romanesque church from the 13th century.

The Marquis de Sade was baptized here in 1740, and Charles Baudelaire in 1821. In 1822, Victor Hugo was married to Adèle Foucher.

During the 18th century, the Gnomon of Saint-Sulpice, (an elaborate type of sundial) was constructed in the church. It was built at the direction of one of the parish priests who wanted to establish the exact times of day in order to ring the bells. An English clockmaker built the gnomon.

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The Romantic Artist, Eugène Delacroix painted three murals in the years between 1855–1861, two of which can be seen as one enters, in first chapel just off to the side on the right). The most famous of these is Jacob Wrestling with the Angel.

Jacob Wrestling with the Angel (photo courtesy of Wikimedia, public domain)

The other, Heliodorus Driven from the Temple, is also in the chapel, and the third is located on the ceiling: Saint Michael Vanquishing the Demon.

Saint-Sulpice is also known for its Great Organ. It is one of the most significant organs in the world. In addition to concerts performed throughout the year, such as the one I saw last night, featuring Bel Canto, Sunday organ concerts are held on a regular basis.

Finally, the church gained fame —erroneously it turns out — in Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code where he confuses the gnomon and the Paris Meridian. The gnomon has consists of line that runs across the floor, to a marble obelisk with a cross on top. It sits across from a south window that has openings, letting sunlight in to cast a shadow.

In Brown’s book, he refers to the line as the Paris Meridian or a “Rose Line,” neither of which is correct! But I guess that is what is called, “poetic license.”

Visit Saint Sulpice with Johnny Paris and delve into the Histories and Mysteries of this fascinating church.