Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet

Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet is a Roman Catholic church in the centre of Paris, France located in the 5th arrondissement [Structurae|id=s0021865|title=Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet Church] . Since 1977 it has been occupied by traditionalist organisation Society of St. Pius X. Critics of the society contend that its founder, Marcel Lefebvre, was excommunicated for consecrating bishops without the permission of the Supreme Pontiff.

19th century

In the nineteenth century the adjacent Mutualité site was occupied by a seminary. There, Ernest Renan studied under the direction of the Abbé Dupanloup, who attained celebrity in 1838 when he reconciled the notoriously amoral diplomat Talleyrand to the church on his death-bed. (Dupanloup subsequently became Bishop of Orléans and a member of the "Académie Francaise").

Today

The church is now occupied by the Society of St. Pius X.Fact|date=February 2008 The society occupied it, with Francois Ducaud-Bourget and Marcel Lefebvre, in 1977.Fact|date=February 2008

It is now their only church in the city of Paris itself (others exist on the Île de France) and although it is not their official French headquarters [The SSPX list their French headquarters as "Prieure Saint Pie X, 11, rue Cluseret, BP 125", from [http://www.sspx.org/headquarters.html Headquarters of the SSPX] , from their website in the USA] it is seen as their de facto national centre.Fact|date=February 2008

On a typical Sunday there are about 6 Masses sung back to back, with almost no interruption. [ [http://www.sspx.co.uk/place.php?placeid=69 Saint Nicholas du Chardonnet Contact Details] ] There is hope that if the church becomes too crowded the society will occupy another church;Fact|date=February 2008 in 1993, the Society of St. Pius X, headed by Philippe Laguérie, attempted to occupy another church in Paris, St-Germain l'Auxerrois [ [http://v.i.v.free.fr/msd/nv-lefebvre-09-09-2004.html Les Lebevristes se déchirent] , "La Croix", 9 September 2004 fr icon ] , but failed.

Due to the 1905 French law on the separation of Church and State, the city of Paris owns the church, which in turn grants the Roman Catholic Church a free usage right. In 1977, eleven years before the Ecône Consecrations, members of the Society of St. Pius X expelled the parish priest and his assistants and took over the church, ["In February 1977, traditional Catholics liberate the church of Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet in Paris.", 1977, [http://www.sspx.org/SSPX_FAQs/appendix_iii_history_2.htm A SHORT HISTORY OF THE SSPX] , Hosted by the web site of the United States District] , which was criticised by the city authorities. ["Peu après cette occupation illégale d'un bâtiment appartenant à la Ville de Paris, un arrêté d'expulsion a été pris." Transl. "Soon after this illegation occupation of a building belonging to the City of Paris an eviction order was given." [http://www.v1.paris.fr/BMO/delib/CMDELIB20020624/CMDELIB200206242002_V._83.htm 2002 V. 83 - Vœu relatif à l'occupation de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet] ] In 1978, the "Cour de Cassation" confirmed that the occupation was illegal but the order of eviction was never put into effect. ["Peu après cette occupation illégale d'un bâtiment appartenant à la Ville de Paris, un arrêté d'expulsion a été pris. Malgré plusieurs demandes d'exécution de cette décision, cette occupation perdure depuis 25 ans." Transl. "Soon after this illegation occupation of a building belonging to the City of Paris and eviction order was given. Despite several requests for the order to be put into effect, the occupation has continued for 25 years." ( [http://www.v1.paris.fr/BMO/delib/CMDELIB20020624/CMDELIB200206242002_V._83.htm 2002 V. 83 - Vœu relatif à l'occupation de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet.] ] On February 20, 1987, the "Conseil d'État" ruled that the disturbance to public order resulting from an expulsion would be higher than that resulting from the illegal occupation [ [http://www.v1.paris.fr/BMO/debat/cmdebat20020624/CMDEBAT20020624-183.htm 183 - Vœu présenté par M. Sylvain GAREL et les membres du groupe "Les Verts" sur l'occupation de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet] fr icon ] . In 2002, several executives of the Society of St Pius X were accused of disseminating anti-Semitic propaganda at St Nicolas, but were found innocent.Fact|date=February 2007 On June 22, 2002, the municipal council of Paris passed a resolution that the Society of St Pius X should be expelled from the church, [ [http://www.v1.paris.fr/BMO/delib/CMDELIB20020624/CMDELIB200206242002_V._83.htm 2002 V. 83 - Vœu relatif à l'occupation de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet.] the motion from the website of Paris Council] against the wishes of the socialist Mayor, Bertrand Delanoë [ [http://lesverts.fr/article.php3?id_article=1077 Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet : Un procès à la hauteur de nos espérances] , "Les Verts" fr icon ] , who considered it an internal matter for the Catholic Church,Fact|date=February 2007 remarking that the Archbishop of Paris had not requested that the Society be expelled.Fact|date=February 2007

References

See also

*Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy

External links

* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1872714663680800365 Tridentine Missa Cantata (Sung Latin Mass) for the Last Sunday after Pentecost]