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Église Saint-Polycarpe

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Église Saint-Polycarpe
Facade of the church
Religion
AffiliationRoman Catholic
District1st arrondissement of Lyon
Location
LocationLyon, France
Geographic coordinates45°46′12″N 4°50′02″E / 45.7699°N 4.8339°E / 45.7699; 4.8339
Architecture
TypeChurch
Completed1670

The Église Saint-Polycarpe (Church of St. Polycarp) is a Roman Catholic church located in the 1st arrondissement of Lyon, on the slopes of La Croix-Rousse, between rue René Leynaud, rue Burdeau and passages Mermet and Thiaffait. It is the oldest church of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri.

History

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The church, built by the Oratorians installed on the slopes, was completed in 1670, with the exception of the façade that was built in 1756 by architect Toussaint Loyer[1] who also lengthened the nave.[2]

On 19 June 1791, the Oratory Church became a parish church and took the name of St. Polycarp, as a tribute to Polycarp of Smyrna, master of Saint Pothinus and Irenaeus, who were the first two bishops of Lyon.

The heart of Pauline-Marie Jaricot, founder of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, currently remains in a chapel of the church.[3]

The church has a famous organ, built by Augustine Zeiger in 1841.[4] Adrien Rougier was the titular organist of the church from 1932 to 1945. The previous organ (built in 1722) had been in a significant state of disrepair for several years before François Mensongueé, a prominent French composer and organist of the church since 1826, commissioned it to be replaced in 1837.

In 1982, the church was classified as monument historique.[5]

Architecture

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The church has a facade decorated with four Corinthian pilasters topped by a triangular pediment. Louis Janmot made the painting depicting the Last Supper which is placed in the apse.[2]

Photos

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References

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  1. ^ "Objectif Lyon : Saint Polycarpe" (in French). DBOC. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  2. ^ a b Jacquemin, Louis (1985). Histoire des églises de Lyon, Villeurbanne, Vaulx-en-Velin, Bron, Vénissieux, Saint-Fons (in French) (2nd ed.). Lyon: Élie Bellier. p. 276. ISBN 2-904547-07-X.
  3. ^ "Histoire de l'église et du quartier des pentes de la Croix-Rousse, Lyon 1er" (in French). Église des pentes. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  4. ^ "Église Saint-Polycarpe" (in French). Rhône Tourisme. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  5. ^ Base Mérimée: Église Saint-Polycarpe, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)