St Marcel de la Salpêtriere Church, dedicated to the patron saint of Paris
The Church of St Marcel de la Salpêtrière, more commonly known as the Church of Saint-Marcel since 1860, is dedicated to the 9th bishop of Paris, who lived in the 4th and 5th centuries.
According to legend, Saint Marcel performed many miracles: he also transformed the Seine water into wine, converted pagans to Christianity and saved Paris from a dragon, which led him to be recognised as one of the city’s patron saints, alongside Sainte-Geneviève and Saint-Denis.
In Roman times, the area where the church now stands was deserted and located outside the limits of Lutetia (Roman Paris) and the Arènes de Lutèce (amphitheater). Saint Marcel was buried in the vast Gallo-Roman necropolis that had developed along the old Roman road that connected Paris to the South of France. The location of his tomb would thus be at the intersection of Boulevard Saint-Marcel and Avenue des Gobelins.
The small oratory erected over his tomb became a place of pilgrimage and triggered the establishment of Paris’ first Christian community near the nearby ford on the River Bièvre. In the 6th century, a chapel replaced the oratory.
Saint Marcel’s relics were transferred for safekeeping on the Ile de la Cité during the Norman invasions of the 9th century. This not only helped to preserve his relics but also contributed to consolidate his status as the patron saint of the city.
The ruined chapel was rebuilt in the 10th century to serve the rapidly expanding Christian community of Paris.
Faubourg Saint-Marcel
The Church of St Marcel de la Salpêtrière was elevated to the status of a collegiate church in 1158 and placed under the authority of the powerful Abbey of Sainte-Geneviève. Several renowned religious establishments were also built in the vicinity of this new district, along the banks of the Bièvre.
The church was fortified with strong ramparts and deep moats at the beginning of the Hundred Years War, and offered protection to its parishioners living outside the city walls. Significant changes occurred when the canons of Saint-Marcel assumed the responsibilities previously held by the villagers.
In the 14th century, King Philippe the Fair granted tax exemptions and elevated the village to the status of an independent commune, which thus became known as Faubourg Saint-Marcel. The recently granted tax breaks, combined with the proximity of the Bièvre river, encouraged the emergence of artisanal trades such as butchery, tanning, shoe-making and dyeing. The workforce growth then triggered the construction of breweries, inns and cabarets nearby. Finally, the creation of the Manufacture des Gobelins further boosted the development of the Faubourg Saint-Marcel, making it a vibrant and dynamic community.
St Marcel de la Salpêtriere
The collegiate church was enlarged in the 16th century and renamed St Marcel de la Salpêtrière, as it stood near a saltpetre works, now replaced by the Salpêtrière hospital. This church was demolished in 1806, marking the end of an era for the Faubourg Saint-Marcel, a working-class district that was incorporated into Paris in 1860 as part of Haussmann‘s works.
These works profoundly altered the district, as a large part of the medieval quarter, except the Rue des Gobelins and Rue de la Reine-Blanche, was demolished to build the Boulevard Arago and the Boulevard Saint-Marcel.
The foundation stone of a new church was laid in 1856 at No. 80 Boulevard de l’Hôpital. This neo-Gothic building, which became known as Church of Saint-Marcel, remained in use until 1962, when it was demolished, as it was falling into ruins.
The current Church of Saint-Marcel was inaugurated in 1966 and consecrated a year later. Its contemporary architecture, blending concrete and glass, reflects the style of the 1960s. The facade is adorned with an impressive stained-glass window depicting Saint Marcel, a work by the master glass-maker Guérin.
The Church of Saint-Marcel is the guardian of the holy man’s relics.
St Marcel de la Salpêtrière is thus one of the 25 Paris churches I have selected for you, lesser-known, yet equally remarkable!
Directions: 13th District – St Marcel de la Salpêtrière – No80 Boulevard de l’Hôpital
Metro: St-Marcel on Line 5
Coordinates: Lat 48.837285 – Long 2.359802
