Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet

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Façade of the church

Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet is a Roman Catholic church in the centre of Paris, France located in the 5th arrondissement^[1]. Since 1977 it has been occupied by traditionalist organisation Society of St. Pius X. The society's founder, Marcel Lefebvre, was excommunicated by the Holy See for consecrating bishops without the permission of the Supreme Pontiff.

1 19th century
2 Today
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] 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).

[edit] Today

The church is now occupied by the Society of St. Pius X.^{[citation needed]} The society occupied it, with Francois Ducaud-Bourget and Marcel Lefebvre, in 1977.^{[citation needed]}

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^[2] it is seen as their de facto national centre.^{[citation needed]}

On a typical Sunday there are about 6 masses sung back to back, with almost no interruption.^[3] There is hope that if the church becomes too crowded the society will occupy another church;^{[citation needed]} in 1993, the Society of St. Pius X, headed by Philippe Laguérie, attempted to occupy another church in Paris, St-Germain l'Auxerrois ^[4], 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,^[5], which was criticised by the city authorities.^[6] In 1978, the Cour de Cassation confirmed that the occupation was illegal but the order of eviction was never put into effect.^[7] 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 ^[8]. 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.^{[citation needed]} 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,^[9] against the wishes of the socialist Mayor, Bertrand Delanoë ^[10], who considered it an internal matter for the Catholic Church,^{[citation needed]} remarking that the Archbishop of Paris had not requested that the Society be expelled.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

^ Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet Church in the Structurae database
^ The SSPX list their French headquarters as Prieure Saint Pie X, 11, rue Cluseret, BP 125, from Headquarters of the SSPX, from their website in the USA
^ Saint Nicholas du Chardonnet Contact Details
^ Les Lebevristes se déchirent, La Croix, 9 September 2004 (French)
^ In February 1977, traditional Catholics liberate the church of Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet in Paris., 1977, A SHORT HISTORY OF THE SSPX, Hosted by the web site of the United States District
^ 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. 2002 V. 83 - Vœu relatif à l'occupation de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet
^ 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. (2002 V. 83 - Vœu relatif à l'occupation de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet.
^ 183 - Vœu présenté par M. Sylvain GAREL et les membres du groupe "Les Verts" sur l'occupation de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet (French)
^ 2002 V. 83 - Vœu relatif à l'occupation de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet. the motion from the website of Paris Council
^ Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet : Un procès à la hauteur de nos espérances, Les Verts (French)