The Churches of Paris, from Clovis to Charles XBeale, Sophia
History
The Churches of Paris, from Clovis to Charles X
Beale, Sophia
Church buildings -- France -- Paris; Paris (France) -- Buildings, structures, etc.
The picture represents the Virgin and Child sitting under an elegant
baldachino, the curtains of which are borne by Angels, who are holding,
at the same time, a crown over the head of the holy mother. The
following description by Père Du Breul[100] gives the story of the
miracle:
"Le troisième du mois de juillet 1418, veille de sainct Martin,[101]
Bouillant, un soldat ou goujat sortant d'une taverne qui estoit dès lors
en la rue aux Ours, désespéré d'avoir perdu tout son argent et ses
habits à jouer, jurant et blasphémant, frappa furieusement d'un couteau
une image de la Vierge Marie qui estoit au coin de ladite rue. Laquelle
image rendit du sang en abondance; de quoy estant advertie la justice,
il fut mené par devant l'image, fut frappé d'escourgées depuis six
heures du matin jusques au soir, tant que les entrailles luy sortoient,
et eut la langue percée d'un fer chaud. Au mesme lieu, tous les ans et à
tel jour, on fait un feu pour souvenance de ce miracle.... Audit lieu se
voit encores une image de Nostre Dame enfermée d'un treillis, auprès de
laquelle, contre la parvy, le jour que ce faict ledit feu, l'on attache
une tapisserie où est représenté l'histoire susdite."
Horrors of this kind were common enough in the 14th and 15th centuries;
indeed, when we think of Damiens' tortures, even the 18th century was no
more humane or decent. In the account of the Black Death in 1348, when
500 persons were buried daily, and Jews were tortured and burnt for
poisoning the people (as the populace affirmed), an order of Philippe
IV. was issued that all blasphemers should have their lips or tongues
cut off, as a sanitary measure to dispel the plague. It is curious that
such doings should be commemorated in a church dedicated to S. Giles,
that gentle hermit who screened the wounded hind from its pursuers, and
gave an eternal reproof to the votaries of the hunt. One can imagine
what the hermit-Saint would have thought of thus torturing a man, being
not only the protector of hunted animals and woodlands, but also of
those specimens of human misery, the lepers. Yet for many years the
hideous cruelty described above was celebrated as a sort of Guy Fawkes
festival, with fireworks, and mannikins of gigantic size, which were
marched about the neighbourhood to the terror of all the youthful
inhabitants.
SAINT-LOUIS D'ANTIN.
Little need be said of the church which formerly belonged to the
Capuchins who were transferred from the Faubourg S. Jacques to the new
quarter of the Rue d'Antin in 1783. The church was built by Brongniard,
but is of no importance whatever. It now forms a part of the Lycée for
those connected therewith who do not find science and literature all
that is requisite to their souls' weal.
SAINT LOUIS EN L'ILE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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