Paris History Project : Église Saint-Roch

Location: Corner Rue Saint-Honoré and Passage Saint-Roch

English translation

"In 1521, a chapel called Sainte-Suzanne or des Cinq-Plaies was built here. Enlarged in 1577, it was placed under the patronage of Saint Roch. Elevated as a parish church in 1633, Saint-Roch was rebuilt by Le Mercier. Lacking funds, the work dragged on. In 1719, financier John Law converted to Catholicism and donated 100,000 livres to complete the nave. The façade designed by Robert de Cotte was finally erected, and the church consecrated on July 10, 1740. On October 5, 1795 (13 Vendémiaire Year IV), General Bonaparte installed an artillery piece in the Dauphin cul-de-sac (the southern extension of Rue St-Roch) and fired grapeshot at the royalist insurgents massed on the church steps." (Translated by DeepL and ChatGPT)

Background notes

The original chapel on this site, built in 1521, was dedicated to Sainte-Suzanne, a Christian martyr known for her faith and virtue. It was also referred to as "des Cinq-Plaies" (The Five Wounds), symbolising the five wounds of Christ during the crucifixion, a theme often used in devotional contexts in Catholicism. This dual naming reflects the religious themes popular at the time.
Saint Roch (c. 1295–1327) was a French Catholic saint known for caring for plague victims. He is often depicted with a staff, a pilgrim's shell, and a dog licking his wounds. According to legend, he miraculously healed others while suffering from the plague himself, earning him veneration as a patron saint of the sick, doctors, and plague survivors. The chapel's rededication to Saint Roch in 1577 reflects his enduring popularity during times of epidemic.
In the early 18th century, with the beginning of the construction of the Tuileries Palace nearby, the neighbourhood began to grow, and a larger church was needed. The first stone of the new church was laid in 1653 by Louis XIV, accompanied by his mother Anne of Austria,
Jacques Le Mercier (1585–1654), a prominent French architect, was commissioned for the project. Although he died shortly after its inception, the church was built based on his plans. Le Mercier was known for his work on significant Parisian landmarks, including the Sorbonne Chapel and contributions to the Louvre Palace.
John Law (1671–1729) was a Scottish economist and financial advisor to the French government. He established the Mississippi Company and introduced paper money to France to modernise the economy. Law's eventual bankruptcy caused a financial crash, but before this, in 1719, he converted to Catholicism and donated 100,000 livres to Église Saint-Roch, helping to complete its construction.
Robert de Cotte (1656–1735) was a renowned French architect and a key figure in Baroque architecture. As the First Architect to the King, he designed several prestigious projects, including parts of the Palace of Versailles. De Cotte also designed the elegant façade of Église Saint-Roch, completed in 1740 after his death.
The church is particularly noted for its very ornate 18th-century chapels decorated with elaborate Baroque murals, sculptures, and architectural detail. The interior of Saint Roch largely followed the traditional Gothic floor-plan of Notre-Dame, but the facades and interior decoration were in the new Italian Baroque style, inspired by Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais, the first Baroque church in Paris, which in turn was inspired by the Church of the Gesù in Rome, the first Baroque church in that city
13 Vendémiaire Year IV corresponds to October 5, 1795 in the Gregorian calendar. The French Republican Calendar was introduced in 1793 to break ties with religious traditions and align with Revolutionary ideals, emphasising rationality and secularism. It divided the year into 12 months of 30 days, with names inspired by nature and agricultural cycles. It was used officially from 1793 to 1805, though it saw occasional unofficial use afterwards.
Grapeshot was a type of cannon ammunition consisting of small metal balls packed in a bag or casing. When fired, it dispersed like a shotgun blast, causing widespread damage to enemy personnel, especially in tightly packed formations.
Bonaparte used this devastating tactic, firing into the royalist crowd, effectively breaking their resistance. The royalists were counter-revolutionaries seeking to restore the monarchy after the fall of Louis XVI. This event became known as the "13 Vendémiaire Incident." This decisive action crushed the royalist uprising and secured the survival of the revolutionary government. Bonaparte's success brought him national recognition and paved the way for his meteoric rise in French politics and military.
Churches were traditional gathering points for royalists due to their association with monarchy and religion. Église Saint-Roch was a prominent site for public assembly in the area.