Wonder why this red brick church looks so familiar? Welcome to the Église Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul in Lille. Locals often just call it Église Saint-Paul. It stands as a testament to both faith and resilience.
This church wasn’t the first religious structure on this site. Two previous churches served the Wazemmes parish. The first church was mentioned in a charter dating back to 1066. It was eventually sold as national property in 1799 and destroyed in 1802.
A new church was built from 1821 to 1824. However, the population grew quickly. Soon it became too small.
The current Église Saint-Paul was built just before Wazemmes joined Lille in 1858. François Collette the former mayor donated the land in 1853. The city of Lille financed two-thirds of the construction. The parish council covered the remaining third. The initial plan was to demolish seven houses to create a new square. But this idea was abandoned. Instead, they opened a new street called Rue Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul.
Pierre Caloine designed the Église Saint-Paul. Construction took place from 1854 to 1858.
Église Saint-Paul suffered damage during both World Wars. In 1914 German artillery struck its bell tower during the siege of Lille. In 1940 a German bomb pierced the roof. The explosion destroyed stained glass windows, the organs and much of the furniture. Despite losing its roof, the church remained open. Reconstruction began in the early 1950s. An arson attack partially damaged the church. The fire seemed to have started in the sacristy.
The Église Saint-Paul features a neo-Romanesque style. It is typical of churches in northern France. Its dimensions are impressive. It is 76 meters long and 41 meters wide. The vault reaches a height of 20 meters. Fourteen columns each weighing 15000 kg support this. The steeple rises to 59 meters including a 3-meter cross. The tympanum above the main door depicts the Tetramorph. This associates four animals with the four Evangelists. The church has two bells both dating from 1920. The German army took the original bells in 1917 to melt them down for metal.
Initially the Église Saint-Paul had rich furnishings. Much of this was destroyed during World War II. Only the old high altar and about ten stalls remain. Two statues of the church’s patron saints Saint Peter and Saint Paul were saved. They originally stood in the choir on either side of the high altar. Now they are located beneath the organ gallery.
The current organs were made by E. Muller. They were inaugurated in 1927. They feature three keyboards, a pedal board, 42 stops and 2552 pipes.
Since 2010 the altar of Saint Paul has been decorated with a painting. It depicts the conversion of Saint Paul by Jérôme Cartellier. Emperor Napoleon III gifted this painting for the main altar. It was originally intended for the chapel of the citadel of Lille.
Beneath the Église Saint-Paul lies a large crypt. It was initially intended for burials. However, this never happened. Instead, it mainly housed the church’s heating system. It stored fuel until the 1980s when the city introduced district heating. Since 1990 the crypt has been home to a 1300 m2 weapons room. It is divided into 14 lanes. Three local fencing clubs use it including LUC Escrime Académie Escrime Vauban Lille and Les Gentilshommes de la Brette.
So, as you leave Église Saint-Paul remember its story. It is a story of faith and community. It is a story etched in red brick.