Consider the Church of Saint-Étienne, Lille. It stands as a testament to resilience and reinvention. Originally a parish church consumed by flames in 1793 during the Austrian siege, its story took an unexpected turn.
The current Saint-Étienne de Lille finds its roots in a Jesuit chapel. The Jesuits established a base in Lille around 1562. They oversaw the municipal collège built in 1529. From 1605 to 1610, they constructed a chapel dedicated to the immaculate conception. Tragedy struck again on October 8, 1740, when fire ravaged the chapel.
Reconstruction began in 1743. François-Joseph Gombert rebuilt it. He used Dominique Delesalle’s plans. The War of the Austrian Succession caused delays in 1744. The siege of Tournai further hampered progress in 1745. Finally in 1748, the work was completed. In 1750, the bishop of Tournai consecrated the new Saint-Étienne de Lille. However, the Jesuits were expelled from France in 1765. The chapel then served the collège and the military hospital.
The church’s facade rises 29 meters high. The straight Rue de l’Hôpital Militaire accentuates its height. Its style reflects Roman Baroque influences. You can see two superimposed orders. Ionic order is at the bottom. Corinthian order is at the top. A 57-meter high square bell tower stands to the left of the choir. It is topped with a campanile.
Inside Saint-Étienne de Lille, the space stretches 61 meters long. It is simple and bathed in light with a Latin cross plan. The nave features seven bays. Side chapels line the aisles. The choir extends the nave. It ends in a semi-circular apse. Ogive vaults cover the choir and aisles. A barrel vault ceilings the nave. The black and white marble flooring comes from the former chapel. Charles Gaudelet’s stained glass windows were installed between 1854 and 1862.
François Rude sculpted the pulpit between 1825 and 1828. It features a tent topped by an angel and cherubs. Faith and Hope support a vessel. A bas-relief depicts St. Stephen’s martyrdom. The Daublaine Callinet house built the 1840 organ. It has been modified four times. Cavaillé-Coll modified it in 1899. Mutin modified it in 1901. It now has 39 stops, 3 keyboards and pedals.
Saint-Étienne de Lille stands not only as a monument historique since 1987. It also stands as a symbol of Lille’s intricate past. It began as a Jesuit chapel to a parish church. It has faced destruction and rebirth. Its walls echo with stories of faith, war, and architectural transformation.