“Saint Charles Borromée: Who was he?” Let’s uncover the story behind this statue. We are standing before a representation of a man who significantly impacted the Catholic Church. This is the Saint Charles Borromée statue.
Saint Charles Borromée was born in 1538. He rose to become a Cardinal. He also served as the Archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584.
Borromée was a leading figure in the reforms of the Catholic Church. He faced much opposition. Despite this, he persevered in his mission.
He died at a young age of 46 due to ill health. People began celebrating his anniversary soon after. Pope Paul V beatified him in 1602. He was canonized as a Saint in 1610.
His feast day is observed on November 4th. This is the anniversary of his death. Across Europe, Charles Borromée is venerated. He is known as a Saint of Learning and the Arts.
This Saint Charles Borromée statue was created by François Jouffroy. Jouffroy was born in Dijon in 1806. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. In 1832, he won the Prix de Rome. This led to numerous public commissions.
Jouffroy worked on several churches. The Église de la Madeleine is one of them. He also created statues and sculptures for famous places. These include The Louvre, Château de Versailles, Les Invalides and the Palais de Justice. He had a prolific career during the Second Empire. He also taught sculpture.
The Saint Charles Borromée statue is positioned in a niche. It sits on the outer wall of the portico. The portico features Corinthian-style columns. The architect Jacques-Marle Huve initially conceived this idea. There are a total of 34 Saints depicted here. Saint Charles Borromée’s statue is the fourth from the right. You can find it on the north-western façade.
Another Saint Charles Borromée statue can be found inside the Saint-Charles-de-Monceau church. The church was built in the neo-Roman style. Homberg built it in 1897. Christian Labouret extended it from 1908 to 1912. Labouret also erected a new facade.
Inside this church, you’ll find stained-glass windows. Fernand Rosey, a master glassmaker, created them. Figures of saints adorn the arches of the nave. Scenes depict the life of Christ in the choir. The life of Saint Charles Borromée is shown in the ambulatory.
This statue in Moriez is thought to have been created around the turn of the 20th century. The Parisian statue maker La Statue Religieuse likely crafted it. The statue is made of plaster. It is painted, polychrome, and gilded. The statue stands 110 cm tall. Its width is 28 cm. The depth measures 25 cm.
The statue depicts Saint Charles Borromée as a cardinal. He is holding a rope. His feet are bare. An inscription on the right side of the base reads: “LA STATUE RELIGIEUSE / PARIS”. Some paint is chipped on the Moriez statue.
Whether in the Église de la Madeleine, Saint-Charles-de-Monceau church, or even Moriez, the statue of Saint Charles Borromée serves as a reminder of his important role in the church. It commemorates his contributions to learning and the arts. It is a tribute to a man who championed reform.