Peeking out between buildings on Avenue Ledru Rollin sits the Église Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts. It stands as a testament to Parisian resilience and faith. But how did this Roman Catholic parish church get its rather unique name?
The story of Église Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts begins long before its completion in 1903. To understand its name we need to go back to two significant religious institutions. Both once thrived in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine. The first was the Abbey of Saint-Antoine des Champs. It was a Cistercian abbey founded in the 12th century. It housed aristocratic women. The second institution was the Quinze-Vingts Hospice. King Louis IX, also known as Saint Louis, established it in the 13th century. It was originally founded to care for 300 blind individuals. The name Quinze-Vingts literally means fifteen twenties. This referred to the old French method of counting. Fifteen times twenty equals 300, the number of beds in the original hospice.
During the French Revolution the abbey was abolished in 1790. It later became the Saint-Antoine Hospital. The new parish of Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts was established in 1791. Initially the parish used the abbey church as its place of worship. However this was short-lived. The abbey was sold in 1798. It was destroyed leaving the parish without a church. For nearly a century the chapel of the Résidence XV-XX served as the parish church. This lasted until the construction of the present Église Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts.
The construction of the Église Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts was no easy feat. In 1898 Abbot Rivière was appointed. His mission was to relocate from the ophthalmological hospital created in 1880. The Council of Paris initially opposed the transfer. But an old factory was eventually purchased. The construction plans were submitted in 1900. Construction finally began in 1902. Émile Vaudremer and his student Lucien Roy designed it. The Église Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts became one of the last churches built before the 1905 law. It was also the first church of the 20th century in Paris. The church was dedicated to Anthony the Great on November 11 1909.
The Église Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts is built in Romanesque Revival style. It incorporates Art Nouveau elements from the École de Nancy. The brick and stone facade features a scalloped semi-circular gate. Above are three lancet windows. Inside the dome above the choir is particularly striking. It is made of molded glass bonded with cement. The bell tower stands tall covered with a short slate spire.
Inside the Église Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts two statues frame the choir. Saint Anthony the Great stands on the left with a pig at his feet. Saint Louis stands to the right holding a sword and the document instituting the Résidence XV-XX.
Look at the stained glass windows. The central window represents the Trinity. The Evangelists and angels of Revelation surround it. Other stained glass windows depict patron saints. These include Saint Louis and Geneviève the patron saint of Paris.
The Église Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts also has a rich musical history. The church’s primary organ was built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in 1894. It was renovated and donated to the church in 1907. Joseph Merklin built the choir organ in 1909.
Today the Église Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts continues to serve its community. It stands as a testament to faith and architectural beauty.