Named the French Church of the Sacred Heart, this church stands as a testament to faith and resilience. It is a Roman Catholic parish church with a rich history. The church’s story began in 1906. Monsignor Vladimir Ghika and Sister Elisabeta Pucci started a building for the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. Maria Pâcleanu donated the land.
Work commenced in 1922 on the Saint Vincent de Paul Sanatorium. A chapel inside hosted masses until 1930. There was also a chapel in Pâcleanu’s residence. In 1930, the Daughters of Charity built the parish church. It was next to the sanatorium’s eastern wall. The altar faced north.
The C. I. Parhon Endocrinology Institute was established in the sanatorium in 1946. The area kept its charitable purpose. However, the church closed in 1957 under the Communist regime. All charitable activities were outlawed. Services were rarely held, only for foreign delegations.
After the collapse of Communism, the church reopened on December 1, 1991. The parish was re-established. In 2004, a statue of Ghika was placed near the church. He had died a political prisoner.
As of 2009, the Sacred Heart Church had nearly 2000 members. Services are held in Romanian, French, English, Latin, and Arabic.
The church is a basilica. It features three naves and a small vestibule. The central nave is 6 meters wide with a vaulted ceiling. The other naves are lower, 3 meters wide, and have flat ceilings. Four square pillars with Byzantine capitals separate them. Stained-glass windows and a horizontal ceiling mark the apse.
The choir sits above the nave entrance. A small organ is to the right of the entrance. Large rectangular windows with Art Nouveau stained glass let in light. The walls and ceilings are painted without decoration. Fourteen bas-relief panels depict the Stations of the Cross.
The exterior is painted white. The roof has two slopes and terracotta tiles. A small square tower sits above the entrance facade. It features four small, open arches and sharp pediments. A cross and Gallic rooster sit on top. The vestibule is lower with a rounded door. Niches with multiple arches surround it.
The Daughters of Charity arrived in Romania in 1906. Prince Vladimir Ghika called them. He admired their work among the poor in Thessaloniki. The first three sisters founded a dispensary called “Bethleem Mariae”. It was near the North Station. During the Second Balkan War, the Sisters of Charity and Prince Ghika treated cholera victims. They worked in an ambulance service.
Around 1912, the Sisters of Charity acquired an old hunting lodge on Jianu Road. They erected the St. Vincent de Paul Hospital. Sister Soize oversaw this project, supported by Prince Vladimir Ghika. In 1930, a large public chapel, now the Sacred Heart Church, was built. Lazarist Fathers served there.
When World War II broke out, the hospital took in sick and wounded Polish refugees. Monsignor Ghika remained in Romania. He participated in the apostolate around the Greek-Catholic parish of Saint Basil and the Latin church of Saint Vincent de Paul.
In 1944, King Michael overthrew Marshal Antonescu. The Soviet Army arrived. The communists confiscated the hospital. The Daughters of Charity sold it to the French State.
In Autumn 1948, the Sisters were banned and expelled. The communists did not occupy the Sacred Heart Church. Fathers Schorung and Van der Jonckheydt resided there. Monsignor Ghika found refuge there until his arrest in 1952. Father Van der Jonckheydt remained until his expulsion in 1957.
For over 30 years, the church remained closed. It suffered damage during the 1977 earthquake. The French state provided essential repairs.
In January 1990, Archbishop Ioan Robu took steps to reopen the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. These efforts succeeded in 1991. Father Ioan Ciobanu became parish priest. A French-speaking priest provided pastoral care.
Today, the Sacred Heart Church stands as a symbol of faith. It has overcome war, communism, and earthquakes. Its doors are open to all. It offers services in multiple languages. Its story is a testament to resilience and devotion.