Ever wondered where French Catholics found solace in St. Petersburg?
Here, before us stands St. Maria of Lourde Roman Catholic Church. Its history began humbly in 1891. It started with a small chapel honoring the Immaculate Conception of Mary at the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria. A statue of the Virgin Mary from Lourdes became the chapel’s main treasure.
As the 50th anniversary of Lourdes approached, the French Catholic community of St. Petersburg made a request. They asked Emperor Nicholas II for permission to build another Catholic church. In 1898, the Emperor granted their wish. He allowed French citizens to build a church at their own expense.
In December 1900, they built a temporary wooden chapel on the purchased land. O.I.Thibault-Brignoles, an engineer from the French building society “Batignole,” designed it. Later, Leonty Nikolaevich Benois, son of a famous architect, designed the stone church. His initial plan featured a three-nave basilica in the Romanesque style with Northern Art Nouveau elements.
Funds were scarce. This led to construction delays. The architectural project was simplified. L.N. Benois collaborated with M.M. Peretyatkovich on a new design. By the autumn of 1909, the construction of St. Maria of Lourde Roman Catholic Church was complete.
Notice the thirty-meter two-tiered bell tower. It is topped with a faceted dome. The facade is clad in granite. The church’s design blends South French Romanesque architecture with Northern Modern influences. These styles reflect the preferences of architects Leon Benois and Marian Peretyatkovich.
Inside St. Maria of Lourde Roman Catholic Church you will find 14 Stations of the Cross. Large seashell-shaped holy water fonts adorn the entrance. A neo-Gothic pipe organ with 20 registers fills the space with music.
Interestingly, the construction plans changed. The Batignolles company donated surplus granite from the Trinity Bridge project. This led to a redesign. The church now features a single reinforced concrete vault.
During the Soviet era, St. Maria of Lourde Roman Catholic Church remained open. Except for a few months in 1923 and during World War II from July 1941 to August 1945, services continued. The temple miraculously avoided serious damage during the war.
From 1938 to 1992, St. Maria of Lourde Roman Catholic Church was the only operating Catholic church in Leningrad. Major repairs occurred in the late 1940s and late 1960s. Columns were decorated to resemble artificial marble. Latvian masters painted the walls, vaults, and altar. In 1958, artist Zakharov created a new image for the altar. It depicted “Jesus Christ Handing the keys to the Church of St. Peter the Apostle”.
The interior of the Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes was restored in 1981. In the 1990s, the church underwent a significant overhaul. The ground floor was cleared. A new altar was built. Benches were installed, stained glass windows were added. Walls were whitewashed. Amplification equipment was mounted. The parish house was significantly changed. On November 22, 2009, the community celebrated the centenary of the church’s consecration.
St. Maria of Lourde Roman Catholic Church stands as a testament to faith. It represents resilience and architectural fusion in St. Petersburg. A place of worship, community, and historical significance all in one.