Oh this is wonderful unique Gothic in France. I am thrill to tell you it is in my beloved city of Meaux and a place never missed when in town, and we have been there so many times as it is the native town of my dear late wife Martine. I have written posts before on the cathedral per se , but this is new on given credit to a beloved personality of the city the Bishop Bossuet and the Cathédrale Saint Etienne de Meaux!!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Saint Stephens Cathedral has dimensions of 85 meters on the interior. The height of the North tower: 60 meters, (against 69 for N.D.de Paris). The height under the vault of the nave: 31 meters. The most famous, the Eagle of Meaux Jacques Bénigne Bossuet name bishop of Meaux by king Louis XIV in 1681, The Brilliant eagle of Meaux, according to Voltaire gives sermons that shook the Cathedral on several occasions, During his 22 years of office he criss cross the countryside to speak the gospel to all while given a solid administration in Meaux. The Bishop Bossuet, the eagle of Meaux and confesseur to king Louis XIV. He lived on what is today the museum from 1682 to 1704 as Bishop of Meaux , A room is dedicated to portraits representing Bossuet.
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet (1627-1704) was the most famous of the bishops of Meaux. Particularly renowned for his eloquence, he preached repeatedly before the king and the court and was even instructed to instruct the Dauphin, son of Louis XIV, for ten years. In 1681, he obtained the Siege of Meaux, which had the advantage of being close enough to Paris and of Versailles to allow it to maintain its ties with the court, while ensuring the direction of his diocese. It was also dubbed the Eagle of Meaux as opposed to Fénelon, the “Swan of Cambrai”, whose style was more suave. The two prelates are fought on the question of “quietism”, a mystical approach to the divinity of which Bossuet obtained the condemnation. He was one of the most ardent proponents of the conversion of Protestants, imposed by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. In the context of the administration of his diocese, Bossuet sought to combat anything which, in his view, threatened the greetings from the faithful. He was fiercely hostile to the puppets and the dance that distracted his flock. Comparing his condemnation with the position of the Church towards the actors like what happened to Molière’s death at the same time.
After a slow and painful agony, Bossuet dies in a house currently located at 46 Rue Bossuet in Paris on April 12, 1704 of the formation of kidney stone disease. The funeral services were done at the Church of Saint Roch in Paris. The Cathedral of Meaux houses the tomb of Bossuet, located near the high altar, as well as two monuments in white marble erected in memory of the famous bishop. The most imposing of these sculptures, installed in 1911 in the north side of the nave, at the top of a pedestal flanked by four characters: Henriette de France, for which Bossuet did the funeral prayers of the Dauphin of which he was the Bossuet teacher , Louise de La Valliere, mistress of Louis XIV who entered the convent of Carmel on the advice of Bossuet and Turenne; converted by Bossuet . On the reverse is also carved a bust in medallion, with the inscription Rocroi ; showing the event of the Prince of Condé who won the Battle of Rocroi in 1643 under the influence of Bossuet.
Jacques-Bénigne BOSSUET men of the Church, predicator, and writer; bishop of Meaux from 1682-1704. He participated in the writing of the Déclaration des Quatre Articles (1682) about the liberties of the Church and author of Sermons sur la mort(1662), Oraisons funèbres(1669, 1670, 1683, 1685 and 1687, the most famous of speeches about death), Histoire des variations des Églises protestantes (1688), and Discours sur l’histoire universelle (1681) , and Politique tirée de l’Écriture sainte (posthumously in 1709).
The city of Meaux on the museum Bossuet: https://www.ville-meaux.fr/ma-ville-et-actualites/culture/musees/musee-bossuet
The Seine et Marne dept 77 archives on Bossuet: https://archives.seine-et-marne.fr/fr/jacques-benigne-bossuet-1627-1704
The Diocese of Meaux on the Cathedral: https://www.catho77.fr/le-diocese-de-meaux/la-cathedrale-de-meaux/
There you go folks, again,more of the wonderful Cathedral Saint Etienne of Meaux ; the beautiful cathedral is a marvel of France and a must visit. The Bishop Bossuet is an integral part of the history of the city , France and at least Europe. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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