Paris1972-Versailles2003

One of my favorite cities of my belle France,out in the west is Nantes. And this wonderful place has history and architecture while remaining off the beaten path trails. Of course, still in the Loire-Atlantique dept 44 of the Pays de la Loire region of my old Bretagne. I found me pictures in my cd rom vault that should be in my blog for you and me, Therefore, here is my take on the Church Sainte-Thérèse of Nantes !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

The Church Sainte-Thérèse was built in the 20C. The church is located on Place Alexandre-Vincent in the Breil-Barberie district of Nantes. It is part of a parish complex with other buildings constructed jointly and in the same style on the other side of what is now Rue du Chanoine Larose, including a school (Sainte-Agnès) and a middle school (Saint-Théophane-Vénard).

Faced with the urbanization of this district , Bishop Le Fer de La Motte decided to create a parish under the patronage of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, following a pilgrimage to Lisieux by Father Louis Larose, the first parish priest. The first temporary church was built in a disused hangar on the Route de Vannes, It is a Romano-Byzantine style church located in the perspective of the Boulevard des Américains, built in concrete with red brick facings from Beauvais and granite columns from Saint-Macaire-en-Mauges. The facade is decorated with the coats of arms of Popes Pius XII and John XXIII who reigned at the time of construction, which lasted 25 years (1935-1960). It was also planned that the capitals of the pillars would not be decorated, that the dome would be octagonal , and that the bell tower would have a planned height of 70 meters ; but stop at 23 meters. Its tower houses a chapel and at its summit 5 bells. The laying of the first stone of the church took place on October 3, 1935. The foundations were dug on March 29, 1939, and the walls began to rise to the base of the stained glass windows when they were destroyed by the bombings of September 16, 1943 during WWII. When peace returned, work did not resume, the construction of the church could resume from September 17, 1951. and the chapel located under the tower was opened for worship on October 4 of that year. Its consecration was assured in October 1960.

Who is Sainte-Thérèse de l’enfant Jésus or Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, also, another name for the church, she was a Carmelite nun who died of tuberculosis at the age of 24 in 1897. Author of several texts, including Story of a Soul, she advocated seeking holiness not in large, spectacular and one-off actions but in everyday acts. Canonized in 1925, she was made a “Doctor of the Church” by John Paul II in 1987, on the occasion of the centenary of her death. Her cult was extremely popular from the beginning of the 20C, even before her canonization, and many intellectuals were interested in her spirituality. Even figures as unexpected as Edith Piaf, who was miraculously cured of keratitis on the saint’s tomb where her grandmother had taken her, recognized their attachment to Thérèse of Lisieux. (see post),

The City metro area of Nantes on the ch Sainte Thérèse : https://metropole.nantes.fr/que-faire-nantes/agenda/leglise-sainte-therese-de-fond-en-comble-4259490

The Nantes tourist office on its heritage : https://www.levoyageanantes.fr/en/itineraries/walk-the-green-line/

The Bretagne region tourist office on Nantes : https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/nantes/

There you go folks, another dandy monument in pretty Nantes, now closer to Bretagne but still in the Loire Atlantique dept 44, This was found on my walking trails in the City and glad found me the pictures. Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Church Sainte-Thérèse of Nantes !!! as I!

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!