rich decoration the oldest organ case amazement splendour church saint etienne mont paris france

navigate by keyword : paris rich decoration oldest organ case 1631 amazement splendour church saint etienne mont france famous lectern 1545 surviving one city removed concept liturgy back wall lectionary liturgical reasons parishioners wished preserve gothic form renaissance instruments passion christ held angels arch replaced triumphal palm wreath french revolution christian symbols left

rich decoration, the oldest organ case, amazement at the splendour in the church of Saint-Etienne-du-Mont in Paris, France

The church is famous for its lectern from 1545, the only surviving one in Paris, and the oldest organ case (1631) in the city. The lectern is the only one in the whole of Paris and one of the few in France not to have been removed during the changes in the concept of liturgy. Probably only the back wall of the lectionary was removed for liturgical reasons, but otherwise the parishioners wished to preserve it. It has a Gothic form with Renaissance decoration. The instruments of the Passion of Christ, held by the angels in an arch, were replaced by a triumphal palm and wreath during the French Revolution. As these are also Christian symbols, they were left here after the Revolution.