Throughout our 5 1/2 years of traveling the world, we have found that exploring various churches, temples, synagogues, and mosques has provided us with unique perspectives about the communities we’re visiting, learning about these social units’ (communities) norms, values, customs, even their identities, which often are reflected in their religious institutions.
According to some sources, there are around 10,000 distinct religions in the world, although most fall within five dominant groups; Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and some form of folk religion.
Religion has been defined as “...a social-cultural system of designated behaviors and practices...” centered around a supreme being. However, there appears to be no real consensus for what actually constitutes a religion (or a system of faith).
Presented below is a sampling of the “churches” ( the name derived from the Greek “Ekklesia,” meaning assembly of people) in Lyon.
“EGLISE SAINT PAUL” - Located in “Old Lyon”, this church was originally built in the Gothic style during 549. Damaged in 732 when the Saracens attacked Lyon, it was later restored to include three surrounding cemeteries. It was damaged again during the French Revolution, after which it was transformed into a saltpeter store. By 1801, it had been transformed back into a parish church. Today, it includes sixteen small chapels along the aisles (the first one dating back to 1470).
According to some sources, there are around 10,000 distinct religions in the world, although most fall within five dominant groups; Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and some form of folk religion.
Religion has been defined as “...a social-cultural system of designated behaviors and practices...” centered around a supreme being. However, there appears to be no real consensus for what actually constitutes a religion (or a system of faith).
Presented below is a sampling of the “churches” ( the name derived from the Greek “Ekklesia,” meaning assembly of people) in Lyon.
“EGLISE SAINT PAUL” - Located in “Old Lyon”, this church was originally built in the Gothic style during 549. Damaged in 732 when the Saracens attacked Lyon, it was later restored to include three surrounding cemeteries. It was damaged again during the French Revolution, after which it was transformed into a saltpeter store. By 1801, it had been transformed back into a parish church. Today, it includes sixteen small chapels along the aisles (the first one dating back to 1470).
Saint Paul’s Church in Lyon was originally constructed in 549. Damaged and then rebuilt a number of times over the centuries, it had been converted into a store following the French Revolution, before resuming its role as a parish church in 1801.
The mural behind the main altar depicts scenes from Saint Paul’s life.
The sculptured stone works and stain glass windows were some of the finest we’ve seen.
“GRAND SYNAGOGUE OF LYON” - Early in the 19th century, there was a relatively small Jewish population in Lyon. As the Jewish numbers began to increase, they established their first place of worship in 1849, in a rented hall. Ten years later, they established a new temple, again in a rented hall. Desiring a proper synagogue in which to worship, construction of the current building began in 1863 and opened a year later. Today, this structure is the oldest Jewish institution in Lyon.
The smaller building in the center of this photo is the Grand Synagogue of Lyon, which was opened in 1864.
While we are not as familiar with Jewish religious structures as we are of other denominations, this one certainly impressed us.
“SAINT NIZIER CHURCH” - This church’s name refers to “Nicetius,” the sixth century bishop of Lyon. The first religious building on this site was the Roman Temple of Attis (god of vegetation), whose worship was a cause for Christian persecution around 177. In the fifth century, Eucherius, the Bishop of Lyon at the time, built a basilica upon the ruins of the Roman temple.Originally called “The Church of the Holy Apostles,” in the 6th century it was renamed after Nicetius because of Miricles attributed to him. Damaged several times over the centuries, it was always rebuilt. Following the French Revolution, the building was converted into a flour warehouse, only to return to a church during the 19th century
Constructed in the fifth century over the ruins of a former Roman temple, the Church of Saint Nizier was damaged several times over the centuries but always rebuilt (the last time occurring during the 19th century).
Among its notable features are the elaborate stain glass windows.
“GREAT MOSQUE OF LYON” - As one of the newest religious structures in Lyon (opened in 1994), the Great Mosque is the sixth largest in all of France. Funded by King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, it includes a school, library, and cultural facilities. It also includes an 82 foot tall minaret and an entrance covered by a glass pyramid supported by 230:columns.
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King Fahd of Saudi Arabia funded the construction of the Great Mosque of Lyon, Once construction was completed, this mosque became the sixth largest in France.
Hundreds of worshipers can easily fit into this main prayer room.
“EGLISE SAINT GEORGE”;- Originally constructed in 550, the Church of Saint George was destroyed by the Saracen invasion in 732. Seventy years later, it had been totally rebuilt. During the 14th century, the church came under the control of the Order of Malta (a lay religious order with military and chivalric underpinnings). In 1843, the church had been converted into a hay barn. Restoration efforts between 1845 and 1848 reconverted it back into a church.
Administered at one time by the Order of Malta, the Church of Saint George has been built and rebuilt several time since its original construction in 550. Between 1970 and 1989, the church was abandoned , following which it was assigned to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter.
In its own right , this church’s interior is quite elegant.
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