Saint-Pierre Cathedral - Lisieux, France

     Once we arrived at our hotel and dropped our bags off in the room, Jennie & I made our way to the Cathedral of St. Peter (Pierre).  This was the parish church that St.Therese of Lisieux attended from the time she arrived in Lisieux, until she enter the Carmelite Convent.  We arrived before the 6PM Mass.  

Brief History:

• Construction began around 1170 under Bishop Arnulf and was largely completed by the mid-13th century. It replaced an earlier Romanesque church and became the seat of the Bishop of Lisieux.

• The architecture reflects early Gothic style, similar to what is seen in the Île-de-France region, with some Romanesque elements still visible.

• During the Middle Ages, the cathedral served as the episcopal seat for the powerful diocese of Lisieux. Several bishops of note, including Pierre Cauchon—who presided over the trial of Joan of Arc—served here.

• It survived World War II with relatively little damage, even though Lisieux was heavily bombed in 1944.

• The cathedral is closely associated with Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who often attended Mass there in her youth during the late 19th century before becoming a Carmelite nun. Though she is more famously linked to the Basilica of Saint Thérèse, the cathedral remains a spiritual landmark in her story.

    Today, Cathédrale Saint-Pierre is a designated historical monument and continues to be a place of worship and pilgrimage.

    The Mass was attended by a large group of middle school children from a Catholic school in France.  They were on pilgrimage.  As Jennie is a middle school teacher, it was fun to watch the interaction between teachers and students.  Different country, different language, but still teenagers.  After the Mass was over, we wandered around the Cathedral until they threw us out at closing time.

Long aisle leading up to Altar.
You can see the Gothic influences in
the building.

Side Altar dedicated to the 
Annunciation.  This area housed the
confessional used by Therese.

Confessional used by Therese.  The place were a saint was forged.

Our Lady of Lourdes, Ora pro nobis.

Saint Expedit, Ora pro nobis

Saint Fiacre, patron of gardening

The Gothic cathedrals have great charm.

St. John Vianney, Oro pro nobis

Altar after Holy Mass

No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket.  Instead, a lamp is placed on
a stand, where it gives light to all in the house.

Look at that High Altar.  Bring back the High Mass.