Free visit of the church of Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes
Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes is an exceptional site in Paris. An Italian Baroque church, it was the first community of Discalced Carmelites in France at the beginning of the 17th century after the reform led by Saint Teresa of Avila. In 1792, the church was turned into a prison for priests who refused to sign the "Civil Constitution of the Clergy". More than 110 priests and bishops were martyred on September 2 of that year in the gardens adjoining the church. A crypt is dedicated to them. In the 19th century, Father Lacordaire reimplanted the Dominican order in this church and became friends with Frédéric Ozanam, a precursor of "social Catholicism". Frédéric Ozanam, founder of the "Saint Vincent de Paul Conferences", died at the age of 40 after devoting himself to the poorest. Buried in the crypt of the church of Saint Joseph, he was beatified in 1997 by Pope John Paul II during his trip to Paris on the occasion of the World Youth Day (WYD). A visit to the church and the crypts is offered every Saturday at 3pm (enter via 70 rue de Vaugirard), except in August. Visits are also possible during the week: contact home@sjdc.fr