About the Carmelite Abbey in Paris during the French revolution:
The Carmelite Abbey in Paris become infamous because of the activities associated with the French Revolution, or as might better be described, the Reign of Terror. The Reign of Terror was a period of state-sanctioned violence during the French Revolution (1789-99), which saw the public executions and mass killings of thousands of counter-revolutionary ‘suspects’ between September 1793 and July 1794. It is hard to over-state the bloodthirsty horrors of the Reign of Terror and, of course, the absolute hatred toward the Catholic Church.
About the Carmelite Brothers:
In 1792, there were 121 communities in France and six communities abroad, totaling about 1000 Brothers. The Brothers had in their schools (which were nearly all free) about half as many pupils as there were in all the secondary schools in France.
During a particularly intense period of the French Revolution, the local priests and religious were herded into the church. Later, they were to be conducted into the sacristy (used as a dining area during the revolution) and down into the corridor. At a table, within earshot of the death throes of their colleagues who had preceded them, they were asked if they had taken the Oath of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. If they had not and were not prepared to do so, they proceeded down the corridor and met their fate at the steps which lead outside.
About 160 priests and religious were murdered here. Their bodies were put into a well and ditch, no longer part of the property. One Brother…Brother Solomon, hid among the dead, escaped, and acted as a witness.
The bones were exhumed and buried in the crypt when a road was being built. In the second room in the crypt Brother Solomon’s name appears just inside the doorway on the left-hand side. Here in this room are gathered the bones of at least 100 of the martyrs. The skulls are kept separate to show the marks of the violence done to the people.
The Carmelite Abbey in Paris today:
A major part of the Carmelite Abbey is now The Catholic Institute of Paris.
The Abbey Church (Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes) has a statue of Our Lady designed by Bernini and completed by one of his students. It was removed during the French Revolution and returned in the 1930’s. It is the chapel to the left of the sanctuary.
A plaque commemorating all those put to death here is in the back right side of the second chapel. Brother Solomon is mentioned by name at the right of the altar.
Frederick Ozanam, Founder of the St. Vincent de Paul Society who died at age 40, is buried here.
Traveling to the Carmelite Abbey in Paris (Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes):
Address: 70 Rue de Vaugirard, 75006 Paris, France
Tel: +33 1 45 44 89 77
Click here for the official website of the Carmelite Abbey in Paris