A Miraculous Statue
Visitors to the shrine flock to see the majestic Baroque statue of Our Lady of Victories, a renowned work made of hard plaster, a masterpiece by an Italian sculptor. It depicts the Christ Child standing atop the earth, reaching out while in the arms of his mother. The current statue was installed in 1809.
The devotion to Our Lady of Victory is worldwide and spread from here. Countless souls have come to this altar to venerate Our Lady. There are many stories of miracles. So many that word reached the Vatican and the statue was crowned in 1853 by order of Blessed Pope Pius IX.
A historic moment - this was the first time a statue had been crowned in France by a pope. Pius IX extended the privilege in thanksgiving for the deliverance of Rome by the French soldiers who came to his aid in 1849.
Further, underneath the altar rests a copper reliquary containing the body of St. Aurelia, a Roman martyr. These relics were taken from the Catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria and were offered by Pope Gregory XVI in 1843.
The lamps above the altar were ex-voto donations from famous personages. The largest, in the middle, was offered in 1866 by Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III.
St. Louis Martin, father of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, was fond of praying here. He regularly attended Mass before this altar in the 1840s during his studies in Paris. His wife was also familiar with Our Lady of Victories as a copy of the statue was venerated at her parish of Notre-Dame in her hometown of Alençon where she later married Louis and where her children were baptized.
In fact, little Thérèse was cured in her childhood of an illness at the end of a novena celebrated at Notre-Dame des Victories. Thérèse also had a great devotion to Our Lady of the Smile (this statue that was in her bedroom, today located above her tomb) as well as Our Lady of Victories.
Before leaving for Rome on Nov. 4, 1887, Thérèse came here to thank Our Lady for this healing and to entrust her desire to be a Carmelite. She recounts this in her autobiography, The Story of a Soul.
In chapter six, she shares the story of her time here while on pilgrimage with her saintly father. Her visit helped solidify her vocation, while she prayed before the statue. This helped lead to her entrance into Carmel at age 15 in the year 1888.
A whole list of saints have visited, including St. Peter Julien Eymard, known as the "Apostle of the Eucharist," Archbishop Fulton Sheen was also a regular here (when he studied in Paris and for many years after). In addition, various martyrs of the Foreign Missions of Paris made pilgrimages here.
A Global Devotion
In the United States there is also a devotion to Our Lady of Victories. Some pilgrims make a summer road trip to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Victory, located in the Diocese of Buffalo, NY. This wondrous shrine contains a 9 feet fall marble statue of Our Lady modeled after the original Our Lady of Victories in Paris. It weighs a remarkable 1,600 pounds.
Devotion to Our Lady under this title has spread from the shrine in Paris to various places across France and the world. For example, the chapel of the University of St. Catherine (St. Paul, MN) is dedicated to Our Lady of Victory (although the chapel would do well to have a copy of the original statue seen in Paris).
In addition, St. Louis Martin, the father of the "Little Flower," had great devotion to Our Lady under this title. In fact, in the family home of the Martins, a statue of Our Lady of Victories can still be seen to this day on the desk of his wife in Alencon. The family lived here until Mrs. Martin passed away at age forty-five when the Little Flower was just four and half.
Founded by the King in Celebration of Victory
At the beginning of the seventeenth century, a community of Augustinian friars lived here. They were known as the Petits-Pères (the "little fathers") and thus the square in front of the church was given this name in 1805. In fact, the central courtyard of the old Augustinian convent was once located where the square is today.
Wishing to have a chapel built for their friary, the friars called on King Louis XIII. The king agreed to grant subsidies to pay for the project, on condition that the chapel be called Notre-Dame des Victories, in gratitude to Our Lady for the King's recent victories and the subsequent consolidation of his kingdom.Thus the first stone was laid in 1629 and the name was given by the King in celebration of his victory over the Protestant armies at the Siege of La Rochelle. That battle raged from 1627-1628 during the French civil wars that came in the wake of the Protestant Revolution.
La Rochelle was a city under the control of the Huguenots, in close proximity with the United Provinces (the northern part of the present-day Netherlands). King Louis XIII, who had a deep Marian devotion, made a promise that if he won the battle, he would build a worthy church in honor of the Virgin Mary under the title of "Our Lady of Victories."
The end of the siege marked the decisive victory for the monarchy and the survival of the Faith intact in France -- with a complete victory for the Catholic side. The success was attributed to the intercession of Our Lady. The king financed the construction of the new church.
Honored by the military victory of 1628, King Louis XIII kept his word and launched the project of the construction of a new church, entrusting it to the Discalced Augustinians, also known as the "Little Fathers."
On Dec. 8, 1629, the King came in person to lay the first stone. This stone is located at the entrance of the choir, on the right-hand side of the church. Four different architects were hired to complete the construction over a period of 111 years. The shrine was finally consecrated in 1740.
The Story of the King's Infertility and Vow
The royal couple, King Louis XIII and Anne of Astrid, were married at the age of 14 in 1615. They were unable to have children. Without a successor, there was great anxiety for the future of the Kingdom of France.
The King increased acts of devotion to Our Lady in order to implore the grace to be able to produce an heir to succeed him to the throne.
A young monk, Brother Fiacre, then decided to pray that the royal couple would have a child.
On November 3, 1637, the Virgin Mary appeared at the shrine to Brother Fiacre, a Discalced Augustinian monk who lived there. She announced to him the upcoming pregnancy of the Queen and the birth of the long-awaited dauphin. Nine months later, on September 5, 1638, King Louis XIV was born.
In addition to the new baby's first name Louis, the future "Sun King" also received the name "Dieudonne," which means "given by God."
On February 10, 1638, King Louis XIII consecrated France to Our Lady. This was the famous "vow of Louis XIII as a sign of thanksgiving for the pregnancy of his wife after twenty-three years of marriage.
The new king, a "miracle baby," was born September 5, 1638.
The Art and Architecture Has Roman Influences
The Basilica of Our Lady of Victories is classified as a historical monument. It is famously recognized for its emblematic architecture of the Counter-Reformation period and for the major works of art it contains.
Similar to a handful other churches in the city, this lovely place of worship began as an abbey church. The original occupants were the Discalced Augustinian friars - indicated by the street name. The church and adjoining friary were constructed between 1629-1740. The product of many years of construction, it was finally consecrated in 1740.
The lovely ivory crucifix on the main altar is from the French school, dating to the sixteenth century. The choir, 3.3 meters high with hand-carved woodwork, panels and moldings, date from 1688. They are creations of the sculptor and carpenter Bardou.
The pulpit was sculpted in the eighteenth century by master carpenter Louis Régnier, who also designed in 1739 the organ and other wooden parts of the church.
The majestic larger than life paintings in the sanctuary are by Carl van Loo (1705-1765). They were created between 1746 and 1759, illustrating scenes from the life of St. Augustine. Removed during the Revolution, the paintings thankfully survived and were restored to their rightful place here in 1811. The paintings are unique in France, measuring between three and five meters.
The stained-glass windows are from the nineteenth century. They include the Crucifixion by Lusson. In the choir, the Life of the Virgin and the papal coat-of-arms by Desgranges. In the left transept, Louis XIII and Anne of Austria consecrating their kingdom to Our Lady of Victory. On the left when entering, the Pilgrimage of St. Thérèse in 1887, completed in 1931 by Mauméjean, a famous family of master glass painters and stained-glass window artists.
Visitors to the church in may notice the imposing facade resembles in some way the Gesù in Rome, with typical elements of Roman Baroque. The front has pilasters built into the wall -- capitals of the Ionic order on the bottom and the Corinthian order on the top.
The facade was completed in 1737 by the French architect Jean-Sylvain Cartault. He added a unique touch -- a small obelisk on each side of the second story register.
The Terrors of the French Revolution
The French Revolution was a dreadful time of persecution. Catholics were killed for the Faith and Catholic properties were seized and desecrated. Notre-Dame-des-Victoires was one of the many churches that underwent violent persecution. The Augustinian friars had a library there of some 40,000 books. The friars were expelled, the monastery was suppressed, and the library was pillaged.After 1809 and the restoration of the monarchy, the church became a parish once again. However, due to recent persecution and its location in a busy business district, it attracted few parishioners which resulted in, among other challenges, financial difficulties.
For much of the nineteenth century, the shrine was a spiritual powerhouse in France.
From that moment on, the church experienced a genuine renaissance and became a place of pilgrimage with many people visiting and seeking miracles. This event assured the church a future and made it a special place of devotion for pilgrims in the city.
Fr. Desgenettes invited the men to wear a special "white scapular," bearing the an image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the words "SWEET HEART OF MARY BE MY SALVATION" on the front scapular with the symbols and words "REFUGE OF SINNERS, PRAY FOR US" on the back of the scapular.
Pilgrims continue to flock here to pray for miracles, praying in front of the statue of Our Lady of Victories.
Because of this devotion coupled by the unique art and architecture of the place, the church was designated a basilica in 1927. It is today one of five minor basilicas in Paris.
One of its more famous visitors was Mozart who came to pray here. These words written by him were taken from his correspondence: "When I come to Paris, I never fail to say my rosary, or go to Notre-Dame des Victories."
Every day it receives and welcomes people from the world over. Public devotions are led in the church, often by participants from various countries who speak French.
Today the shrine is under the care of the Benedictines of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre, an order of religious nuns who tend to the basilica and pray the Office in the main chapel.
The interior is known for its over 37,000 ex voto offerings in silver and gold that have been left over the years by the faithful; evidence of petitions brought forth and prayers answered through the intercession of Our Lady of Victory. Offerings include military decorations from the First and Second World Wars.
Similarly, ex voto plaques continue to be donated in gratitude by the Christian faithful, a testament to the graces received and miracles granted.
The sanctuary and choir walls are covered in massive larger than life eighteenth century paintings that inspire the soul. They depict scenes from the life of St. Augustine, as the shrine was originally under the care of the Augustinian friars. The paintings are by Carle (or Charles-André van Loo). He was a famous French painter of Dutch origin and most notably the court painter for King Louis XV.
Don Bosco and Our Lady of Victory
On the morning of Saturday, April 28, 1883, Don Bosco was celebrating weekly Mass here for the conversion of sinners. This was done at the side altar before the statue of Our Lady of Victories. After Mass he experienced a mystical vision by which a young man whom he had known appeared to him.
This young man had recently died. Don Bosco recognized him instantly. The boy said to him: "This is the house of graces and blessings." It was then his Salesian Order began to promote devotion to Our Lady of Victories all the more as well as the shrine in Paris as a place of universal pilgrimage.
A plaque is fixed to the wall to commemorate this event (see photo above with golden Don Bosco medallion). Visitors are reminded of the need to pray here for the conversion of sinners, seeking heavenly aid in the form of abundant graces and blessings to be poured out on humanity, as well as to pray for the dead.
St. Thérèse and Our Lady of Victories
Little Thérèse of Lisieux has an altar dedicated to her in the rear of the shrine (seen in the above photo). She had great devotion to Our Lady of Victories and wrote of her visit here in her autobiography (chapter six). While on their way to Rome on pilgrimage, her small group from Lisieux first stopped in Paris -- praying at this altar helped her realize her vocation. She writes:
"When we reached Paris, Papa, took us to see all its wonders, but for me the sole attraction was the church of Our Lady of Victories. I can never tell you what I felt at her shrine; the graces she granted me there were like those of my First Communion Day, and I was filled with happiness and peace. In this holy spot the Blessed Virgin, my Mother, told me plainly it was really she who had smiled on me and cured me. With intense fervor, I entreated her to guard me always, to realize my heart's desire by sheltering me under her spotless mantle, and to remove from me every occasion of sin" (Source: The Story of a Soul, pp. 104-105).Given that this church was the highlight for the "Little Flower" whilst on her one and only visit to Paris, the site takes on a whole new meaning and attracts many pilgrims who gather here from all parts of the world, inspired by her story.
