When you visit the many churches of France you will find small marble plaques in many of the chapels. The Ex-votos are messages of appreciation to a certain saint or to Christ. These can also come in other forms as well.
There are many dedicated to Sainte Genevieve all over Paris in statues, art and even a grand piece of architecture. After her relics were used to save the city and country members of the government and royalty thought it was a smart PR move to align themselves with Sainte Genevieve.
In 1696 Nicolas de Largilliere had sketched out a design for a calendar but as the piece came to life it needed a large canvas. The Ex-voto for the Corps de Ville de Sainte Geneviève" featured the leaders of the city government including the prevot Claude Bose and is surrounded by other officials seated inside of Notre Dame de Paris. Above them in the dark cloud is Sainte Genevieve who looks down and reminds of the 1694 miracle of her relics bringing the rain back.
The largest ex-voto was as a result of a promise made by Louis XV. On August 17, 1744. At war with Austria, Louis XV fell deathly ill in the city of Metz. He said a prayer that if he survived he would have a church built and dedicated to Sainte Genevieve. He survived and kept his promise, but it took ten years before the funds were requested and another ten before anything began.
On September 6, 1774 the first stone was laid with the king and architect Jacques Germain Soufflot on hand. A large wooden model of the Pantheon stood at the top of the hill while fireworks exploded and cannons fired. In August of 1788 enough of the Eglise dedicated to the saint was completed that she was finally able to move in. It wouldn’t last long, by 1790 she was moved over to Eglise Saint Etienne de Mont.
At the death of Mirabeau on April 2, 1791 the government decided they needed a temple dedicated to the great men of France and the Eglise Sainte Genevieve was changed to the Pantheon.
After the Revolution and through multiple rulers the building bounced back and forth between church and temple many times. While she never came back, the inside of the structure today still has some reminders of her. Between 1882 and 1885 four artists were commissioned to paint the many scenes of her life. Surrounding the Greek cross transept on the high walls are the paintings of Pierre-Puvis de Chavannes, Théodore Pierre Nicolas Maillot, Jean Paul Laurens and Jules-Elie Dalauny. From her childhood meeting of Saint Germain l’Auxerrois to her death bed surrounded by dozens of people including Rodin.
After all the moving around Sainte Genevieve has finally found her home in the Eglise Saint Etienne de Mont. Many know it as the Midnight in Paris church but it is so much more than that. Dating back to 1494 and named after Saint Etienne (Stephen) the first martyr saint and the namesake of the first church in Paris where Notre Dame stands today. Once connected to the Abbey of Saint Genevive the south wall was shared and served as an entrance. In 1804 when the former abbey was destroyed a stone believed to be the tomb of the saint was discovered.
Another favorite is the tall statue by Paul Lendowski installed in 1928 on the Pont de la Tournelle just past Notre Dame, She stands behind a child that is holding a ship, the symbol of the city.
The newly reopened Musée Carnavalet has many amazing pieces depicting the life of the saint and just about every church in Paris has a reminder of her.
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