St. Remi Church, Marines

The Saint-Rémi church is a Catholic parish church located in Marines, France. It is the successor to a chapel, which King Louis the Fat gave to the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine of the Saint-Vincent de Senlis Abbey between 1125 and 1130. The canons ensured the parish service, and built the present church from the middle of the 12th century. The first bay of the choir, the transept and the large arcades to the north of the nave are the only elements that remain today. They belong to the primitive gothic style. The dedication of the church to Saint-Rémi was celebrated on July 12, 1256 by Eudes Rigaud, archbishop of Rouen. The church suffered during the Hundred Years War, and was rebuilt in successive stages from the 16th century onwards. The large arcades to the south of the nave in particular display the flamboyant gothic style. They were rebuilt in the middle of the century, and fitted with Renaissance capitals. In 1562, the archdeacon Guillaumes Germain called upon the master mason Nicolas Le Mercier to build a porch in front of the south side, which represents one of the two remarkable elements of the church. The perimeter of the side aisles was also rebuilt in the Renaissance style, but the work was not completed, which is particularly evident in the north aisle. In 1618, the Oratorian fathers replaced the canons. Shortly afterwards, the lord Nicolas Brulart de Sillery commissioned a funeral chapel from the architect François Mansart. It is now dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and represents the other remarkable element of the church. The eastern parts have lost almost all their character and interest during the clumsy alterations and restorations they have undergone since the Renaissance. The church is however registered as a historical monument by decree of June 16, 1926. The former funeral chapel, which became the chapel of the Sacred Heart, was classified by decree on June 19, 1981. To this day, the interior of the church is still awaiting restoration. The church of Saint-Rémi is today at the center of a large parish grouping, which extends over thirty-four communes. Sunday masses are celebrated there every Sunday at 11 am.