PARIS – Church History
Located right in the heart of Paris, Notre Dame is one of the most well known churches in the world. People around the world rallied with support and donations to help rebuild it after the fire in April 2019. The left door on the left wall of the church depicts St. Denis, the first missionary to this area (so many responded to his message that he was eventually martyred by jealous Druid priests).
❏ Praise God for the history of His people in this area.
❏ Pray that the body of Christ in Paris would be built up just as this church building is being rebuilt (Eph 4:11-13).
Use the bridge at the far side of the square from Notre Dame to cross the river. Continue down Rue du Petit Pont (name will change to Rue St. Jacques). Cross the large intersection at Boulevard Saint Germain, then take the second left on Rue des Écoles. This was the heart of the printing district at the start of the reformation. It was here that the first
Bibles with verses and study notes were published. This is also where the first Bible in French was printed.
❏ Praise God for the gift of Scripture and the developments that have made it more readily available to the general populace. Return to Rue St. Jacques and turn left. On the left-hand side just around the corner you will see a small courtyard with a statue in the middle and busts set in the walls on the sides. These honor the first professors of Le College de France (John Calvin studied here). Many of these men were influential (some intentionally, some unintentionally) in bringing the Reformation to France. Adrien Turnèbe, for example, taught students how to read Scripture for themselves.
❏ Pray that Parisians would desire to find out for themselves what the Bible says.
Continue down Rue St. Jacques to house #52. This was the site of an (illegal) protestant worship gathering during the Reformation (1557). Local priests and townspeople attacked the worshipers, most of whom were either killed on the spot or imprisoned and later executed.
❏ Praise God for those willing to suffer and even die for Him.
❏ Pray that French believers today would have courage in the midst of an antagonistic culture (Tit 2:7-8)
Walk to the next corner and turn left onto Rue Cajas. About a block down you will see the large church-like structure of the Panthéon on the right. Walk around to the front of the Panthéon. This building used to be a church. However, it has since been converted into a monument to humanism–fruit of the turn towards secularism France took in the 1700’s. But God continues to work. The percentage of evangelical believers in the country is small, but it doubled between 1998-2018 (from 0.6% to 1.2%– joshuaproject.net).
❏ Praise God for preserving a people for Himself in France, and for those who continue to faithfully reach out (Phil 1:3-6).
❏ Pray that the Church in France would continue to multiply. *If you would like to combine this walk with the Luxembourg/Louvre walk take Rue Soufflot away from the front of the Pantheon to a large roundabout. Turn left and cross the street at the next crosswalk to enter Jardin du Luxembourg. (~8 min).
PARIS–Luxembourg/Louvre (~2.4 km. Google estimate 30 min. Allow 2 hrs.)
Begin in the Jardin du Luxembourg. If you have not already, go through the Prayer Walking Prep Guide. If the weather permits, spend some time sitting in the park and praying for people you see.
❏ Pray for young people
disillusioned with religion to
find grace and truth in Christ.
❏ Pray for family relation
ships to be based on the love
and grace found in the gospel.
At the north end of the
garden you will see the
Luxembourg Palace.
Originally built as a home for
aristocracy, it has also served
as a museum, prison and,
currently, the seat of the
French Senate. Walk around
to the Sénat side of the Palace
(on Rue de Vaugirard).
❏ Pray that leaders in
France would have wisdom to
lead the country in peace
(especially in responding to
protests and discontent such
as the yellow vest
demonstrations that started in
the fall of 2018) and that God
would use that peace for the spread of the gospel (1 Tim 2:1-4). With your back to the Sénat walk straight ahead on Rue de Tournon for several blocks. This is one of the most well to do parts of Paris.
❏ Pray for business owners and residents of this neighborhood to find true contentment in the gift of Jesus (1 Tim 6:6-10). Turn left on Boulevard Saint Germain and walk about a block until you see the church of Saint Germain on the right. This church is the oldest church in Paris and was the center of power for the Catholic church for
many years. Across the street from the church is Les Doux Magots. This cafe, along with the nearby Café de Flore, were popular places for writers and thinkers to gather during the development of post-war intellectualism.
❏ Pray that amid anger at religion and idolizing intellectualism Parisians could be set free by the Truth (Jn 8:31-36).
Turn right onto the street between the church and Les Doux Magots, then take the third right onto a small street called Rue Visconti. This street was home to one of the early Protestant churches in Paris. A small series of underground passageways made it a good place to meet and/or hide in times of persecution.
❏ Thank God for being a refuge for His people.
❏ Ask God to give Parisian believers joy in their salvation that would spill over to those around them (1 Pet 1:8-9).
At the end of Rue Visconti turn right and then make an immediate left. Continue until you come out on the banks of the Seine. Turn left and walk next to the large building on the corner until you come to the entrance (under the columns). This is the Paris Mint (Monnaie)
❏ Thank God for the ways He provides for the nation of France.
❏ Pray that the French would use their blessings to be a blessing (Gen 12:2-3).
Continue along the river to the bridge (Pont des Arts). Cross the bridge and pass through the archway in the building directly across the street. Walking through the archway on the left side of the courtyard will bring you out at the Louvre Museum. One of the greatest art museums in the world the Louvre is visited by millions of people each year (>10 million in 2018).
❏ Pray for tourists who come through Paris each year. Pray that those who don’t know God would be drawn to Him and that those who do know Him would be a light as they travel.
❏ Ask God to raise up believers in the arts community who could use art as a means to honor God and reach others.
