From this vantage point you get a wide view of the northern exterior with its
numerous buttresses. Stone molding runs along the wall and follows the contours of the
windows of the north aisle. You can also see the upper windows above the choir of St. Julien. Each
large Gothic arch contains a pair of small windows separated by a colonnette.
Take a closer look at the wall of the north aisle. You'll notice that it
appears to lean outward at the top. This is not an optical illusion--the wall
really does lean out, despite the support of the buttresses
that are set between the windows at the divisions of the bays. When you get
inside, you will see that the eastern end of the north aisle has been deformed by
a combination of the outward thrust of the choir vault and settling of the
exterior walls. Steel tie rods have been installed to help stabilize the walls.
The tie rods go all the way through the outer walls of the choir and are held
by metal plates and big bolts.
Here is a closer view of the choir windows and roof. Beneath the overhang of the roof you can also see the simple
molding of the cornice and the plain, square-ended modillions that support it.
The windows of the north aisle are for the most part Gothic, with slightly
pointed arches that are accented by the hood molding above them. The one shown here is an exception.
Although the window opening itself is pointed, the stone framework surrounding it has
a rounded arch and molding to match. Also, the window is actually smaller than
its framework and sits off-center against the left edge of the frame. This is not a
mistake made by the medieval builders, however. Photographs of the church from the
late 1800's up to the 1970's show that this window used to be centered and had a
pointed frame and molding just like the others on the north aisle. The window
must have been altered during the last part of the 20th century.
Near the the west end of the north aisle, there is a side door
that leads into the church. Above it is an inscription carved into a stone panel that reads:
SAINT-JULIEN-LE-PAUVRE. ÉGLISE GRECQUE CATHOLIQUE. (Saint-Julien-the-Poor.
Greek Catholic Church). This inscription refers to the Melkites, who have called
St. Julien home since 1889. The Melkites are Eastern Catholics who are in communion
with the Pope in Rome, but have their own Patriarch in Antioch. They follow the
Byzantine rite in their services, the same rite which is used by
the Greek Orthodox church, but the Melkites are considered Catholics, not Orthodox.
Originally there was a Gothic window in this bay, and the patched area above the door shows where the hood molding has been lowered from its original position so that it now rests above the door. To the right are two more Gothic windows that open onto the sacristy, and beyond them, at the northwest corner of the church, a small gate leads out of the Square Viviani and into the rue St. Julien le Pauvre. |
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St. Julien le Pauvre url: http://www.people.ku.edu/~asnow/ Webmaster: A. Snow This site last updated 03/21/2006. |