Concert at St. Julien le Pauvre

One of the churches I ventured into this visit to Paris

was St. Julien le Pauvre.

I hadn't remembered on my last trip here

that it's a Greek church! 

(Melkite Greek Catholic)

Some of you know that I collect photos of

the Annunciation.

And I found this little sweet one below

on one of the panels just underneath the large cross in the first photo. 

This church regularly participates in concerts

and we were able to make this piano and accordion concert

on the first day of the new year. 

St. Julien le Pauvre

is one of the oldest churches in Paris,

 built between 1170-1240. 

But before this building,

from about the 6th century on, 

stood a Merovingian hostel for pilgrims.

It is said that it stood on the Roman road to Spain

and thus for medieval pilgrims 

on the road to St. James shrine at Santiago de Compostela

(though it was too small to be listed in the medieval Pilgrim's Guide.)

A site on St. Julien History 

describes how Bishop Gregory of Tours 

was the first to write about the basilica and hostel

in his History of the Franks.

As he considered St. Julien 

to be one of his patron saints,
he lodged at the Basilica of St. Julien the Martyr

and said a midnight mass there.

Archaeological finds determined that the building originally stood 

in the middle of an ancient cemetery

and unearthed Roman and Merovingian sarcophagi and other artifacts.

One of my favorite things in the church was this angel.

The little church looked even sweeter with this lovely piano in its midst. 

And I positioned myself in the audience

to have a perfect view of the angel. 

When we got home that evening after the concert,

we went online and discovered that the angel is Archangel Gabriel,

the very same angel who appears in the Annunciation

and is often associated with  gifts of knowledge and messages to prophets.

Another of my favorites at St. Julien le Pauvre

 shows Jesus revealing himself to Mary Magdalene. 

Next time I'll share a few photos outside the church. 

It's located across the river from Notre Dame 

and just across from the entrance to the Latin Quarter. 

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Have been posting a few of my Paris photos

on Instagram as well.

Follow me there for more travel photos. 

(Photos Copyright: Kirsten Steen)

Florence Annunciation

While traveling awhile back,

I collected Annunciations for a client and friend who loved them.

And somewhere along my path of collecting them around Europe,

they have become my favorite as well. 

In keeping with our theme of Italy

for the setting of my novel,

this one is in Florence, Italy.

I love the cornucopia surrounding the scene

and the colorful wings of the angel Gabriel. 

He is often depicted holding the Madonna Lily

(Lilium Candidum)

which is thought to be the basis of the Fleur de Lis

as well as the symbol for Florence.

How fitting! 

I also love that in this depiction,

the Madonna is not putting her hand up

as she is in so many.

Often to me it looks like she is saying "Oh no, I couldn't possibly!"
or "Forget it, do you have any idea what that means?" 

In this one, it looks almost as if her hand is over her heart.

A Greek friend of ours,

who survived a very deadly form of cancer,

looks at every single day as a gift.

And when I see these depictions,

it reminds me to see every day as a gift from God and the universe

,,, for all of us. 

How will we use it?!  

(Photo copyright: Kirsten Steen)