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Origin and history

The chapel of the White Penitents of the Holy Spirit, located on the 3rd ascent of the Holy Spirit in the 2nd arrondissement of Marseilles, is a Gothic vestige of the 16th century, the only caseto (chapel of brotherhood) still standing in the city. Unseen from the public space because of its position in the bottom of the island, it is adjoining the church of Our Lady of Slopes. Its architecture consists of a long arched rectangular nave of a choir, with stalls ("banks") arranged along the walls and carved tables bearing the names of the confreres.

Founded by the brotherhood of the White Penitents, whose statutes were approved in 1558, the chapel replaced an older building, several times enlarged, located in the cemetery of the Accoules. A quote of 1588 ("price made") attests to its interior design. Historian Louis Antoine de Ruffi reported an incident in 1573: during Pentecost, a dove inflamed in the chapel burned the altar, putting an end to this spectacular custom.

Ranked a historic monument since December 2, 1932, the chapel is now privately owned and has been home to the Théâtre du Lacydon since the 1950s, run by the association Lacydon-la Major. Its access remains discreet, preserving its historic character in a district marked by the religious heritage of Marseille.

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