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Origin and history

Saint-Jean-Bosco Church, located at 79 rue Alexandre-Dumas in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, is an Art Deco-style Catholic religious building. Built between 1933 and 1938 by Father Simeoni, it was designed by Romanian architect Dumitru Rotter and his son René, inspired by the work of Augustus Perret, including the church of Our Lady of Raincy. The blessing of the first stone took place on December 10, 1933, and that of the church completed on October 10, 1937. It was considered one of the most successful achievements of the Cardinal's Buildings in the 1930s.

The interior ornamentation, of great stylistic consistency, was mainly realized by the Mauméjean workshop, which signifies the altars in onyx, the pulpit, as well as mosaics and stained glass. Other artists contributed to his decoration, such as Jean Gaudin and Antoine Bessac for stained glass, Georges Serraz and Yvonne Parvillé for sculptures, and Raymond Subes for ironworks. The vault of the nave is decorated with mosaics depicting the litany of the Blessed Virgin, while the choir houses a luminous altar in stained glass and mosaic, illustrating Christ on the cross surrounded by the Virgin Mary and Saint John.

The church, which has been listed as a historical monument since 2001 (except the crypt and the presbytery), is animated by the Salesian community. It also houses an organ of 45 games and a carillon of 28 bells, manufactured by the foundry Paccard. In 2025, a restoration campaign was launched, with €400,000 in funding allocated by a donor association for work estimated at €1.76 million. The parish, founded on February 20, 1938, also engages in ecological approaches, obtaining in 2021 the Green Church label (Figuier level).

The initial project, led by the Salesians, provided for a broader package including sponsorship and boarding for disadvantaged youth. The church, entirely financed by the Work of the Cardinal's Buildings without diocesan contribution, illustrates the innovative religious architecture of the 1930s, mixing structural modernity and decorative richness. Its bell tower, culminating at 53 meters, and its crypt dedicated to Saint Anne (today the parish hall) make it an emblematic place of Parisian heritage.

The stained glass windows, distributed in the nave and the collaterals, celebrate holy figures such as the Curé d'Ars, Saint Jeanne d'Arc, or Saint Vincent de Paul, while the mosaics of the choir, including a representation of the Holy Spirit and signs of the zodiac, highlight the symbolic and spiritual dimension of the building. The harmony between architecture and decoration, rare for the period, makes it a precious testimony of the sacred art of the twentieth century.

In 2020, the parish initiates an ecological approach with the creation of a Laudato si, inspired by the papal encyclical of the same name. This commitment was realized by cultural events (photo exhibition by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, concerts) and the achievement of an environmental label, reflecting a desire to reconcile historical heritage and ecological transition.

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