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Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint John the Evangelist of Cachan, located on Rue de Verdun, was built according to the plans of architect Henri Vidal. Its architecture is characterized by a square plane, two arches surmounted by a tower, and a slightly prominent bedside. The pediment has an eagle with its expanded wings, the emblem of the evangelist John, while its campanile peaks thirty-three metres. The stained glass windows, integrated in large vertical bays, present abstract motifs, adding a modern artistic touch to the building.

The building of the church began in 1936 on a land offered by a faithful, with the laying of the first stone by Cardinal Verdier in June of this year. Inaugurated on November 14, 1937 in the presence of 1,500 people, it marked the hundredth building built by the Cardinal's Buildings Work. It became a parish church in 1959, and since 2015 it has hosted every Sunday the Romanian Orthodox parish of Saint-Apôtre-et-Evangelist-Jean, illustrating its contemporary ecumenical role.

The building is part of local religious history as an example of 20th century Christian architecture, mixing functionality and symbolism. Its integration into the urban landscape of Cachan reflects the changing spiritual and community needs of the region, while perpetuating an artistic and cultural heritage unique to Île-de-France.

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