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Key figures

Origin and history

Saint-Jean-Baptiste du Plateau church in Ivry-sur-Seine (Val-de-Marne) was built between 1935 and 1938 thanks to the funding of Antoinette Richard, in tribute to his son Jean, who died in the fight in 1915. Its construction is part of the Cardinal's Works of Buildings, an initiative launched by Cardinal Jean Verdier to respond to the growing dechristianization of the Parisian suburbs, marked by a lack of suitable places of worship.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Father Pierre Lhande, a Jesuit, warned about the spiritual and material distress of the working populations of the suburbs, particularly in the "Zone" of Ivry. Under the impulse of Cardinal Verdier, more than 50 churches and chapels were built in the suburbs, including Saint-Jean-Baptiste, designed by architect Charles Venner. The latter applied a sober style, mixing stone bellows, metal frame and decorative elements like the statue of Saint John the Baptist in concrete.

The interior of the church, in Latin cross, is distinguished by its unique nave vaulted in broken arch, illuminated by abstract stained glass windows. The plaster sculptures of Georges Serraz (Vierge à l'infant, Saint Joseph) and the cross path embedded in the side walls make this a typical example of the work of the Cardinal's Buildings. The adjacent parish relay, added at the end of the 20th century, is now strengthening its community role in a rapidly changing neighbourhood.

The historical context of the church reflects tensions between the 1905 Law on the Separation of Churches and the State and the religious needs of a population in the midst of urbanization. The Cardinal's Buildings, by funding modest but functional places of worship, were aimed at spiritual reconquering these territories, while meeting the social needs of the suburbs (dispensaries, schools, patronage).

In 2025, a renovation of the roof terrace of the parish relay was planned, 80% financed by the Cardinal's Buildings. This project is a continuation of the initial commitment of the work, while adapting the church to the new local dynamics, marked by the arrival of various populations (Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe) that renew parish life.

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