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Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel Jésus-Adolescent de Montfermeil, located in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, was built between 1930 and 1934 under the impulse of Abbé Baudet. Originally, the modest and rustic building served as a meeting room and catechism, with some occasional services. Sunday Masses took place in St. Peter's Church in the city. It was only in 1964 that the chapel was erected as a parish by Bishop Alexandre Renard, then Bishop of Versailles, with the appointment of Father Étienne Eöry as parish priest, a Hungarian refugee who served there until his death in 1998.

The architecture of the chapel is distinguished by its simplicity: a rectangle preceded by a modest porch. The side walls are illuminated by eight panels of glass cobblestones, acquired at a lower cost by Father Eöry. These panels, all different, form a symbolic ensemble: those on the left illustrate Redemption, those on the right represent the Church. Inside, there are notable works, such as a copper Virgin rejected (1975) by Georges Vince, or a copy of the Christ of Perpignan, carved on request by an artist from Lourdes.

Among the art objects, a 17th century statue of St Peter, saved from destruction during the Revolution, occupies a central place. Offered to Father Eöry for his 25 years of priesthood, she rests on a base containing the land of the catacombs of St. Other elements, such as a photographic cross path (1970) or a painting by St Maximilian Kolbe, reflect the spiritual and memorial commitment of the parish. Outside, a luminous cross of 10 meters, inaugurated in 1989, symbolizes communion with Christians in the East, then persecuted.

The campanile, composed of three bells (Julia, Gisèle and Franck), and a reproduction of the Lourdes Cave (1974) complete this devotional ensemble. These arrangements, financed by donations and subscriptions, testify to the community vitality and spiritual heritage of the parish, marked by its openness to refugees and pilgrims, especially Polish.

The chapel remains today an active place of worship, with a monthly Mass in extraordinary Latin rite. Its history reflects both the challenges of a growing local community and its roots in Catholic traditions, enriched by varied artistic and symbolic contributions.

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