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Origin and history

The church Saint-Just, or Saint-Just-des-Machabées, is a 16th-century religious building located in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon. It was built inside the city walls, about 200 metres from the former Basilica of St.Just, destroyed during the Wars of Religion. The latter, dedicated to the Macchabees and then to Saint Just de Lyon, the 13th bishop of the city in the fourth century, was outside the walls. The new church, of collegial status, retains this double reference in its name.

The construction of the present church began in 1565, with a first Mass celebrated in Christmas of the same year. The work then slowed down due to lack of funds, and the sanctuary was not consecrated until 1591 by Archbishop Pierre IV of Epinac. The construction ended in 1663. The neoclassical façade was added in the 18th century by Ferdinand-Sigismond Delamonce, according to the plans of his father, Jean Delamonce. It bears an inscription recalling the original dedication to the Macchabees and Saint Just.

During the Revolution, the feudal emblems were destroyed, and the church became parish after the chapter was abolished in 1791. From 1830, restorations were carried out by Claude Anthelme Benoit, and the decoration was completed by Joseph-Jean-Pascal Gay and Jean-François Legendre-Hera. In 1828 he installed the statues of Saint Irenaeus and Saint Just on the façade. In 2014, the college was entrusted to the Society of St Peter, after the departure of the Orthodox community.

Saint-Just Church has been listed as a historic monument since December 18, 1980. It houses remarkable furniture, including stalls and an eighteenth-century pulpit, as well as paintings by French painters of the same period. The stained glass windows, dating back to the 19th century, trace the life of Saint Just and the beginnings of Christianity in Lyon. Today, the offices are celebrated in Latin according to the tridentin rite, with a choir ensuring Gregorian chant and polyphonic motets.

Located on Rue des Farges, the church is back from the public road, framed by buildings. Its facade, the only adorned part, contrasts with the rough walls in golden stones. It is part of the parish of Saint-Irénée-Saint-Just and is located close to historical sites such as the ancient baths of Lyon and the Basilica of Fourvière.

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