Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Laurent church, located on the eponymous hill in the 2nd arrondissement of Marseille, is an emblematic example of Provencal Romanesque style. Built between the end of the 12th and the beginning of the 13th century in pink stone of Cape Crown, it is distinguished by its unique nave, its vaulted lower sides in cradle, and the absence of transept. Its location, close to the ancient Babon Castle and a primitive Greek habitat, suggests an ancient occupation of the site, although no direct connection to an ancient temple has been proved. An ionic capital discovered in 1952, now exhibited at the Museum of History in Marseille, attests to an early cultural presence.

Originally built in a context of economic stability after the Sarrasin raids of the 9th and 10th centuries, the church became the fourth parish of Marseilles in 1249 under the episcopate of Benedict d'Alignan. It is deeply linked to the fishing community, the Sanjanan, which has a dedicated chapel. In the 17th century, major changes transformed the building: the abside was rebuilt to accommodate an octagonal bell tower accessible by a helical staircase, while the west façade, partially destroyed in 1668 during the construction of Fort Saint John, saw its main gate moved to the south side.

The history of the church is marked by tragic and symbolic events. During the plague epidemic of 1720, Bishop de Belsunce celebrated a mass surrounded by fishermen and calfats, sealing his role as a spiritual refuge. During the Revolution, she was looted from her metal furniture (1794) and converted into a military warehouse until 1801. In 1943, although spared by the German blastings of the Old Port, it suffered collateral damage. Its bell tower then rings the glass as a sign of resistance. Ranked a historic monument in 1950 (after its baptismal chapel in 1921), it now houses a statue of the polychrome Virgin and an 18th century golden St Lawrence.

Architecturally, Saint-Laurent is characterized by its recount, evoking Provencal Cistercian abbeys such as Le Thoronet or Sénanque. Its absence of carved decoration and its square pillars without capitals illustrate the sobriety of the local novel. Until the 1980s, Abbé Victor Party perpetuated a folk tradition by welcoming recitals of Provençal music on his parvis, immortalized in Marcel Pagnol's films. The ceremony of the fish offering, associated with the Christmas crèche, still bears witness to its anchoring in maritime traditions.

Owned by the commune, the church remains an active place of worship, opened in the afternoons and celebrating a Sunday Mass at 10.30 a.m. Its role in the lives of fishermen, its sober architecture and its turbulent history make it a symbol of the Marseille heritage, at the crossroads of Greek, medieval and maritime heritages.

Future

It is the parish of the fishermen of Marseilles.

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