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Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Prix church of Saint-Priest-en-Jarez originated in the early 19th century, when the rural chapel dedicated to Saint Marguerite, located in the old cemetery, became insufficient for a growing population. In 1813 Abbé Morel de Chevrières arrived in the commune and initiated projects to remedy the smallness of places of worship. He founded a convent with the Sisters-Saint-Joseph in 1821, then a school and a mill, laying the foundations for a local development linked to the church.

In 1841 the municipal council acquired land to build a new church, but local opposition delayed the project until 1848. The first stone was finally laid in 1849 under the impulse of the archbishop of Lyon, and the building was inaugurated on 12 January 1851. The limited resources explain its modest dimensions, but gifts and bequests, such as that of Abbé Morel in 1854, allow its beautification gradually with altars, stained glass and frescoes.

Over the course of the century, the church enriched with decorative and liturgical elements: stained-glass windows financed by parishioners, frescoes painted by Zaccheo in 1880 (now extinct), and statues like that of Saint Joseph in 1878. In 1898, a project of expansion was abandoned for lack of authorization, but a gallery was added in 1900 to accommodate the faithful, whose number then exceeded 2,000. The bells, melted in 1823, and their famous carillon, also testify to its anchoring in local life.

Today, the Saint-Prix church belongs to the parish Blessed Antoine Chevrier and remains an active place of worship (masses, sacraments) and culture (concerts). It is served by Stéphanois public transport and maintains close ties with the community, as evidenced by the statues offered by local benefactors, including Ms. Baly and Mr. Saignol.

The transformations of the 19th century reflect the challenges of a changing rural parish, between population growth, financial constraints and local tensions. The building thus embodies the social and religious evolution of Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, marked by the nascent industrialization (passementery) and the engagement of successive parish priests, such as Abbé Chapelon, author of a book of parish memories over 20 years.

Despite the disappearance of certain works (frescoes of Zaccheo), the church retains heritage elements such as the cross of 1875 in front of its court, replacing an old cross of the hamlet. Its bell tower, electrified in 1951 under the parish priest Louison, also symbolizes its adaptation to modernity, while perpetuating traditions such as the bell carillon, famous in the Furens valley.

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