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Origin and history

The Church of Sainte-Thérèse-de-l-Jésus is a Catholic building located in Place Philippe-de-Vigneulles in Metz, New Town. Built at the site of the former abbey of Saint-Arnould, it is designed by architects Roger-Henri Expert and Théophile Dedun. His stained glass windows, created by Nicolas Untersteller, use an unprecedented technique. The building is distinguished by its inverted hull shape and its 16 sloping reinforced concrete pillars.

The Sainte-Thérèse district urbanizes during the German annexation (1871-1918), requiring a church to serve the new inhabitants. After World War I, Metz became French again, and a contest was launched in 1932. The original project of architect E. Besh, inspired by the Sacred Heart of Montmartre, is contested. Roger-Henri Expert then proposed a modern design, approved in 1935 despite the reservations of Bishop Jean-Baptiste Pelt, reflecting the tensions between historicalist and modernist currents.

Work began in 1938 but was interrupted by World War II. Under Nazi occupation, the unfinished site is threatened with demolition, but the reinforced concrete foundations are preserved. Construction resumed in 1947 under the direction of Expert, and the church was completed in 1954. The arrow, symbolizing a "Pilgrim's staff", was added in 1963 by André Remondet, a pupil of the expert. The building, 78 meters long, combines architectural modernity and sacred art, with 1,000 m2 of stained glass illustrating the life of Saint Thérèse and regional activities.

As early as the 1980s, degradations appeared on the outer walls and claustras. A first restoration phase was launched in 1989, led by architect Jean-Louis Jolin, and continued until 1999. The classification of the church as historical monuments in 1998 made conservation work more complex, emphasizing its heritage importance.

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