Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Lameilhé is a unique ecumenical centre, born of the desire to meet the spiritual needs of a growing neighbourhood in Castres in the 1960s. At that time, the city expanded rapidly, and the churches of the city centre, like the church of Saint-Jacques-de-Villegoudou, became insufficient to accommodate all parishioners. Faced with this situation, a temporary chapel, named the John XXIII home in tribute to the pope of the same name, was erected in April 1968 under the direction of Father Jean-Pierre Adell. This temporary place precedes the creation of a new parish and a parish council composed of inhabitants of the district, thus marking the beginnings of the project of a permanent church.

The original project included two separate buildings: a Catholic church and a Protestant temple for the Reformed Church. However, under the leadership of the Protestant pastor and Father Adell, the two communities decided to merge their efforts to build a single place of ecumenical worship. The Albige architect Henri Brunerie is responsible for designing this innovative building, which will finally be inaugurated in 1973. The church of Lameilhé is distinguished by its spatial organization, with rooms reserved for each confession as well as shared spaces, symbolizing unity in diversity.

The former John XXIII home, which had become obsolete after the inauguration of the new church, was then transferred to the colony of Good Holidays. This ecumenical project reflects a pioneering approach to interreligious dialogue in a 1970s France marked by social and urban transformations. It also illustrates the adaptation of religious institutions to the changing needs of populations, in a context of modernization and expansion of cities.

External links