"La Madeleine" – the Catholic church of the 2024 Olympics

For many years, "La Madeleine", the Church of St Mary Magdalene in the heart of Paris, has been a changeling in the city's history. Although one of the most visited churches in the capital, citizens perceived the neoclassical building as an eyesore. For many years, the columned façade near the Place de la Concorde remained covered and the entrance was often littered.

But for the Summer Olympics, which begin this Friday, the state and the church have come together. Until 8 September, the Madeleine will be an Olympic parish of the Catholic Church - and, among other things, a place of rest for the athletes. A church service is planned every day for a different participating nation, as well as music programmes and other events.

Olympic opening mass last Friday

After two years of intensive work, the façade renovation was completed a few weeks ago. Around ten million euros were invested, more than 150 cubic metres of stone and hundreds of square metres of paving were renewed. Last Friday, the Catholic Olympic opening mass was held here under the direction of the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich.

In addition to the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, and Mayor Anne Hidalgo, two members of the government were also present in the front row: Culture Minister Rachida Dati and Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera. At the beginning of the ceremony, Archbishop Ulrich read out a message of peace from Pope Francis; and the parish priest of the Madeleine parish, Patrick Chauvet, welcomed ambassadors from many countries around the world.

How can we believe in an Olympic truce when there are so many conflicts in the world, starting with Ukraine and Gaza, Chauvet asked. "At this mass, we experience a moment of communion, even if it is short-lived," said the priest; a sign of a "little hope that inspires us all, whether believers or not". After the mass, Sports Minister Oudea-Castera and IOC President Bach flew five doves as symbols of peace.

A place of worship with a rather peculiar shape

100 years ago, in 1924, when France organised the Olympic Games for the first time, the opening mass was celebrated in Notre-Dame. This time - after the major fire there in 2019 - that was not yet possible again. However, visitors and participants can expect an unusual Olympic church in the Madeleine: while the exterior is modelled on an ancient temple, the interior of the church from the 1830s with its three successive domes is inspired by Roman thermal baths.

This rather peculiar shape is also the result of a turbulent and inorganic building history. The neoclassical-style church was begun in 1764 under King Louis XV and was intended to provide a monumental focal point from the Place de la Concorde, which was built at the same time. However, construction of the church was slow - and was interrupted at the end of 1791 in the wake of the French Revolution.

Various plans for the use of the building from the revolutionary period were not realised, for example as a stock exchange, commercial court or parliament building. In 1806, Emperor Napoleon I decided to build a hall of fame for his soldiers with 52 Corinthian columns. However, after the failed Russian campaign in 1812, he backed away from the Hall of Fame again. After Napoleon's fall, King Louis XVIII wanted to have the building completed as a memorial church for the revolutionary victims Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette.

Further renovation planned in the coming years

When it was finally completed in 1842 - once again under a new regime - "La Madeleine" became the parish church of the district. Since then, funeral masses have also been held here for various celebrities, such as Frederic Chopin (1849), Jacques Offenbach (1880), Coco Chanel (1971), Josephine Baker (1975), Marlene Dietrich (1992), Charles Trenet (2001) and Johnny Hallyday (2017).

Once Olympia has left in the autumn, the rear of the building and the side façades are to be renovated within five to six years. Then, according to the plan, Maria Magdalena will be in a better position than ever before in its turbulent history.