The Scots Kirk, Paris
Encyclopedia
The Scots Kirk is situated at 17, rue Bayard, near the Champs-Elysées
in Paris
. It is the only congregation of the Church of Scotland
in France
. The church building is modern but somewhat inconspicuous from the street. The nearest Paris Métro
station is Franklin D. Roosevelt
.
The congregation is particularly well known for a former minister the Reverend Dr Donald Caskie
, who became known as the "Tartan Pimpernel" for his exploits during World War II
.
, the Rt Revd John D. Miller
, in 2002.
In 1924, during the Olympic Games
held in Paris
, the athlete Eric Liddell
chose to preach at the Scots Kirk instead of running on a Sunday. His story is told in the film Chariots of Fire
, but the building used as the Scots Kirk in the film was actually the former Broughton Church in Edinburgh
.
During the negotiations for the Treaty of Versailles
both the American President Woodrow Wilson
and UK Prime Minister David Lloyd George
worshipped at the church.
, Fife
and was inducted as minister in Paris by the Presbytery of Europe
on 31 August 2006.
Though fully part of the Church of Scotland
and conscious of its Scottish connections, the Scots Kirk primarily seeks to offer English-language Presbyterian, Reformed Christian worship and pastoral care to an international congregation.
Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. It is the only congregation of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The church building is modern but somewhat inconspicuous from the street. The nearest Paris Métro
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
station is Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt (Paris Metro)
Franklin D. Roosevelt is a station of the Paris Métro serving both Lines 1 and 9. With 12.19m passengers annually, Franklin D. Roosevelt is the fourteenth busiest station in the Paris Métro system.-History:...
.
History
The origins of the congregation date back to the 1850s, but the current church building is modern. The congregation has worshipped on the same site since 1885, when they purchased the former American Episcopal Church building in rue Bayard.The congregation is particularly well known for a former minister the Reverend Dr Donald Caskie
Donald Caskie
Donald Caskie OBE OCF was a minister in the Church of Scotland, best known for his exploits in France during World War II, during which he helped an estimated 2,000 Allied sailors, soldiers and airmen to escape from occupied France...
, who became known as the "Tartan Pimpernel" for his exploits during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Three church buildings on the same site
Following World War II (when the church was unoccupied), the lack of maintenance led to structural problems and the church had to be rebuilt in the late 1950s. The rebuilding work, however, proved to be unsatisfactory. Major structural faults were soon discovered and by the 1980s the building was again in urgent need of replacement or major repairs. It was decided to completely rebuild, albeit with flats above the new church building. The current church building was opened by the then ModeratorModerator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The Moderator of the General Assembly of Church of Scotland is a Minister, Elder or Deacon of the Church of Scotland chosen to "moderate" the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every May....
, the Rt Revd John D. Miller
John D. Miller
John Dunlop Miller is a retired minister in the Church of Scotland. He was ordained and inducted to Castlemilk East Parish Church, Glasgow in 1971 - his only charge....
, in 2002.
Famous visitors
The congregation has had many famous visitors, including H.M. Queen Elizabeth II who laid the foundation stone for the (since replaced) new sanctuary in 1957.In 1924, during the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
held in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, the athlete Eric Liddell
Eric Liddell
Eric Henry Liddell was a Scottish athlete, rugby union international player, and missionary.Liddell was the winner of the men's 400 metres at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris...
chose to preach at the Scots Kirk instead of running on a Sunday. His story is told in the film Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
, but the building used as the Scots Kirk in the film was actually the former Broughton Church in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
During the negotiations for the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
both the American President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
and UK Prime Minister David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
worshipped at the church.
Current status
The current minister is the Reverend Alan Miller. He was formerly minister at LevenLeven, Fife
Leven is a seaside town in Fife, set in the east Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on the coast of the Firth of Forth at the mouth of the River Leven, north-east of Kirkcaldy and east of Glenrothes....
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
and was inducted as minister in Paris by the Presbytery of Europe
Presbytery of Europe
The Presbytery of Europe covers the Church of Scotland's congregations in continental Europe.As a Presbyterian church, the Church of Scotland has no bishops. Instead courts of ministers, elders and deacons have collective responsibility for the governance of the church...
on 31 August 2006.
Though fully part of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
and conscious of its Scottish connections, the Scots Kirk primarily seeks to offer English-language Presbyterian, Reformed Christian worship and pastoral care to an international congregation.
External links
- The Church of Scotland (official website)
- The Scots Kirk, Paris (official website)
- The Scots Kirk, Lausanne (official website)