Eglise Saint-Sulpice

Saint-Sulpice is the second largest Catholic Church in Paris.  Second only to the slightly larger
Notre-Dame.  It is dedicated to Śulpitias the Pious.

Inside the church to either side of the entrance are the two halves of an enormous shell given to
King Francis I by the Venetian Republic.  They function as holy water fonts and rest on rock-like bases sculpted by Jean-Baptiste Pigalle (1714-1785).  Pigalle also designed the large white marble statue of Mary in the "Lady Chapel" at the far end of the church.

Murals by Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863) adorn the walls of the Chapel of the Holy Angels.  The most famous of these are "Jabob Wresling with the Angel" and "Heliodorus Driven from the Temple".

The church is world famous for its 7000 pipe organ.  The organ is one of the finest in the world and organ recitals are held on Sunday following high mass.

In 1727, Jean-Baptiste Languet de Gergy requested construction of a gnomon to help him determine the time of Easter.  A ray of sunlight shines onto a brass line ascending a white marble obelisk at noon on the winter solstice.  At noon on the equinoxes (March 21 and September 21) the ray touchs an oval plate on the floor near the alter.

Saint-Suplice was the setting of Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Code" and the movie of the same name.  Ron Howard, the director of the movie was not allowed to film in the church.  The scenes set in the church were shot on a movie set.

After all that, it's time for a treat!  We had seen the restaurant Hippopotamus Grill many times,  today we satisfy our curiosity.  We choose a multi-chocolate treat and cappuccinos and it was delicious!