Part of a Series on Vincentian Heritage Places

Church of Saint Laurent

Use mouse wheel to zoom

After increasingly ill health, Louise de Marillac died on March 15, 1660, six months before the death of her dear friend and mentor, Vincent de Paul. Louise led the Company of Daughters until her death. She was 68, and the Daughters of Charity had more than 40 houses in France. (Source: Wikipedia)

Church of St. Laurent (68, boulevard Magenta, and 119, rue du Faubourg Saint Martin , Paris 10)

“Saint Laurent was the parish church of Vincent de Paul from 1632 to 1660, and of Louise de Marillac from 1641 to 1660.

Guillaume de Lestocq (d. 1661) pastor of Saint Laurent from 1627 to 1661, assisted Louise on her deathbed and celebrated her funeral, since Vincent de Paul was ill and confined to his room. A later pastor, Nicholas Gobillon (1626-1706), revered Louise de Marillac and wrote her first biography.

Although she had requested burial at Saint Lazare, the pastor overrode Louise’s wishes, and she was buried in the chapel of the Visitation in this church where she came to pray and to make her Easter Communion with the other sisters. Her remains lay here for 95 years, until 1755, when her body was transferred to the motherhouse. Marking the spot is the simple wooden cross with the words Spes Unica (Hail, O Cross, ‘Our Only Hope’), from the hymn Vexilla Regis, the monument she requested in her will.”

(Source: In the Footsteps of Vincent de Paul: A Guide to Vincentian France by John E. Rybolt C.M.)

“The body of Louise de Marillac was buried there [at St. Laurent] and rested there for eighty-five years, as recalled by an inscription in the Saint Francis de Sales chapel.” (Source: Website of Saint Nicolas des Champs Church)

“Her funeral was carried out in the way she had wished it in her will, where she had laid it down that no other expense should be incurred than that paid for the burial of her daughters. Monsieur Vincent had a solemn service carried out for her at St. Lazare a few days later. It was attended by his community and by those present at the time to prepare for ordination. He had this public recognition given her, not only for the part she had played in the purposes of the Mission by helping the poor, but also for the special zeal she had had for the reformation of the clergy. During her life she used to offer communions and prayers for ordinations, to ask God for faithful workers, and in her will she ordered this custom to be continued in the Company.” (Source: The Life of Mademoiselle Le Gras By Monsieur Gobillon, Parish Priest of Saint-Laurent.)

Click to enlarge images

All Vincentian Places in this Series

Red = Vincent de Paul, Blue = Frederic Ozanam, Teal = Elizabeth Seton, Yellow = Louise de Marillac

Use mouse wheel to zoom