Please sign in to post.

Mass at St. Sulpice

In all my previous visits to Paris I have been unable to attend Sunday mass at St. Sulpice and stay for the organ recital afterwards. I have finally got a commitment from hubby and family to spend that Sunday as I want to in Paris. I am looking for any advice about how early to arrive for mass there. (I am Catholic, so this is not just a cultural visit.) The Sunday I will go is Pentecost Sunday, so I imagine the church will be fuller than usual. We are coming from Arpajon, outside Paris, and will take the train into town, walking or taking the metro to the church from the train station.
After the recital, we are heading to the Cluny Museum, I hope. (Another place I have missed every time I've been in Paris). In seems that a comfortably-paced walk is doable from the church to the museum.
Any thoughts or suggestions regarding these plans? Has anyone been to mass at St. Sulpice? Thanks for any ideas and hints you can offer.

Posted by
2537 posts

The Sunday Masses are at: 7h, 9h, 11h, and 18h30

I understand the Organ concert, that has been traditionally at noon, has recently been moved to 10h.

Posted by
557 posts

Thank you, Tocard. I went to the parish website but didn't see about the earlier concert. I can double check when we are there (arriving in Paris the 25th). Concert or not, it is still a beautiful place to celebrate mass. I look forward to it!

Posted by
557 posts

Another thought. Even if I miss the concert, the organ will still be played for the mass music. The Gloria, Alleluia, etc. will still be sung, and the organ played, so all will be well!

Posted by
68 posts

I am heading to Paris in late June and planned my Sunday around this concert so was a bit dismayed to hear about the earlier time. I did a quick Google search and found this:

https://organsparisn.vhhil.nl/schedule.htm

It lists multiple organ concerts around Paris at various times. I hope this is helpful for others!

Posted by
557 posts

Laura, Thanks for the link. I went to the St. Sulpice website and discovered the organ is played during the 11:00 mass and the afternoon mass (4:30 or 6:30, I forget what time). All the best in finding a concert to your liking. I am planning on going to church at 10:00, and staying through for the 11:00 mass. It is Pentecost Sunday, so mass will be extra special.

Posted by
68 posts

Judy, we are planning to walk around the Marais all Sunday, so we have figured the Eustache concert into our plans at 5 pm. I think either will be awesome to experience. If I can convince my daughter to take an earlier train from Chartres, we might make the 10 am, just! But, we would likely still have our luggage and I am not sure that would be allowed into the church, so not sure we should even try.

Hope you enjoy your Mass. I have always loved happening upon Masses in Europe in different languages. The cadence of the prayers is always familiar, even when the words are not!

Posted by
557 posts

Have a wonderful trip, Laura. I don't always make it to mass when traveling, but have had some interesting experiences. The most interesting was watching the Easter vigil mass at St. Peter's in Rome on a television in the gift shop at Nairobi airport, while waiting for our first flight leg home. We traveled all through Easter, from Nairobi to Heathrow to Los Angeles (about 24 hours all told), so I was glad I got to watch the mass in real time with the young lady in the gift/duty-free shop. We had the place to ourselves. (It was about 2 or 3 a.m. I think!) The commentary was in English for the Kenyan audience, so I could follow along.
Enjoy your concert! I hope your luggage won't be too much trouble. And many thanks for the info regarding other organ concerts!
Judy

Posted by
68 posts

Awww....my daughter is currently studying in Rome and I was able to get her and a friend tickets to the Papal Easter Mass. They got up at 6 am to get there in time for a "good" seat and ended up in the 10th row. It has been the highlight of her trip to Italy! She said that many priests gave communion and some of them were trying to get a selfie of the experience for their records. Very cute! She also managed to do the Stations of the Cross just outside the Colosseum, another bucket list sort of event. I love that her faith is a big part of her experience in Rome.

I am always struck by the vast nature of the Catholic faith when traveling and it always is a pleasant surprise. I imagine that experiencing it in Kenya was a treat. One of my favorite parishioners is from Kenya and married an Irishman, so very Catholic. Just amazing! Enjoy Pentecost in Paris. It will be wonderful!

Posted by
557 posts

Laura, thank you. And what a lucky daughter! Happy Mother's Day to you and all the mothers on this forum. If I remember correctly, Mother's Day in France is the third Sunday in May, or maybe the first....either way, Bonne Fete des Meres!

Posted by
62 posts

So, is the organ recital definitely at 10 am and not noon? We were planning to attend the concert but not mass on a Sunday in June. I could find information on mass and on choirs on the website, but not the organ recitals.

Posted by
557 posts

As Tocard said, the organ recital time has changed to 10:00 a.m. I verified this at the parish website. Laura mentioned the availability of organ recitals at other locations, if you are interested. Best wishes for a great time in Paris, just about the best city in the world!