At the heart of the cathedral’s ambulatory, the Chapel of Saint George and the Eastern Christians welcomes the faithful into a space of prayer dedicated to the Eastern Churches. Conceived as a strong sign of communion and peace, this chapel pays tribute to the spiritual richness of Eastern traditions—often overlooked or persecuted.
Why Icons?
In the Eastern Christian tradition, an icon is far more than a work of art—it is a “window into eternity,” a visible reflection of the mystery of God.
For both Eastern and Western Christians, the icon represents a shared spiritual heritage rooted in the earliest centuries of the Church.
The icons displayed here were “written” using the traditional techniques of sacred iconography, by artists in France and the Middle East.
Eight Founding Saints
The eight icons in this chapel represent key saintly figures linked to the historical birthplaces of Eastern Christianity.
They serve as a reminder that the universality of the Church is deeply rooted in a diversity of lands:
- Saint Mark (by Véronique Vié, 2025) – for the Patriarchate of Alexandria and the Coptic Churches
- Saint Andrew (by Isabelle Doucas, 2025) – for the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Byzantine Churches
- Saint Ignatius of Antioch (by Nimat Badawi, 2025) – for the Patriarchate of Antioch, the Syriac Churches, the Maronite Church, and the Greek Churches of the Levant
- Saint James the Greater (by Nayirie Keutéklian, 2025) – for the Patriarchate of Jerusalem
- Saints Addai and Mari (by Father Jean-Baptiste Garrigou, 2025) – for the Patriarchate of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, the Chaldean Church, and the Assyrian Churches
- Saint Thomas (by Marie-Cécile Froment, 2025) – for the Churches of India: the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches
- Saint Frumentius, Enlightener of the Kingdom of Aksum (by Anne Nicolas and Sonya Basmadjian, 2025) – for the Ge’ez Churches in Ethiopia and Eritrea
- Saint Gregory the Illuminator (by Chahé Kazandjian – known as C. Kazan, ©ADAGP, 2025) – for the Armenian Churches
These figures embody the rich diversity of rites, languages, cultures, and spiritual traditions that make up the Catholic Church. They stand as witnesses to an ancient and enduring faith.
Photos : L’Œuvre d’Orient
