Lifelong Learning Programme

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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Collège des Bernardins

Collège des Bernardins

20 Rue de Poissy, 75005 Paris, France

RELIGIONS Catholic

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELIGIOUS SITE

DESCRIPTION
The Collège of Bernardins, or Collège Saint-Bernard, is located no 20, rue de Poissy in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. It is a place for meeting and for dialogue. It welcomes around 150 000 visitors per year from all age range, religions, families, students, teachers and researchers, people from the economical/political/social fields. The Collège des Bernardins offers a wide range of activities, conferences, seminaries, debates and artistic creations in intellectual, cultural and spiritual fields.
HISTORICAL RELEVANCE
The Collège des Bernardins is a former Cistercian college of the historic University of Paris. Founded by Stephen of Lexington, abbot of Clairvaux, and built from 1248 with the encouragement of Pope Innocent IV, it served until the French Revolution as the residence for the Cistercian monks, students at the University of Paris. After a complete renovation completed in September 2008, it is now a place for meetings, dialogues, training and culture, offering a rich program of public conferences and symposia, exhibitions, concerts, activities for young people and a theological and biblical studies center. Since 2009, it houses the Académie catholique de France. It has been the subject of a classification for French historical monuments since 10 February 1871.
INTER-RELIGIOUS RELEVANCE
Many interreligious activities/conferences/debates are organised within the Bernardins. Indeed, the interreligious dialogue is an important part of what takes place in the Collège. For instance, after the terrorist attacks of Charlie Hebdo in Paris in January 2015, a conference was held, called "Thinking beyond Charlie - interreligious dialogue for a new fraternity". There is also a reasearch centre within the building, which for instance works on "Dialogues between the Muslims and the Christians", with sessions and conferences open to the public. The research centre also works on the following topic: "Freedom of religion and conviction in the Mediterranean area: the new challenges". Again, several sessions are open to the public.
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE
Even if the Collège des Barnardins is historically and is still mainly Catholic, its wide range of interreligious events, dialogues, conferences (etc) demonstrates a real desire to emphasis the interreligious dialogue. The visitors of the Collège des Bernardins are not just Catholic - people form all religions come and attend the events.
HOW TO USE WITH THE STUDENTS
Preparing a trip and attending some conferences or artistic events (and meeting people working in the Collège) would be great. If not possible, the visit of the website (with the detailed programmation) could be a good way to open the dialogue about interreligiosity among students.
CONNECTION WITH OTHER RELIGIOUS SITES

Abraham Duchère Group - 309 av. A. Sakharov 69009 Lyon, France

Great Mosque of Paris - 2bis Place du Puits de l'Ermite, 75005 Paris

REFERENCE TO THE GUIDELINE

MEDIA RESOURCES

  • JPG

    Around the Dalaï Lama
    This is a picture of the Dalaï-Lama visiting the Collège des Bernardins, sourrounded by other religious leaders. This picture shows the interreligious aspect of this place.

VIDEOS

LINKS

  • Le Collège des Bernardins
    This website present the Collège des Bernardins and the opening hours as well as the conferences or events we can attend.

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.