France: Chapel transformed into a vinothèque

In Dijon, a town-planning project aims to transform the Grande Chapelle of the Holy Ghost Hospital into a wine shop within two years.

Constructed in 1504 and consecrated to Catholicism, mass is celebrated every Sunday for the sick and the faithful in the surrounding districts. Now, the hospital on which many depend is closing its doors, 809 years after its foundation, in order to move to more modern premises before the end of this year. In its place, an “International City of Gastronomy” should see the light of day within the framework of a very ambitious project: 24,000 square meters of buildings on 6.5 hectares costing 55 million euros. The project includes the chapel, which would then become a vinothèque.

In a press release published on July 8th on the official site of the diocese of Dijon, Bishop Roland Minnerath considers that the “prospect of trivializing such a place without dialogue with commercial premises is felt by many as a provocation.” The archbishop wonders if there are not “other places to develop” such an activity. He says he submitted his request to the municipal authorities without positive response so far. He also recalls that the facade and the altar of the chapel are classified as historical monuments.

(Sources : apic/catholique-dijon.cef.fr – DICI no.299 dated August 1, 2014)

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