Space, time and religion: devotion of the Miraculous Medal in Paris, France

Abstract

We want to suggest a particular way of looking at cities in relation to their cultural context, establishing a link between space, time and religion. The interpretation of the sacred as an element of space, the analysis of the time in which it occurred, the hierophany in place, are the methodological paths valued in the text. Paris – the sanctuary city – maintains the permanence of the sacred space of the Chapel of the Rue du Bac, both are examples of place of memory whose manifestation of religious faith composes the central theme of this article. The devotional itinerary of the visitors and the spatial reach of the devotees to the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal complete the research carried out, both in the theoretical part and in the empirical analysis