SANCTO ROMANO
PATROCINANTE.
This church contains some extremely curious antiquities. The first, without doubt, is the monument of the archbishop Saint-Romain, which is of granite, and forms, if I may say so, the high altar in the choir, as the top of the high altar covers the monument, which is elsewhere very plainly seen. It was formerly in the crypt of Saint-Godard, where Saint-Romain was buried. It was brought afterwards to this church on the 20th february 1804. The ashes of the illustrious prelate had been dispersed by the calvinists, in 1562.
We may also admire the beautiful painted glass windows, which were brought partly from Saint-Maur, Saint-Etienne-des-Tonneliers, and Saint-Martin-sur-Renelle. The following is an explanation: In the first chapel, a Transfiguration, to the left on entering. In the next chapel a holy Family. This chapel contains also a beautiful small marble statue of Saint-Louis, and a bas-relief, by Jadoulle, representing Tobit burying the dead. The firsts chapel to the right, contains the font: there is a remarkable painted glass, divided into six partitions, which represents the history of Adam. It is in this chapel that we find a very curious cover of some baptismal-fonts, which was brought from the ancient church of Saint-Etienne. The bas-reliefs, which ornament it, represent the Passion of Jesus-Christ. In the sort of lantern, which surmounts the cover, is a Resurrection. These sculptures on wood, which are of great beauty, are of the beginning of the XVIth century. At the farther end of the chapel, is a fresco painting by Pécheux representing the baptism of Jesus-Christ.
In the next chapel, which is dedicated to Saint-Theresa, we see Sainte-Geneviève, the patroness of Paris. In her left hand she holds a book, and in her right a lighted taper. Satan tries to blow it out with a pair of bellows, while, behind the saint, an angel is ready to light it again. These different painted glasses were brought from Saint-Maur.
In the chapel of Saint-Joseph, is a painted window representing Saint-Stephen before his judges. In the chapel of the Virgin, which is opposite, we see Saint-Stephen stoned; these two painted windows belonged to the church of Saint-Etienne-des-Tonneliers.
Some glasses of the higher windows, brought from Saint-Martin-sur-Renelle, represent the passion of our Lord.
In the choir, in the chapel to the left, Tobit burying the dead, above we see the resurrection of Lazarus; in the same window Job on the dunghill; and underneath, the Lord's supper.
In another chapel of the choir, opposite to the former, is Jesus-Christ in the temple, overthrowing the tables of the money-changers; beside it, is the rich man at table; Lazarus is at the outside of the door. The stained glass of these two chapels belonged to Saint-Maur. Most of them, from the richness of their coloring, and the perfection of their execution, are very remarkable.
Under the dome at the lop of the nave, are five different fresco, paintings which represent different acts relative to the life of the patron of the church. One represents the consecration of Saint-Romain as bishop; in another, he overthrows the pagan temples; farther on, is the miracle of the dragon or Gargouille; next to it, is the procession of the shrine to obtain the deliverance of a prisoner, a ceremony which was instituted after the miracle of which we have already spoken. The apotheosis of Saint-Romain crowns these four paintings.
At the top of the sanctuary, behind the high altar, there is also another fresco by Pêcheux, representing the agony of Jesus-Christ. The painting receives the light from above, by an opening made expressly for that purpose.