Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre

Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre
Front of the Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre church
Basic information
Location	5th arrondissement, Paris
Geographic coordinates	48°51′7.5″N 2°20′49.5″E / 48.852083°N 2.347083°E / 48.852083; 2.347083Coordinates: 48°51′7.5″N 2°20′49.5″E / 48.852083°N 2.347083°E / 48.852083; 2.347083
Affiliation	Catholic Church
Rite	Melkite Greek
Province	Archdiocese of Paris
Architectural description
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Romanesque
Completed	13th century

Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, in full Église Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre (French for Church of Saint Julian the Poor), is a Melkite Greek Catholic parish church in Paris, France, and one of the city's oldest religious buildings. Built in Romanesque style during the 13th century, it is situated in the 5th arrondissement, on the Left Bank of the Seine River, about 500 meters away from the Musée de Cluny and in the proximity of the Maubert-Mutualité Paris Métro station. It shares a city block with the Square René Viviani.

Originally a Roman Catholic place of worship, Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre was built in stages from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and granted to the Eastern Catholic Melkite community in 1889. Its design was modified several times, and the resulting church is significantly smaller in size than originally planned.

The church was dedicated to two medieval French saints of the same name: Julian of Le Mans and a figure from the region of Dauphiné. "The poor" is said to originate from Julian of Le Mans, whose dedication to the cause of the poor was considered exemplary.

Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre replaced a Merovingian refuge for pilgrims, or an older church dating back to the 6th century. The earliest mention of such a site was found in texts authored by Gregory, bishop of Tours, who resided there during the rule of Chilperic I, king of Neustria. A synagogue serving the Jewish residents, probably the oldest in the city, was located in its environs.