The Collège des Bernardins : the unexpected rebirth of a crossroad of knowledge and spitituality

For decades, the Collège des Bernardins had languished behind high walls, and was no longer being used for its original purpose as a residence for Cistercian student monks who had built it on marshy foundations centuries ago. The faith of an exceptional man, the then Cardinal of Paris, managed to break down the walls which had isolated the Collège’s amazing architecture from the outside world, and brought it back to life, making it a place for discussion, study and research. Today, Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger’s dream has come true. This venerable institution has now resurrected the mission which was entrusted to its founders, and has become a place at the crossroads of knowledge and spirituality.