Take a Walk Through the Past
One of the things Americans love most about visiting Europe is the feeling of being transported back in time as they explore seemingly ancient architecture and history. It was just that sentiment that captured program leader David Sheppe’s heart back in the 1980s when he was an American living in Paris, and now he is rallying others who love history, art and culture to save Paris’ oldest church.
Walking through Saint Germain des Prés is like taking a journey to the past. Visitors witness centuries-old art depicting historical and religious figures, intricately decorated capitals portraying aspects of the Old and New Testaments, plants and animals and even monastic life.
Without the help of those with a heart for our shared human history, though, this incredible testament to art and culture will fall apart. That’s why the American Friends for the Preservation of Saint Germain des Prés have started the Adopt a Saint Germain Star™ campaign.
Adopt a Saint Germain Star™
This effort garners funding for a multi-year, multi-tranche restoration of the church’s art, windows, stonework and structural integrity.
• Donors may go online today and adopt one or more of the hundreds of stars in the church’s ancient, vaulted ceiling.
• The Adopt a Saint Germain Star™ campaign mirrors a similar, highly successful campaign already underway in France.
• The entire Monk’s Choir was recently and magnificently completed, due in large part to the generosity of private donors in France and the United States, and two Adopt a Star campaigns.
• There are more than 800 stars currently available; donations will directly impact the preservation of this historic structure and its beautiful celestial ceiling.
• The long-term need is to fund the restoration of the Transept (2017) and the Nave (2018), including their ceilings, which show a total of 3,000 additional stars.
For more information, visit the online press kit at www.PreserveSaintGermain.OnlinePressKit247.com and public site www.PreserveSaintGermain.org.
