It is the church of the Congregation of the Mission, also known as the Lazarists, founded by Saint Vincent de Paul (1581–1660).

[2] To honour their founder, the Lazarists decided to built a new chapel to shelter his relics.

At the time that the church was completed, the relics of Saint Vincent were kept in the Chapel of the Sisters of Charity on rue de Bac.

An enormous procession, led by King Charles X of France, escorted the relics to their new home.

Jean-Gabriel Perboyre (1802-1840), was executed by strangulation for preaching without the permission of the Chinese government, and Father Pierre Fracois Cletis, buried alive for the same crime in 1840.

Above his head are the emblems of faith, hope, and charity, the three theological virtues associated with Vincent, carried by four angels.

[8] The chapel has a very fine collection of stained glass windows which depict scenes from the life of Saint Vincent de Paul.

Following the doctrine of Saint Vincent de Paul, the designers of the church used every art medium to create images could tell the story of Christ.