In January 1779, Napoleon was enrolled at a religious school in Autun, in mainland France, to learn French.
In May he tried to join the military academy at Brienne-le-Château. However the academy rejected him, citing that due to his marked Corsican accent and inability to learn to spell French properly, he was not fit to join the military. So Napoleon stayed at Autun.
On completion of his studies at Autun in 1784, Napoleon became an ordained priest and was placed as the Priest of Saint-Roch, located at 284 rue Saint-Honoré, in the 1st arrondissement, Paris.
For the first five years, it was a beautiful and quiet church, with a large congregation, however on, 14 July 1789, there was an assault on the medieval fortress and prison, known as the Bastille, this marked the beginning of the French Revolution.
Father Bonaparte and the church of Saint-Roch was often at the centre of events and the church was the scene of many shootings which have left their mark on the façade.
This was pivotal in the rise of Father Bonaparte, for he made his religious mark known regarding the Revolution.
On 5 October 1795, Archbishopric of Paris, Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Gobel was visiting, the church of Saint-Roch, when a bloody battle broke out on the street outside, Archbishopric Gobel was trying to demand peace, when French Royalists General, Richer de Sévigny accidentally shot him, causing the revolutionary party to push harder against them.
Father Bonaparte, held Archbishopric Gobel, pleading for the 68 year old, cleric to stay with him, however their was no pleading with God's will and Archbishopric Gobel died in his arms.
The Republic army was said to have informed General Paul François Jean Nicolas, vicomte de Barras, of this brave act and de Barras, Lead Member of the French Directory, appointed Napoleon Bonaparte as the new Archbishopric of Paris, this was accepted by Pope Pius VI, who at the same time named Napoleon as a Cardinal