Blessed Sacrament Chapel (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blessed Sacrament Chapel |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Archdiocese of Indianapolis |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Chapel of Eucharistic adoration for the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods |
| Year consecrated | 1924 |
| Status | active |
| Location | |
| Location | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana United States |
| State | Indiana |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | D.A. Bohlen and Son, Indianapolis |
| Architectural type | Chapel |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance, Classical revival |
| Groundbreaking | April 9, 1920 |
| Completed | 1924 |
| Website | |
| http://www.spsmw.org | |
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is a special place located at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. It stands on the main grounds of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. This beautiful chapel is mainly used for Eucharistic adoration, which is a quiet time of prayer and worship. Both the Sisters and members of the public can come here to pray.
History of the Chapel
Saint Mother Theodore Guerin founded the Sisters of Providence in 1840. She had a very strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, which is a special part of Catholic faith.
In 1913, Pope Pius X gave the Sisters permission for continuous prayer, called perpetual Eucharistic adoration. This special prayer began at Saint Mary's on June 10, 1914, in a different building. For many years, the Sisters wished for a specific chapel just for this continuous prayer.
Their dream came true in the 1920s. This happened under the leadership of Mother Mary Cleophas Foley. She was the head of the Sisters at that time.
Work on the chapel began on April 9, 1920. The first stone was placed on June 7 of the same year. The building was officially opened on May 19, 1924. Bishop Joseph Chartrand from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis led the ceremony. He named the chapel the Chapel of Divine Love. However, the Sisters often called it simply the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
Inside the Chapel and Its Art
The chapel is built in a style called Italian Renaissance. It has a rounded ceiling, known as a barrel-vault ceiling. The design was created by D.A. Bohlen & Son from Indianapolis.
The chapel was built with money donated by families and friends of the Sisters. It features many beautiful materials. You can see different types of marble, along with gold and silver decorations.
The most important part of the chapel is a large structure called a baldachin. It is made from Carrara marble. This baldachin was carved from one single piece of marble by the Deprato Company in Pietrasanta, Italy. It is very heavy, weighing about 8,000 pounds!
The chapel also has nine stunning stained glass windows. These windows are made of Tiffany glass. Four windows are on each side of the chapel. There is also a large round window, called a rose window, above the entrance. This rose window shows the Holy Spirit.
The windows were made specifically for this chapel. They were created in the Royal Bavarian Studios in Munich, Germany. To help people focus on the Blessed Sacrament, the windows do not show any people or figures.
See also
- List of churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis
