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 building located at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. It's on the grounds where the Sisters of Providence live. This chapel is mainly used for something called Eucharistic adoration. This is a time when the Sisters of Providence and other visitors can come to pray and spend quiet time.
History of the Chapel
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel has an interesting history. It all started with Saint Mother Theodore Guerin. She came to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana in 1840 with friends. Together, they founded the Sisters of Providence. Mother Theodore really loved the Blessed Sacrament, which is a special part of the Catholic faith.
In December 1913, Pope Pius X gave the sisters permission to hold "perpetual Eucharistic adoration." This means they could pray before the Blessed Sacrament all the time. This special prayer began on June 10, 1914, in a different spot at Saint Mary's.
For many years, the Sisters of Providence wished for their own chapel just for this adoration. Their dream came true in the 1920s. This happened under the leadership of Mother Mary Cleophas Foley, who was the leader of the sisters at that time.
Construction on the chapel began on April 9, 1920. The first stone, called the cornerstone, was placed on June 7 of the same year. The building was officially opened and blessed on May 19, 1924. Bishop Joseph Chartrand from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis led the blessing. He named it the Chapel of Divine Love. However, the sisters usually called it the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
Inside the Chapel: Art and Design
The chapel's design is inspired by the Italian Renaissance style. It has a rounded ceiling that looks like a barrel. The chapel was designed by a company called D.A. Bohlen & Son from Indianapolis.
Many families and friends of the Sisters of Providence donated money to help build this beautiful chapel. Because of their generosity, the chapel features many expensive materials. You can see different kinds of marble, gold, and silver used throughout the building.
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 beautiful 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.
These windows were made especially 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
