Church of St. Anselm and St. Roch (Bronx) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Church of St. Anselm |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Byzantine Revival style, Romanesque Revival |
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St. Anselm's Roman Catholic Church and School
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 Location in New York City
Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 683 Tinton Ave., Bronx, New York |
| Area | 1.51 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1892, 1908, 1917, 1956 |
| Architect | Steinback, Gustave E., Kirby, John E. |
| Architectural style | Byzantine Revival, Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 13001151 |
| Added to NRHP | February 5, 2014 |
| Town or city | Mott Haven, Bronx, New York City |
| Country | United States |
| Completed | 1918 |
| Client | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Anton Koster (according to the AIA Guide to NYC 2010) Gustave E. Steinback (according to the AIA Guide to NYC 1978 and Steinback himself) |
The Church of St. Anselm is a Roman Catholic church in the Mott Haven area of the Bronx, New York City. It is located at 685 Tinton Avenue. This church was started in 1891. Today, it is run by the Order of Augustinian Recollects. Before them, Benedictine monks managed the church.
The Church Building
The current church building was finished in 1918. It was built in the Byzantine Revival style. This means its design was inspired by old Byzantine buildings. A famous example is the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey.
The church is a two-story brick building. It has a large main dome and several smaller domes around it. The design is often credited to Gustave Steinback. However, some newer guides say Anton Kloster was the architect. It's possible Kloster worked with Steinback at the time.
Inside the church, you'll see Romanesque-style marble columns. The walls are decorated with cool geometric mosaics. An art expert, Annie Labatt, thinks the apse (the rounded part at the end of the church) looks like the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.
Next to the church is a four-story brick school building. It has special terra cotta decorations. Its style is called Classical Revival. Both the church and the school were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. This means they are important historical buildings.
The Parish Community
The St. Anselm parish was started in July 1891. It was created to serve the German Catholic community in the area. The Benedictine monks were first in charge. Abbot Alexius Edelbrock was the first pastor.
The first church building was opened in 1893. In 1908, a brick school was built. It opened for classes in 1909. The Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt taught at the school. In 1912, a playground was added. This was likely the first playground at a Catholic school in New York.
The monks at St. Anselm's did more than just parish work. They also served as chaplains for other religious groups. They helped at the Corpus Christi Monastery and the Sevilla Children's Home. They also oversaw their order's missions in the Bahamas. In the early 1900s, the parish even had a Fife and Drum Corps!
Later, the Augustinian Recollects took over the parish. Over time, the community changed. It now includes many people of Spanish and Latin American heritage.
Pastors of St. Anselm
Some of the pastors who led the St. Anselm parish include:
- Alexius Edelbrock O.S.B., from 1891 to 1907.
- Bernard Kevenhorster O.S.B. (prior), starting in October 1907.
- Fr Andres Alava, O.A.R., from 1985 to 1992.
- Fr. Micheal, O.A.R.
- Fr. Damian Baker, who was pastor in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Church of St. Roch
The Church of St. Roch was founded in 1899. It was created for Italian Catholics in the area. The first pastor was Rev. John Milo. The first church building was on 150th Street. Later, a bigger church was built on Wales Avenue. This new church was designed by Anthony J. DePace. It was dedicated in 1932.
For many years, the St. Roch parish put on a special play called a Passion Play. Over time, the people in the parish changed. It grew to include immigrants from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Mexico.
In 1974, the archdiocese gave the Augustinian Recollects responsibility for St. Roch. From 1985 to 1992, St. Roch's became a "mission parish" of St. Anselm's. This happened because not as many people were attending. Both churches were cared for by the Recollects.
In 2015, the parish of St. Roch officially joined with St. Anselm's. In November 2017, the St. Roch's church building was "desacralized." This means it was no longer used as a church.
