Church of St. Ignatius Loyola (New York City) facts for kids
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Church of St. Ignatius Loyola
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St. Ignatius Loyola complex, April 2021
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 Location in New York City
Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 980 Park Avenue, New York City, New York |
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| Area | 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) |
| Built | 1895-1900 |
| Architect | Schickel & Ditmars |
| Architectural style | German Baroque; Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002679 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 24, 1980 |
The Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola is a Catholic church located in New York City. It is on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. This church is managed by the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.
The church started in 1851. It was first called St. Lawrence O'Toole's Church. In 1898, its name changed to honor St. Ignatius of Loyola. He was the founder of the Jesuit order. The church is at 980 Park Avenue. It is on the corner of Park Avenue and 84th Street.
This church is part of a larger Jesuit complex. This complex includes Wallace Hall, which is a hall under the church. It also has the rectory (where priests live). There is also St. Ignatius's School for younger students. The Loyola School is a high school nearby. Another Jesuit high school, Regis High School, is also on 84th Street. The church became a National Register of Historic Places site on July 24, 1980.
Contents
History of the Church
The church parish began in 1851. It was built where the old St. Lawrence O'Toole Church stood. That first church was named after a bishop from Dublin. The Society of Jesus took over the parish in 1886. This was their first big project in the Yorkville area of New York.
The current grand church building shows how much the Catholic community grew. It also shows their confidence in New York's Upper East Side. This happened around the start of the 20th century. Father Neil McKinnon, S.J., was the pastor from 1893 to 1907. He was very determined. During his time, Martin J. Scott helped with the youth. He later became a famous author.
The church was named a New York City Landmark on March 4, 1969. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 24, 1980. The church was used for a funeral scene in the TV show Succession. This episode aired in May 2023. Filming took about two and a half days.
Famous Funerals Held Here
Many well-known people have had their funerals at this church.
- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, former First Lady – May 1994
- Aaliyah, singer and actress – August 2001
- Patricia Kennedy Lawford – September 2006
- Lena Horne, singer and actress – May 2010
- Philip Seymour Hoffman, actor – February 2014
- Oscar de la Renta, fashion designer – November 2014
- Mario Cuomo, former governor of New York – January 2015
- Ann Mara, co-owner of the N.Y. Giants Football Team – February 2015
- David Carr, N.Y. Times columnist – February 2015
Church Architecture
Building the Church
A wooden church was first built in 1852. A year later, a brick church replaced it. This was thanks to the efforts of Rev. Walter Quarter.
The current church's foundation was laid from 1884 to 1886. It was meant for a Gothic style church. But the parish was given to the Jesuits in 1886. The church we see today was built from 1895 to 1900. It was designed by architect J. William Schickel. The church was officially opened on December 11, 1898.
Outside the Church
The outside of St. Ignatius Loyola Church on Park Avenue looks very balanced. It has two tall vertical sections. There is also a special arched window called a Palladian window. The front is divided into three horizontal parts. This suggests the main nave and side aisles inside.
The front of the church is 90 feet high and 87 feet wide. Original plans included two towers reaching 210 feet high. But these towers were never built. You can still see the copper-capped bases where they would have been.
Under the main triangular part (pediment) at the top, you can see the Jesuit motto. It says "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam". This means "To the Greater Glory of God". There is also the Great Seal of the Society of Jesus. It has a cross, three nails, and the letters I H S. These letters are the first three letters of Jesus' name in Greek. They also stand for "Jesus the Savior of Humankind" in Latin. These symbols show everyone that St. Ignatius is a Jesuit church.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church uses many types of marble. These marbles come from America, Europe, and Africa. Some colors include pink, red, yellow, and white. Most of the detailed marble work was done by James G. Batterson Jr. and John Eisele.
The beautiful marble mosaic panels show the Stations of the Cross. These were designed by Professor Paoletti. They were made by Salviati & Company in Venice. Some of them were shown in Turin before they were put in the church.
The large bronze doors inside were designed by Rev. Patrick O'Gorman, S.J. They were made by the Long Island Bronze Company. Statues of Jesuit saints, like St. Francis Xavier, were carved from Carrara marble.
The church also has a very special organ. It was built in 1993 by Noel Mander from England. This organ is New York City's largest mechanical action pipe organ. It is also the largest one ever built in the British Isles.
The Baptistery
The baptistery is a special area for baptisms. It has a curved iron screen with flaming swords. This screen was designed by J. William Schickel. The baptismal font is made of Carrara marble. The marble floor was designed by Heaton, Butler & Bayne.
The walls of the baptistery are made of Pavonazzo marble with mosaics. These mosaics were designed by Caryl Coleman. They are made from special opalescent glass called Favrile glass. The curved ceiling of the baptistery was also made by Tiffany.
Leaders of the Church
Many rectors, or head priests, have led the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola since it began. The first rector was Rev. Eugene O'Reilly, who served from 1851 to 1852. The current rector is Dennis J. Yesalonia, S.J., who has been serving since 2016.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Ignacio de Loyola (Nueva York) para niños
