Church of the Sacred Heart and St Catherine of Alexandria facts for kids
The Church of the Sacred Heart and St Catherine of Alexandria is a special Catholic church located in Droitwich Spa, England. It is famous for its amazing and huge mosaics. These mosaics look a lot like the old churches in Ravenna, Italy, which is south of Venice.
A man named Walter Loveridge Hodgkinson paid for the church to be built. He wanted to remember his wife, Catherine, who passed away in 1906. The church's architect was Frank Barry Peacock. The first stone was placed on November 25, 1919. This day was special because it was St. Catherine of Alexandria's feast day and Catherine Hodgkinson's birthday. The first church service happened on November 24, 1921, which was the anniversary of Catherine Hodgkinson's death.
The church building was recognized as an important historical site on December 11, 2013. This means it is protected because of its special history and design.
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The Church's Amazing Mosaics
The beautiful mosaics inside the Sacred Heart Church were designed by a talented artist named Gabriel Pippet. He was from Solihull, England. A very skilled mosaic maker, Maurice Josey, from London, created the mosaics. He had help from a teenager named Fred Oates.
How the Mosaics Were Made
Work on the mosaics began in 1921 and took 12 years to finish. Some parts were even added later. To make them, over eight tons of tiny glass tiles were brought from Venice, Italy. These small, colored pieces of Venetian glass are called "tesserae." Gabriel Pippet traveled to Ravenna and Rome to study old mosaics before he designed these. The church's builder, architect, and mosaic maker also visited Ravenna.
Stories Told in Glass
The mosaics tell different stories. On one side of the main part of the church, you can see the life story of St. Richard of Droitwich. On the other side, the mosaics show scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. One of the most impressive artworks is on the East wall, above the choir area. It shows the 'Nine Choirs of Angels.' Today, special lights make these mosaic scenes shine even brighter.
Gabriel Pippet first drew the scenes on large "cartoons," which are like big drawings. Then, these designs were carefully moved onto the walls. Maurice Josey then placed each tiny glass tesserae directly into the wet mortar on the walls. This is a special way of creating mosaics.
Other Art by Gabriel Pippet
Gabriel Pippet was also good at carving wood and stone. You can see his detailed carvings on the tops of the twelve granite pillars in the church. He also created statues and other stone carvings. The 'Stations of the Cross,' which are a series of images showing Jesus's final journey, were carved from oak wood by him. Gabriel Pippet passed away in 1962 and is buried in the church's graveyard.
Other Chapels and Their Mosaics
Hubert Galton paid for the mosaics in the Lady Chapel. He did this to remember his two sons, Theodore and Francis, who passed away during the First World War, and his daughter Lucy. Another small chapel shows the life of St. Catherine of Alexandria. There are two more small chapels. One is for St. Richard de Wyche (Droitwich), and the other is for St. Michael Garicoits.
The Church in the News
In March 1930, the Daily Mirror newspaper wrote an article titled 'Nine Years Work On Mosaics.' A few days later, the Berrow’s Worcester Journal said that this church would be the only one in the world completely covered in glass mosaics and marble. In 1940, The Daily Sketch newspaper published an article called '20-Year Task Of Two Men And Boy Is Ended.'
People from all over the world visit this church. It is seen as an amazing example of mosaic art, inspired by ancient Roman and Byzantine styles.
