Church of the Transfiguration, Roman Catholic (Manhattan) facts for kids
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Church of the Transfiguration
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Church of the Transfiguration, formerly Zion Protestant Episcopal Church
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| Location | 25 Mott St. Manhattan, New York City |
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| Built | 1801 (rebuilt 1815) |
| Architect | steeple and alterations (1868): Henry Engelbert |
| Architectural style | Georgian Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002682 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 16, 1980 |
The Church of the Transfiguration is a Roman Catholic church in New York City. It is located at 25 Mott Street in the Chinatown area of Manhattan. This church is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. It is run by the Maryknoll order, a group of priests and brothers.
Contents
History of the Church Building
The church building was first built in 1801. It was designed in the Georgian style. At first, it was home to the Zion English Lutheran Church. This group later became part of the Protestant Episcopal Church. The church was then called Zion Protestant Episcopal Church.
A big fire in 1815 badly damaged the church. It also destroyed many homes nearby. The church was rebuilt thanks to a member named Peter Lorillard.
In 1853, the Episcopal church sold the building. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York bought it. They moved their "Church of the Transfiguration" congregation here. This congregation used to be on Chambers Street.
This church is one of four on the Lower East Side made from a type of rock called Manhattan schist. It has Gothic-style windows. In 1868, a copper tower was added to the church. This tower was designed by Henry Engelbert. The church became a New York City landmark in 1966. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
The Parish Community
The Church of the Transfiguration parish started in 1827. Father Felix Varela y Morales bought a church on Ann Street. This was the fourth Catholic parish in Manhattan.
Later, in 1836, Father Varela bought another church. This one was on Chambers Street. He renamed it the "Church of the Transfiguration." The congregation moved there. By 1853, the church on Chambers Street was too small. So, the Catholic church bought the bigger building on Mott Street.
It's interesting that this parish has moved three times. Each time, its new home was a building first built as a Protestant church.
Over the years, the church has served many immigrant groups. These include Irish, Italian, and more recently, Chinese families.
Today, most of the church members are Chinese. The church offers Sunday masses in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. It also has a Catholic school open to all children. The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers run the parish. They are known for their mission work around the world, especially in China. This makes the Church of the Transfiguration unique. It is the only parish fully run by Maryknollers.
Transfiguration School
Transfiguration School is a Catholic school connected to the Church of the Transfiguration. Father Varela founded it in 1832. Since 1969, children of all faiths can attend.
The school has high academic standards. It won the National Blue Ribbon Schools Award in 2011. The school has been working to grow. It plans to have 700 students across three campuses. These campuses include the Early Childhood Campus, Transfiguration Lower School, and Transfiguration Upper School. The Lower School is next to the church. The Upper School is in a building that was once St. James Elementary School. Former New York State governor Al Smith went to school there.
Church Mergers
Over time, some nearby Catholic parishes have merged with the Church of the Transfiguration.
- In 1967, St. Joachim's Church was taken down for new housing. Its parish joined St. Joseph's Church.
- In 2007, St. James Parish merged with St. Joseph's Church. This created the Parish of St. Joseph/St. James.
- In 2015, the Parish of St. Joseph/St. James merged with the Church of the Transfiguration.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia Católica de la Transfiguración (Manhattan) para niños
