National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Liguori facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Alphonsus' Church, Rectory, Convent and Halle
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St. Alphonsus Church and Rectory, September, 2014
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 National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Liguori
Location in Baltimore
National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Liguori
Location in Maryland
National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Liguori
Location in the United States
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| Location | 112-116, 125-127 W. Saratoga Street Baltimore, Maryland |
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| Area | 6 acres (2.4 ha) |
| Built | 1842 |
| Architect | Robert Cary Long Jr. |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 73002195 |
| Added to NRHP | May 23, 1973 |
The National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Liguori is a very old and important Catholic church in Baltimore, Maryland. It is also known as the St. John Neumann Shrine. People sometimes call it "Baltimore's Powerhouse of Prayer."
This church complex has been around for a long time. It has connections to many important people in Baltimore's Catholic past. In 1973, the church buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are special and protected because of their history.
Contents
About the Church Buildings
The church itself looks a lot like St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria. It has a special design called a basilica floor plan. The church is made of red brick with fancy limestone decorations. It is built in the Gothic Revival style.
The main part of the church, called the nave, is about 50 ft (15 m) tall. The beautiful steeple reaches 210 ft (64 m) into the sky. A 12 ft (3.7 m) gold cross sits at the very top of the steeple.
Other Buildings in the Complex
Across Saratoga Street from the church is a building called the Halle. It is a 4+1⁄2-story brick building. It also has the Gothic Revival style. The Halle has a main entrance in the middle, topped with a pointed roof called a gable.
Next to the church are two other buildings: a three-story convent and a four-story rectory. These buildings are simpler. They look like brick townhouses in the Georgian style.
Building History
The church complex was built between 1842 and 1845. It was one of the first big projects for a Baltimore architect named Robert Cary Long Jr..
For many years, until 1917, the church was run by the Redemptorist Fathers. These priests came to Baltimore to help the growing community of German immigrants.
Important Figures
One of the early pastors at St. Alphonsus was John Neumann. He later became a Bishop in Philadelphia in 1852. John Neumann was made a saint on June 19, 1977.
His assistant pastor, Francis Xavier Seelos, became pastor after John Neumann left. Father Seelos later worked in many different places, from Connecticut to Illinois and New Orleans. He was recognized as a blessed person on April 9, 2000.
Later Years
By 1917, many German immigrants had moved to other parts of the city. St. Alphonsus then became a church for the Lithuanian immigrant community.
Since 1992, a special type of Catholic service called the Tridentine Mass has been held regularly at St. Alphonsus. Since 2017, the church has been managed by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP). It is still officially part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Gallery
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Rectory and Convent
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St. Alphonsus Halle
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Church interior
