Old St. Mary's Church (Cincinnati, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old St. Mary's Church, School and Rectory
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Front of the church with its tower
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 123 E. 13th St., Cincinnati, Ohio |
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| Area | 1.9 acres (0.77 ha) |
| Built | 1841 |
| Architect | Franz Ignatz Erd |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Late Victorian |
| Part of | Over-the-Rhine Historic District (ID83001985) |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001439 |
| Added to NRHP | March 13, 1976 |
Old St. Mary's Church is a beautiful and historic Roman Catholic church located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It's found in the famous Over-The-Rhine neighborhood. This church is special because it's the oldest place of worship in Cincinnati that has been used continuously since it was built!
Old St. Mary's is the oldest church building in Cincinnati. Since 2017, it has been home to The Cincinnati Oratory. This is a group of priests and brothers from The Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri. The church was started in 1840 by German immigrants. Many new people were moving to Cincinnati at that time.
The church was designed by Franz Ignatz Erd in the Greek Revival style. It is the second-oldest German-Catholic church group in the city. It is also the oldest church building still standing in Cincinnati. The church is about 142 feet long and 66 feet wide. Its tall steeple reaches 170 feet into the sky. When it was first built, it was the biggest church in the Ohio Valley area. The original church building was officially opened on July 3, 1842.
A Look Back in Time
The first German Catholic church in Cincinnati was called Holy Trinity Church. It was started in 1834. As more and more German immigrants came to Cincinnati, a new church was needed.
In 1840, many German immigrants were arriving in Cincinnati every day. A lot of the men helped build Old St. Mary's Church themselves. They even made the bricks by hand! More German immigrants arrived in the mid-1800s, especially after the 1848 revolutions in Europe.
The land for the church was bought, and the first stone was laid on March 25, 1841. This was done by Bishop Purcell. Father Clemens Hammer was the first pastor, or leader, of the church. Old St. Mary's has the oldest clock tower in Cincinnati. A clock was put in the steeple in 1842. The first bell was added in 1843. For many years, this bell was used as a fire alarm for the northeastern part of the city.
A new organ was put into the church in 1846. A school for the parish opened in 1844. In 1846, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur came to teach there. A school for boys opened in 1852, taught by the Marianist brothers. In 1849, during a difficult time for the community, many people from St. Mary's parish passed away.
The church building was made bigger in 1865 and updated in 1890. The word "Old" was added to the church's name in 1904. This happened after another St. Mary's church was started in Hyde Park, Cincinnati. In 1929, a second organ was given to the church.
The three main buildings of the Old St. Mary's church group were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means they are important historical sites. A few years later, they became part of the larger Historic District of Over-the-Rhine.
Joseph H. Albers became a priest in 1916. His first job was as an assistant pastor at Old St. Mary's Church. During World War I, Father Albers served as a chaplain for the armed forces. He was recognized for his bravery. Later, he helped start the new Diocese of Lansing, Michigan in 1937. He was its first bishop until 1964.
What's Happening Now
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Today, the church celebrates its services in many ways. They use the rich traditions of the Roman Catholic faith, including special music. Services, called Mass, are held in Latin and English every weekday. On Sundays, Mass is offered in Latin, German, and English. The Latin Mass often features a group of professional singers. They perform beautiful sacred music from October through June and on special holy days.
Old St. Mary’s Church is the main church and center of activity for the Oratorians. This group also takes care of Sacred Heart Church in Camp Washington.
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