Saint Donatus Catholic Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Donatus Catholic Church
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | High Bridge Rd. St. Donatus, Iowa |
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| Built | 1857 (rectory) 1885 (chapel) 1908 (church) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Part of | Village of St. Donatus Historic District |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001870 |
| Added to NRHP | November 8, 1989 |
Saint Donatus Catholic Church is a special church located in the small town of St. Donatus, Iowa. It's part of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, which is like a large group of Catholic churches in the area. The town and the church are named after Saint Donatus of Muenstereifel. He is a saint who is very popular in places like Luxembourg and the Rhineland region of Germany.
The church area includes the main church building, a house for the priest (called a rectory), a small chapel, and a cemetery. All these buildings are important parts of the Village of St. Donatus Historic District. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This means it's a special place recognized for its history.
Contents
The Church Building
The first church building was finished in 1858. It looked a lot like St. Boniface Church in New Vienna. Sadly, a fire destroyed this church on November 24, 1907.
But the strong stone walls on the outside survived the fire! These walls were then used to build the church we see today. The new church was finished quickly in 1908. The stone for the tall bell tower came from nearby bluffs (steep hills). A wooden steeple sits on top of the bell tower.
The outside of the church is quite simple. It doesn't have many fancy decorations. The stone walls are covered with a mix of cement and lime.
The Church Cemetery
The church cemetery is located right behind the main church building. Some of the oldest graves have beautiful iron crosses marking them. Some of the early stone headstones were made in Dubuque. Others were created by a person named O. Wenzler from Milwaukee.
The Rectory
The rectory, which is the house where the priest lives, is next to the church. It was built around the same time as the first church. This building is also made from stone dug up nearby. Its outside is covered with a light yellow-brown stucco.
The roof of the rectory is a hip roof, which means all sides slope downwards to the walls. It also has cross gabled dormer windows. These are windows that stick out from the sloping roof. The way the roof slopes and the lack of eaves (the parts of the roof that hang over the walls) are common in traditional Luxembourg buildings.
The Outdoor Stations of the Cross
The church is also famous for its outdoor Stations of the Cross. These are a series of fourteen pictures or sculptures that show events from the day Jesus died. They are located on the hill behind the church.
These stations were built in 1861. They were made under the guidance of Reverend J. Michael Flammang. They might even be some of the very first outdoor Stations of the Cross built in the United States!
Each of the fourteen stations is about 5 feet (1.5 meters) by 5 feet (1.5 meters). They are placed inside open, arched entrances with gabled roofs. They are spaced about 250 feet (76 meters) apart along a dirt path. This path winds its way up to the top of the bluff.
At the very top of the hill, you'll find the Pieta Chapel. During Holy Week (the week before Easter), the church holds a special procession. People walk along the dirt path, visiting each of the outdoor stations, all the way up to the small chapel.
The Pieta Chapel
The Pieta Chapel at the top of the hill looks like the Chapel du Bildchen near Vianden, Luxembourg. This simple stone building was finished in 1885. The stone on the outside is left natural and doesn't have much decoration. A simple wooden bell tower sits above the front gable of the chapel.
Images for kids
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The whole church area
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The cemetery behind the church
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The Pieta Chapel at the top of the hill
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One of the outdoor Stations of the Cross
