Saint Ignatius Church (San Francisco) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Ignatius Church |
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Side view of St. Ignatius Church
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Sect | Jesuit |
| District | Archdiocese of San Francisco |
| Province | Archdiocese of San Francisco |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Parish |
| Leadership | Archbishop of San Francisco Father Gregory R. Bonfiglio, S.J, Pastor |
| Location | |
| Location | San Francisco, California, United States |
 Location in San Francisco County
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Charles J. I. Devlin |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance, Baroque |
| Completed | August 2, 1914 |
| Direction of façade | South |
| Website | |
| St. Ignatius Church | |
Saint Ignatius Church is a beautiful church located on the campus of the University of San Francisco (USF) in San Francisco, California. It is a Catholic church that serves the local community and is also the main chapel for the university. Jesuit priests, who are part of a religious group called the Society of Jesus, lead the church. It is named after Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Society of Jesus.
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The Story of Saint Ignatius Church
The Saint Ignatius Church you see today is actually the fifth one built in San Francisco! Its history is closely tied to the University of San Francisco and St. Ignatius College Prep.
The First Churches
The very first Saint Ignatius Church was a small wooden building. It was built in 1855 next to a schoolhouse. That schoolhouse later grew into what is now the University of San Francisco. This first church was on Market Street.
Later, a bigger brick church was built in the same spot. Many Catholic people in San Francisco started going to this new church. This caused a disagreement between the church's first leader, Father Anthony Maraschi, and Archbishop Joseph Alemany. Because of this, the church lost its official status as a local parish in 1863.
Moving and Rebuilding
The third Saint Ignatius Church was built in 1880. It moved from Market Street to a new location at Hayes Street and Van Ness Avenue. This spot is now home to the Davies Symphony Hall. This third church was huge! It could hold 4,000 people and was considered one of the grandest churches in the city.
However, this grand church and the college next to it only lasted 25 years. They were both destroyed in the terrible 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.
The Current Church
After the earthquake, the college was quickly rebuilt a few miles west on Hayes Street. The high school part of the new buildings was even nicknamed "The Shirt Factory." These buildings stayed there for about 20 years.
The church itself was rebuilt a bit later, starting in 1912. It was finished and officially opened in 1914. This is the Saint Ignatius Church that stands today. It has continued to be the university's chapel ever since.
About the Church Building
The design of the current Saint Ignatius Church mixes styles from the Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods. Its layout is similar to ancient Roman basilicas, which were large public buildings.
The church is very strong. It survived the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake without any damage. Still, it has been updated and made even stronger to withstand future earthquakes. It is one of the biggest churches in San Francisco. Its location on a hilltop, along with its two tall spires and large dome, makes it a famous landmark in the city. For a long time, the sky was its only backdrop when viewed from the west. But in 2018, the Salesforce Tower was built behind it.
Recent Changes and Renovations
In 1994, Saint Ignatius Church was officially made a local parish again, serving the people in the surrounding neighborhood. Father Charles Gagan, a San Francisco native, became the third pastor. He immediately started projects to fix the roof, dome, and cupola (a small dome on top). He also had new carpet and flooring installed in the aisles. Big repairs were also needed for the church's electrical and heating systems.
In 2008, four small rooms inside the church were turned into an art gallery called the Manresa Gallery. It showed art from many different artists in the Bay Area. In 2020, this gallery space became the Parish's "In All Things Bookstore," which is a ministry of the church.
In 2023, Saint Ignatius Church began its first major renovation in over 30 years. Both of its tall spires and the bell tower are currently covered in scaffolding. This is so workers can repair and repaint their surfaces. The old lights, many of which were broken, are being replaced with new, energy-saving LED lights. These new lights can even change colors! The 43 beautiful stained glass windows, which show Catholic saints, are being carefully removed. They will be sent to Chicago to be cleaned and repaired. This big project will cost $22 million, and all the money has been raised privately.
See also
- List of Jesuit sites
