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 | 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 serves as a church for the local community and is also the main chapel for the university. Priests from the Society of Jesus, also known as Jesuits, lead the church. It is named after Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Jesuit order.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
The Saint Ignatius Church you see today is actually the fifth one built in San Francisco! Its story is closely linked to the history of USF 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. This school later became Saint Ignatius Academy, which was the beginning of USF.
Later, a larger brick church was built on Market Street. Many Catholic people in San Francisco started going there. This caused some disagreements with other churches. Because of this, Saint Ignatius lost its official parish status in 1863.
Moving and Rebuilding
The third Saint Ignatius Church was built in 1880. It moved from Market Street to Hayes Street and Van Ness Avenue. This church was much bigger, able to hold 4,000 people. It was considered very grand for its time. However, this church and the college next to it were destroyed in the terrible 1906 earthquake and fire.
After the earthquake, the college was quickly rebuilt a few miles west. The church itself was rebuilt later, starting in 1912. The fifth and current Saint Ignatius Church was finished and opened in 1914. It has been serving as the university's chapel ever since.
Design and Features
The current church has a beautiful design. It 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. It has also been updated and made even stronger to withstand earthquakes. Because it sits on a hilltop and has two tall spires and a dome, it is a very noticeable landmark in San Francisco.
Recent Updates and Community Role
In 1994, Saint Ignatius Church officially became a parish again. This meant it could serve the local neighborhood. Father Charles Gagan, a Jesuit priest, became the pastor. He started projects to fix the roof, dome, and other parts of the church. He also updated the carpets and heating system.
In 2008, some areas inside the church were turned into an art gallery called the Manresa Gallery. It showed art from many local artists. In 2020, this gallery space became the Parish's In All Things Bookstore. This bookstore is a special part of the church's activities.
In 2023, Saint Ignatius Church began a big renovation project. This was its first major update in over 30 years. The spires and bell tower were covered for repairs and repainting. The old lights were replaced with new, energy-saving LED lights that can even change colors. The 43 beautiful stained glass windows, which show Catholic saints, were carefully removed. They were sent to Chicago to be cleaned and repaired. This big project cost $22 million, all of which was raised by donations.
More to Explore
- List of Jesuit sites
