St. Anthony's Catholic Church (Padua, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Anthony Catholic Church, Padua
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Front of the church
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Junction of State Route 49 and St. Anthony Rd. in Padua, Ohio |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1879 |
| Architect | J.A. De Curtins |
| MPS | Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002821 |
| Added to NRHP | July 26, 1979 |
St. Anthony's Catholic Church is a historic church located in Padua, a small community in Mercer County, Ohio, United States. This beautiful Roman Catholic church was built a long time ago, in the late 1800s. It is still used by a church group today. People think it is a very important building because of its special design.
How the Church Began
Padua was founded in 1848, making it one of the oldest towns in this area. For the first few years, there was no church in Padua. People who wanted to attend Mass had to travel far. They often went to Minster, which was over 20 miles (35 km) away.
In 1852, the church group was officially started. Its members quickly built a small church out of logs. Priests from the Society of the Precious Blood would visit sometimes. But often, there was no priest on Sundays. So, people had to travel to St. Peter's Church, about 6 miles (10 km) away, to worship.
Building the New Church
By the 1870s, more and more people were joining the church. The old log church became too small for everyone. In 1873, a member named Gerhard Homann gave some land for a new church. This land was just south of the first church.
Workers started bringing stone from New Bremen for the church's foundation. Other workers began making bricks right where the new church would be built. A local architect named Anton DeCurtins designed the building. A builder from Minster, Mr. Van Oss, helped construct it. The main building was finished in 1875, and the whole church was completed in 1879.
The church has one main floor and a basement underneath. Its walls are made of brick. The roof is pointed, like a triangle, and covered with slate tiles. A special feature is the square columns on each corner of the front of the church. Inside, many walls have beautiful paintings called frescoes. Light shines through colorful stained glass windows, which were given by church members. A large main altar was added in 1880, and a pipe organ was installed in 1900.
Experts who study old buildings have grouped the churches in western Ohio. St. Anthony's Church is considered a "second-generation" church. These churches were usually made of brick and did not have very tall towers at first. St. Anthony's simple brick walls and rectangular shape fit this group. Its tall tower was added later, in 1900. At that time, they also made the sacristy (a room where priests prepare) bigger and added more frescoes to the ceiling.
Next to the church, there is a building that used to be the priest's house, built in 1900. There is also a building that was once a school. Now, it is used as a parish hall for church events. Both of these buildings and one cemetery are right next to the church. An older cemetery is located about a quarter-mile north, near where the first log church stood.
Modern Times
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In 1977, a study of the church's design found that both the inside and outside were in good shape. Two years later, in 1979, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historic building. Many other churches in the area were also added to this list at the same time. St. Anthony's Church is a very important building in Padua, which is still a very small community.
Today, St. Anthony's is still an active church in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. It works together with Holy Trinity parish in Coldwater and St. Mary parish in Philothea.
Images for kids
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Front of the church
