St. Augustine Church (New Orleans) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Augustine Catholic Church |
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| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Website | staugchurch.org |
| History | |
| Founded | 1841 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Archdiocese of New Orleans |
St. Augustine Church is a Catholic church in New Orleans. It was started by people who were free and of color, meaning they were not enslaved. These people also bought seats for enslaved people so they could attend church. It is believed to be the oldest Black Catholic church in the United States. It was founded in 1841. This church was one of the first 26 places chosen for the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.
The land where St. Augustine Church stands used to be part of a large farm called the Claude Tremé plantation. Today, it is one of two Catholic churches in the Faubourg Tremé area. The church is located on Saint Claude Avenue at Governor Nicholls Street. It is just a few blocks from North Rampart Street and the famous French Quarter.
The church was founded under Bishop Antoine Blanc, who later became New Orleans' first Archbishop. It was designed by a French architect named J. N. B. de Pouilly. He also worked on the larger and more famous St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square.
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History of St. Augustine Church
In the 1830s, free people of color wanted to build a church. Bishop Antoine Blanc gave them permission. The Ursuline Sisters gave them the land. They had one condition: the church had to be named St. Augustine. This was after one of their favorite saints, Augustine of Hippo. The church officially opened on October 9, 1842.
At that time, people had to pay for their seats in church. The free people of color paid for extra seats. This was so that enslaved Black people could also come to church.
The War of the Pews
A few months before the church opened in 1842, free people of color started buying seats for their families. When white people in the area heard about this, they tried to buy more seats than the people of color. This event became known as "The War of the Pews."
The free people of color won this "war." They bought three seats for every one seat bought by white people. In a very important move, the Black members also bought all the seats in both side aisles. They gave these seats to enslaved people. This was the first time in U.S. history that enslaved people had their own special place to worship.
This mix of seats created a very diverse church. There was one large row for free people of color. Another large row was for white people and other groups. The two outer aisles were just for enslaved people. This made St. Augustine Church one of the most integrated churches in the entire country.
Community and Culture
The Tremé neighborhood has always been a place where many African-American people live. It has also been home to many different cultures. Along with the nearby St. Peter Claver church, St. Augustine is well-known in New Orleans for its connection to the Black Catholic community.
The church holds an annual Jazz Mass. This happens during the Satchmo Festival, which celebrates Louis Armstrong's birthday. They also have a weekly Gospel Jazz Mass on Sundays. Both of these events bring in visitors from all over the world.
Inside the Church
The inside of St. Augustine Church is very special. The wooden seats are the original ones from the mid-1800s. A long-time pastor, Father Jerome LeDoux, rearranged them. Now, all the seats face the priest during the service.
The main altar is very old, made of pink Italian marble. Above the altar is a skylight shaped like the "eye of God," an ancient Egyptian symbol. The Stations of the Cross are shown in ten oil paintings. The ten stained glass windows came from France. Five windows show male saints, and five show female saints.
The church has modern electronic bells. But it also has three older bells. These bells were made in 1883 for the 1884 World Cotton Centennial. St. Augustine Church bought them in 1894.
Tomb of the Unknown Slave
The Tomb of the Unknown Slave is in a garden on the church property. It is a monument to the many enslaved people who died without their names being known or remembered. This happened before they were freed. The monument has large chains shaped like a cross. Smaller chains are at the bottom. The church members who designed it chose this spot because it was where many enslaved people lived on the Tremé Plantation long ago.
After Hurricane Katrina
After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, many people left the city. The church lost a lot of property. Because of this, the local Catholic leaders decided to close St. Augustine Church. This was despite the fact that the church helped the community a lot.
Church members asked volunteers who were helping after the hurricane for support. They protested the closure. They even stayed inside the church's office building for two weeks. After this time, the church members and officials agreed on a plan.
The church was allowed to stay open. They had to show a plan to improve things. This included getting more people to join, raising money, and managing the church better. The church leaders would check on their progress after 18 months. A movie about the protest, called Shake the Devil Off, helped bring more attention to the church's efforts to survive.
In May 2008, St. Augustine Church received a $75,000 grant. This money came from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express. It helped pay for needed repairs to the historic parish hall. This hall is a key place for community services. Using the hall more for community services was a big part of the church's future plans. In March 2009, St. Augustine Church announced good news. Because of their progress, the church leaders decided it would not be closed. The church was no longer on probation.
Notable People from St. Augustine
Many famous people have been part of St. Augustine Church. These include civil rights leaders, musicians, artists, and other important figures:
- Homer Plessy (1862–1925), a civil rights activist known for the Plessy v. Ferguson case in the Supreme Court.
- Sidney Bechet (1897–1959), a famous jazz clarinet and saxophone player and composer.
- A. P. Tureaud Sr. (1899–1972), a civil rights lawyer in New Orleans.
- A. P. Tureaud Jr. (born around 1936), the first Black undergraduate student at LSU.
- Allison 'Tootie' Montana (1922–2005), a well-known Mardi Gras Indian "Chief of Chiefs."
- George Herriman (1880–1944), the person who created the famous comic strip Krazy Kat.
See also
