St. Francis de Sales Oratory (St. Louis) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Francis de Sales Oratory
Saint Francis de Sales Oratory
Location	St. Louis, Missouri
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	https://www.institute-christ-king.org/stlouis-home
History
Status	Oratory
Founded	1867
Dedicated	May 24, 1868 (first church) November 26, 1908 (current church)
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	National Register of Historic Places
Designated	November 2, 1978
Style	Gothic Revival
Years built	1907-1908
Demolished	1896 (first church, by tornado)
Administration
Diocese	Archdiocese of St. Louis
Division	Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

The Saint Francis de Sales Oratory is a beautiful Catholic building in south St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It's known as an Oratory, which is a special place for prayer and worship, not a regular parish church. It is the second largest church in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Many people call it the "Cathedral of South St. Louis" because of its grand size.

This historic church was built in a style called neo-Gothic. This means it looks like the old Gothic churches from hundreds of years ago. Its amazing stained glass windows were made by a local artist named Emil Frei, Sr. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, which means it's an important historical site. Since 2005, a group called the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest has taken care of the church. They focus on traditional Latin services and beautiful music.

A Look Back: How It Started

The Saint Francis de Sales church began in 1867. It was built for the growing community of German Catholic families in St. Louis. Before this church, they went to Saints Peter and Paul church. The first stone for the new church was laid on September 15, 1867. During the ceremony, a stand collapsed because some vandals had cut its supports. Luckily, no one was badly hurt.

Even though the church was still being built, the first Mass (a special church service) was held there on Christmas that year. The building was officially opened the next May. By then, about 800 people were part of the church. It was named after Saint Francis de Sales, who was a bishop and a wise teacher. The church also had schools for Catholic children. For many years, sermons and school classes were in German, as most members were German immigrants.

In 1903, Frederick George Holweck became the pastor (leader) of the church. He was a German-American scholar. The first church building and a new one being built were both destroyed by a huge St. Louis Tornado in 1896. Pastor Holweck was in charge of building a brand new church. This new church was finished in 1908.

Amazing Architecture

Outside the Church

Exterior mosaic of St. Francis de Sales

The Saint Francis de Sales Church was rebuilt in a neo-Gothic style. This design was created by a Berlin architect named Viktor Klutho. The front entrance looks like the Gothic entrance of the Cathedral of Munich in Germany. The tall tower reminds people of the Cathedral at Ulm, also in Germany.

At 300 feet tall, the church's main spire is one of the tallest church spires in the United States. In 1968, the church was recognized as an important historic building. In 1978, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Inside the Church

Interior of the Oratory

Inside, the church is just as impressive. The main altar is about 52 feet tall. It has a colorful sculpture of the Crucifixion (Jesus on the cross) at the top. There are also smaller altars dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. Other altars honor Our Mother of Perpetual Help and the Infant of Prague.

This church is a German "hall church". This means its side areas are almost as tall as the main middle part, which is 70 feet high. This design allows for very tall windows. The beautiful stained glass windows were made by Emil Frei, Sr., who had just arrived from Munich, Germany. Some windows show German saints like St. Henry and St. Boniface. The interior walls were painted with frescoes by Fridolin Fuchs in 1916. The rose color of the ceiling decorations is a common feature in German churches.

What Happens There Today?

The Saint Francis de Sales Oratory was first built for German immigrant families. Today, it welcomes people from many different backgrounds. The old high school building next door is now used by a KIPP charter school. The original grade school building is used by about 100 home-schooled children from the Oratory community. This group meets every Wednesday for classes in subjects like literature and science.

In 2005, the church became an Oratory. This means it's not a regular parish with specific boundaries. Instead, it's a special place for worship. The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest now takes care of the Oratory. This group of priests focuses on traditional Latin church services. They also emphasize beautiful liturgical arts and music. The current leader of the Oratory is Rev. Canon Benjamin Coggeshall.

The Oratory can perform baptisms, weddings, and funerals. It also holds Holy Mass and confessions. Because of the Institute's focus on beautiful services, the Oratory has a strong music program. It has several choirs that sing Gregorian chant and polyphony (music with many voices). In 2009, they even offered a course for beginners to learn Gregorian chant. The Oratory has also hosted the St. Louis Chamber Chorus.

In November 2008, the church celebrated its 100th anniversary. They had a special Mass and a party with traditional German food. They also announced a plan to raise money for important restoration work on the building.

Music and Organs

The Saint Francis de Sales Oratory is well-known for its music. In 2015, the Oratory's choir released a music album called O Lux Beatissima. This album included special recordings of music by Max Filke and John Osterhagen.

In 2019, the Oratory announced they bought a new organ. This organ, called a Karl Wilhelm Opus 123, has three keyboards and 58 ranks of pipes. It has 2,670 pipes in total! This new organ is much bigger than the old one from 1924. The older organ was built by the Wicks Organ Company. Before that, there was an even smaller organ from 1897. That very first organ is still used today at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Altus, Arkansas. The new Wilhelm organ is built using traditional methods. This means it is made to last for hundreds of years.

Special Awards and Recognition

In 2017, the Saint Francis de Sales Oratory won a special online contest called 'Church Madness'. It was voted the most beautiful Roman Catholic Church in the United States! This was the first time the church had entered this contest.

The Oratory is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This shows its importance as a historical building.

Images for kids

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  Saint Francis de Sales Oratory