St. Mary's Catholic Church (Indianapolis, Indiana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Mary's Catholic Church
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Front of the church
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 Location in Indianapolis
Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 317 N. New Jersey St., Indianapolis, Indiana |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1910 |
| Architect | Hermann Gaul |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000020 |
| Added to NRHP | November 9, 1977 |
St. Mary Catholic Church, also called St. Marienkirche, is a Catholic church in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
The church was started in 1858 to serve the many German people living in the city. Its beautiful church building, located at New Jersey and Vermont streets, was finished in 1912. The architect, Hermann J. Gaul, designed it in the Gothic Revival style. The building's shape is like a cross, similar to the famous Cologne Cathedral in Germany. This historic church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
History of St. Mary's Church
In 1856, a priest named Reverend Peter Leonard Brandt came to Indianapolis. His goal was to create a church for German-speaking Catholics. Reverend Simon Siegrist became the first permanent pastor of St. Mary's.
The church built its first building in 1858 on East Maryland Street. Services were held in Latin and German, keeping many old traditions. Besides German speakers, St. Mary's also served Italian immigrants. This continued until Holy Rosary Catholic Church, an Italian church, was built in 1911.
After 1900, the area around the first church became more for businesses. So, the church bought land at New Jersey and Vermont streets. They built the current church there between 1910 and 1912.
Over the years, St. Mary's has changed with its neighborhood. In 1967, as more Spanish-speaking people moved to the city, the church started offering Sunday services in Spanish. German-language services are no longer held.
Church Architecture and Design
The church was designed by architect Hermann J. Gaul, who was from Cologne, Germany. He greatly admired the Cologne Cathedral. He designed St. Mary's in the late Gothic Revival style.
St. Mary's Church has a cross-shaped floor plan. It includes a front entrance area called a narthex and a rounded end section called an apse. The church walls are made of stone.
Outside Features of the Church
The front of the church, called the facade, has three main parts. The tall, pointed center section has two matching towers on each side. The top of the central part has a three-leaf design and a small decoration at the very top. It also has a statue of the Virgin Mary in a special spot.
The main doorway is between strong supports called buttresses. Above the door, there is a stone carving showing the Crucifixion. A line of decorative arches runs along the doorway. Wide steps lead up to the entrance. You can see gargoyles decorating the front of the church near the entrance and on the towers.
The two towers each have four stories. The first three stories are square, and the fourth story is eight-sided. Each tower is topped with a tall, pointed roof called a spire. The carving above the north tower shows the birth of Christ. The carving above the south tower shows the Ascension of Jesus.
Stone walls on the sides of the church also have buttresses. These supports have arched designs over each section. The end walls of the side sections, called transepts, have arched windows with buttresses. The south transept has a statue of Saint Henry in a special spot. The north transept has a statue of Saint Boniface.
Inside the Church
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The inside of the church has a high, arched ceiling. The main altar area, called the sanctuary, has many statues. It also has several skylights and beautiful stained-glass windows.
On the north side, a stained-glass window shows St. Boniface. He was a saint who helped convert Germans to Christianity. On the south side, another window shows St. Henry of Uppsala, known as the "church builder."
Services at St. Mary's
As of 2025, St. Mary's Church is still part of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Services are held on Sundays at 8 a.m. (in both English and Spanish), 10:30 a.m. (in English), and 1:15 p.m. (in Spanish). Saturday services are at 5 p.m. (in English). Weekday services are Monday through Friday at 12 p.m. Services for special Holy Days are at 12 p.m. (in English) and 7 p.m. (in Spanish).
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Santa María (Indianápolis) para niños
