St. Mary of Victories Church facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
St. Mary of Victories Church
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Exterior
Location in St. Louis Show map of St. Louis Location in Missouri Show map of Missouri Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	744 S. 3rd St., St. Louis, Missouri
Area	less than one acre
Built	1843
Architect	George I. Barnett and Franz Saler
Architectural style	Mannerist
NRHP reference No.	80004510
Added to NRHP	August 28, 1980

The Church of St. Mary of Victories is an old and important Roman Catholic church in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. It's located near the famous Gateway Arch. This church was built in 1843 and was the second Catholic church ever built in St. Louis. It's so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

A Look at the Church's Past

Building for German Families

The Church of St. Mary of Victories was built for about 500 families who moved to St. Louis from Germany. They settled in a neighborhood called "Chouteau's Landing." This area was a busy place for businesses and homes before the American Civil War.

How the Church Got Its Name

The church's name comes from a special day celebrated by Pope Pius V. This day honored a big victory in 1571. Christian forces won a battle against Islamic forces near Italy. In 1866, Pope Pius IX made the church a "consecrated" church. This means it was set apart for holy use.

A Home for Immigrants

For about 100 years, St. Mary's was the main church for German Roman Catholics in St. Louis. Later, it also welcomed a small group of people from Lebanon. These Lebanese immigrants later started their own church, which is now St. Raymond Maronite Cathedral.

The Hungarian Connection

In the 1950s, many German families moved out of the city. After World War II and the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, many refugees from Hungary came to St. Louis. They brought new life to the church. Because of them, the church became known as the "Hungarian Church" (Hungarian: Magyar Templom).

A Special Church Building

The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It was consecrated in 1866 by Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick. During this special ceremony, he used holy oil to anoint the church's inner walls. Today, you can see brass crosses on the walls where this happened. Being consecrated means the church can only be used for Roman Catholic worship. The main altar also has a special blessing from Pope Leo XIII from 1896.

Changes in Recent Years

In 2005, the church stopped being a regular parish. Instead, it became a chapel. This means it's still used for worship but in a different way.

Exploring the Church's Design

Interior

Who Designed It?

The famous architects George I. Barnett and Franz Saler designed St. Mary's Church. They used a style called "Mannerist," which was popular in the early 1500s.

Inside the Church

The main part of the church, called the nave, is shaped like a rectangle. With the transept (the arms of the cross shape), it forms a cross with the altar area at the top. At the back of the church, there's a two-level balcony. The choir loft is on the second level. The church has a beautiful old organ with fancy wooden carvings.

Windows and Entrance

Eight tall stained-glass windows with rounded tops let light into the church. They match the high arch over the altar. The church's entrance looks like an ancient Egyptian doorway. Two large pillars stand on either side, holding up a heavy wooden cross above the door.

Art and Beauty Inside

The inside of St. Mary of Victories is special because its design was based on careful studies of church worship. Max Schneiderhahn, a German immigrant and the city's first professional church artist, created it. He studied in Germany and brought his artistic skills to St. Louis. He designed and made the altars, statues, baptismal font, and painted the Stations of the Cross.

The church also has other beautiful art pieces. These were given by other Catholic groups, especially German ones. One statue honors Blessed Francis X. Seelos, a priest who worked with German immigrants in the 1800s.

Honoring Hungarian Heroes

There's a white marble plaque in the church that honors Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty of Hungary. He was a great hero to the Hungarian people because he stood up against Communism in the 1950s. He visited this church in the 1970s. The Hungarian Ladies Society of the church has also embroidered many of the beautiful altar cloths.

Benedict XVI's coat of arms at it appears in the church

Popes Remembered

The church's painted ceiling also honors two recent popes. Pope John Paul II's blue and gold coat of arms is over the center of the church. Pope Benedict XVI's coat of arms is over the choir loft. This church was the only one in the area to have Pope Benedict XVI's coat of arms displayed inside.

Important Connections

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos

It was at St. Mary of Victories that Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos first preached in Missouri. In 1865, he and other priests gave a special mission (a series of sermons) in German. A side altar in the church honors his important role.

Sisters of St. Mary

In 1872, five women came to St. Louis from Germany. They were led by Mother Mary Odilia Berger. They couldn't practice their religious life in Germany because of government rules. They found a place to stay in the church building. In 1874, they formed a religious group called the Sisters of St. Mary. They took their name from the church. Today, their work continues through SSM HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS. This organization runs hospitals and medical centers across the Midwest. A bronze plaque near the entrance remembers the start of the Sisters of St. Mary in America.

External source

• St. Mary of Victories Website