St. Mary of the Angels Church, Hollywood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Mary of the Angels Church, Hollywood |
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| St. Mary of the Angels Anglo-Catholic Church, Hollywood, California | |
St. Mary of the Angels Church in 2015
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 St. Mary of the Angels Church, Hollywood
Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
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| 34°06′27″N 118°17′16″W / 34.107420°N 118.287903°W | |
| Location | Hollywood, California |
| Country | United States of America |
| Denomination | Anglo-Catholic |
| Website | stmaryshollywood.org |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St. Mary of the Angels Anglican Church; St. Mary of the Angels Episcopal Church |
| Founded | February 3, 1918 |
| Consecrated | February 3, 1918 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Hollywood Cultural Historical Landmark No. 136 |
| Designated | 1974 |
| Architect(s) | Carleton Winslow |
| Architectural type | Spanish Mission-style |
| Years built | 1929-1930 |
| Groundbreaking | 1929 |
| Completed | 1930 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of the West |
| Province | Anglican Church in America |
St. Mary of the Angels Church, Hollywood is a special Anglo-Catholic church. It is located in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Hollywood, California. People often call it "St. Mary's." An Anglo-Catholic church is a type of Christian church that is part of the Anglican tradition but has many practices similar to the Roman Catholic Church.
Contents
History of St. Mary's Church
St. Mary's Church was started by a person named Rev. Neal Dodd. He was from Iowa but moved to Hollywood, California. He became a technical advisor and even an actor in the early days of Hollywood movies. Because he was a priest who worked in films, he got many cool nicknames. Some of these were "The Padre of Hollywood" and "One Take Dodd."
The church and its members first met in a small rented shop on N. Vermont Avenue in Hollywood. Later, they moved to a different spot on New Hampshire Avenue. A Lutheran church stands there now. The old church building on New Hampshire Avenue was taken down to make way for the new Lutheran church.
Architecture and Design
The very first place St. Mary's Church used was a rented storefront. This building is still standing today. However, the church soon moved to a new location. After raising about $1,100 (which would be worth much more today), a small church building was quickly built in just one week on New Hampshire Avenue.
The church building you see today was designed by a famous architect named Carleton Winslow. He planned much of the building in 1929. The church records show that the plans included lots of wood. This wood was oak and birch, treated with special oils and varnishes. The roof was made with handmade mission tiles. Other materials like iron, steel, copper, and concrete were also used.
The building also had decorative pieces called finials on its top. These were made of cast stone. They were removed at some point but were put back in 2011. A beautiful stained-glass window was added in 1988. It shows a saint named St. Genesius.
The Della Robbia Art Piece
In the mid-1900s, a special art piece was added to the church. This piece is a 16th-century faience (a type of glazed pottery) from Florence, Italy. It was made by Andrea della Robbia. This art piece is an altarpiece showing the Annunciation. It also has two statues of St. John and St. Francis. There are two smaller statues of flowers in vases.
This amazing art piece was given to St. Mary's in the 1920s. It was a gift from the person who started The Broadway and Bullocks department stores. It was a main feature in the church when it was on New Hampshire Avenue.
When the current church building was constructed, the della Robbia piece was first placed outside. It was a permanent part of a small church courtyard garden wall. Later, in the mid-1900s, it was moved inside the church.
Moving the della Robbia piece was a huge job. It weighs over 15 tons! To move it, the church pews had to be taken out. A special track was built from the front doors to the altar. A crane was used to carry each part of the faience along this track. The church floor also had to be made stronger under the altar. The area where the art piece now sits was originally a square end to the building. It was changed to a curved steel shell when the della Robbia was installed.
Music and Choirs
Music is a very important part of St. Mary's Church.
The Church Organ
The organ at St. Mary's has a long history. It was first built in 1906 for a home in Long Beach, California. In 1912, it was sold to another home in Pasadena, California. Then, in 1927, it was bought for a studio in Los Angeles, California. Later, it was sold to St. Mary's Church and officially dedicated. It is said that the famous actor W.C. Fields helped pay for part of the organ.
The organ has a special system for its keys and stops. It has two keyboards and 10 different sounds, called stops.
Organists and Choirmasters
The person in charge of the organ and the choir is called the Organist and Choirmaster. This person leads the St. Mary of the Angels Schola Cantorum choir. Since 1820, many talented musicians have held this important role.
The Church Choir
The choir at St. Mary's is known as the St. Mary of the Angels Schola Cantorum. They sing at the main Sunday service, called the Solemn High Mass. They also sing on special holy days, like Christmas and Easter.
The choir sings many songs from the hymnals found in the church pews. They also practice special songs and responses for the weekly services. Some of the famous pieces they have sung include:
- "I Was Glad" by C. Hubert H. Parry
- "How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place" by Johannes Brahms
- "Kyrie" and "Agnus Dei I" from Palestrina's "Missa Brevis"
Church Service Schedule
St. Mary's Church has different ways of celebrating its services, called Masses.
High and Low Masses
A "High Mass" includes more music and singing. This often involves Gregorian Chant or other types of chant. More people help the priest during a High Mass, including a deacon and a subdeacon. Incense is also used. A sermon, which is a talk about the Bible readings, is almost always given. The main Sunday service at St. Mary's is usually a Solemn High Mass. Special Festal High Masses are held on major feast days.
A "Low Mass" is simpler. It is led by one priest, usually with one helper. The words of the service are spoken, not sung. Incense is not used, and sermons are rarely included.
The Solemn High Mass for the church is held every Sunday at 10:00 AM Pacific Standard Time. There is also a Low Mass on Sunday at 8:00 AM.
See also
- List of oldest church buildings
- Carleton Winslow
- Church architecture
- Church (building)
- List of the oldest churches in the United States
- List of Anglo-Catholic churches
Video clips
- Walkthroughs, and interviews
