St. Nicholas Croatian Church (Millvale, Pennsylvania) facts for kids
|
St. Nicholas Croatian Church
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 24 Maryland Ave., Millvale, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Built | 1922 |
| Architect | Frederick C. Sauer (1860–1942) |
| NRHP reference No. | 80003404 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1980 |
The St. Nicholas Croatian Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Millvale, Pennsylvania, USA. It is part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. This church is special because it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
It is very famous for its amazing murals. These murals were painted by an artist named Maxo Vanka in 1937 and 1941. Some well-known murals include Immigrant Mother Raises Her Sons for American Industry and The Capitalist. In 1937, Time magazine called these murals "one of the few distinguished sets of church murals in the U. S."
St. Nicholas Church is still an active church today. In 2019, it became part of the "Shrines of Pittsburgh." This group includes six churches with special histories. The diocese hopes to encourage people to visit these churches.
Contents
History of St. Nicholas Church
How the Church Started
The St. Nicholas Croatian Church was founded in 1900. This happened after a disagreement with another church that had a similar name. That church was about 2 miles (3 km) away in Troy Hill.
The first stone for the new church was placed in July 1900. The church building was finished in November of the same year. Frederick C. Sauer, an architect from Pittsburgh, designed the building. It was built in the Romanesque Revival style. The total cost was about $34,000. In 1902, Andrew Carnegie, a famous businessman, donated a pipe organ to the church.
Rebuilding After a Fire
In 1921, the church building burned down. People believed it was set on fire on purpose. Frederick C. Sauer was asked again to design the new church. His new design was a simpler version of the first one. The current church building was officially opened on May 30, 1922.
After the church was rebuilt, the parish had a large debt of almost $100,000. The pastor of the other St. Nicholas church in Troy Hill, Albert Zagar, had successfully paid off their debt. So, in 1931, he was moved to St. Nicholas in Millvale.
The Famous Murals by Maxo Vanka
By 1937, Pastor Zagar had paid off most of the church's debt. He decided to use some money to decorate the church. He wanted an artist who understood the Croatian culture of the church members. He asked Louis Adamic, a writer, for help. Adamic suggested his friend Maksimilijan "Maxo" Vanka.
Vanka was a former professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb. He had been struggling to find work since moving to the United States. He was very happy to get the job to paint murals for the church.
Vanka painted the first set of murals from April to June 1937. He worked very long hours, sometimes until 2 or 3 in the morning. During this time, he believed the church was haunted by a ghostly figure. Louis Adamic later wrote about this in a magazine article. Even with this experience, Vanka finished the murals on time.
The murals were praised by the press and church leaders. People liked that Vanka included scenes about workers, even though this was new for church art. Because of this success, Vanka was invited back to paint a second set of murals in 1941.
The second set of murals was finished on November 16, 1941. At this time, World War II was happening in Europe. These new murals showed strong anti-war messages. The Pittsburgh Press wrote that the artwork would make the church a "must see" place in Pittsburgh. Vanka himself said the murals were "my contribution to America."
The Amazing Murals
There are 25 fresco murals by Maxo Vanka in the church. They cover the curved area behind the altar, the walls, and the ceiling. The total area is about 4,500 square feet (418 square meters). Vanka painted the first murals in 1937 and added more in 1941.
The murals show a mix of traditional religious art and social themes. These themes relate to the experiences of Croatian Americans. They include ideas about war, unfairness, and the struggles of workers.
The area behind the altar and the ceiling are decorated in the Byzantine style. Above the altar, there is an image of Mary, the Queen of Heaven. The ceiling shows the Ascension of Jesus and the Four Evangelists.
Vanka also included scenes from the Old and New Testaments. There are images of saints too. Many murals show the Croatian immigrant experience. For example, Immigrant Mother Raises Her Sons for American Industry shows Croatian women mourning a young man who died in a mining accident.
Other murals show unfairness and inequality in America. The American Capitalist shows a rich businessman eating a fancy meal while ignoring a beggar. Injustice shows a mysterious figure holding a scale where a loaf of bread is lighter than gold. Vanka also included strong anti-war images. One shows a crucified Jesus being hurt by a World War I soldier's bayonet. Another shows the Virgin Mary breaking a soldier's rifle.
A different artist, Joko Knezevich, created another mural behind the altar in 1970.
You can take guided tours to see Maxo Vanka's murals. These tours are offered regularly by the Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka.
See also
