St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Alexandria, Virginia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Paul's Episcopal Church |
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Façade, 2019
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Episcopal Church in the United States of America |
| Year consecrated | 1818 |
| Location | |
| Location | Alexandria, Virginia |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Benjamin Latrobe |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| General contractor | Jeremiah Bosworth |
| Groundbreaking | 1817 |
| Completed | 1818 |
| Direction of façade | West |
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Added to NRHP | 1985 |
| NRHP Reference no. | 85000987 (National Register Information System) |
| Designated | April 16, 1985 |
| Reference no. | 100-0104 |
St. Paul's Episcopal Church is a historic church located in the Old Town area of Alexandria, Virginia. It belongs to the Episcopal Church, which is part of the larger Anglican Communion.
The church was finished in 1818. It was designed by Benjamin Latrobe, who was also the second architect of the United States Capitol building. St. Paul's is special because it's one of the few buildings Latrobe designed in a Gothic style. It's also one of the earliest examples of this style in the United States. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, recognizing its importance. In 2009, St. Paul's celebrated its 200th birthday!
History of St. Paul's Church
William Wilmer's Leadership
William Holland Wilmer was the church's leader, called a rector, from 1812 to 1826. He played a huge part in rebuilding the Episcopal Church in Virginia. This was after the church lost its official status in the state.
Wilmer also helped start St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., in 1815. He wrote many articles and sermons about church matters. He even started a church publication called the "Washington Theological Repertory" in 1819. Because of his many contributions, he received an honorary doctorate degree in 1820.
In 1823, Wilmer built a small lecture room next to the church. This building was used for Sunday school, as a regular school, and as a meeting place for the town. The church later bought this building. It was replaced in 1859 by a larger Gothic-style building. This new building also served as a Sunday school and meeting hall until 1955.
Starting Virginia Theological Seminary
Wilmer was very concerned about finding and training new church leaders. In 1818, he created a group to help young men study for the ministry.
In 1823, Wilmer and another Reverend, Reuel Keith, decided to start classes in the St. Paul's lecture hall. These classes were for young men who wanted to become clergy. The first class had 14 students. The start of Virginia Theological Seminary is dated from these early classes.
Saving Alexandria During the War of 1812
Wilmer was part of a group that met with British Admiral George Cockburn during the Burning of Washington in 1814. Their goal was to save Alexandria from being destroyed.
Because of their talks, the British troops did not burn the entire town. Instead, they burned Alexandria's docks, took naval supplies, and looted warehouses. This negotiation saved the town from complete destruction.
Early Sunday School Programs
St. Paul's started its Sunday school in 1818. In those days, Sunday schools in England often taught poor children how to read and write. They also taught them about the Bible and church services.
The St. Paul's Sunday school taught both Black and White students. However, after Nat Turner's slave rebellion, the Virginia government passed a law. This law made it illegal to teach Black people how to read.
The Civil War Years
Virginia had given Alexandria to be part of the District of Columbia when it was first formed. But in 1846, Virginia asked for it back. When the Civil War began, most people at St. Paul's supported the Southern states, called the Confederacy.
The church's rector, George Hatley Norton, left to become a chaplain for the Confederate army. However, he became ill and stayed in Lexington, Virginia, for the rest of the war. He never actually served with Confederate forces.
Union troops quickly took over Alexandria after the attack on Fort Sumter. The town remained under military control throughout the war.
An important event happened on February 9, 1862. Union soldiers came to the church and arrested the interim minister, Reverend Dr. K. J. Stewart. They ordered him to say a prayer for the President of the United States, which he had skipped. When he continued the service, soldiers drew their weapons. They forced him out of the church while he was still wearing his church clothes. He was taken to the guard-house. Dr. Stewart was soon released, but he was not allowed to lead services anymore.
After this, the St. Paul's church building was closed. It was used as a hospital for wounded soldiers for the rest of the war. Members of St. Paul's and nearby Christ Church continued to meet in the St. Paul's lecture hall. But in 1863, it was also closed and used as a hospital until 1865.
When the church got its buildings back in May 1865, they were badly damaged. The church asked the government for money to pay for repairs. They finally received the money in 1912.
Church Celebrations
Bicentennial Events
To celebrate the church's 200th anniversary, St. Paul's held many special events. They had new music written for their services. Famous scholars gave talks about the church's history and design.
These celebrations ended with a visit from the head of the Episcopal Church USA, Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori. In June 2009, the St. Paul's Choir traveled to England. They performed in famous places like St. Paul's Cathedral and Canterbury Cathedral.
Church Architecture
Latrobe's Original Design
The design of St. Paul's Church was a team effort. The architect, Benjamin Latrobe, worked closely with William Holland Wilmer, the church's rector. Latrobe was also known for designing buildings in a classical style, like the U.S. Capitol.
Latrobe had also created a Gothic design for the Baltimore Cathedral, though a different plan was chosen. His design for St. Paul's Church's front (façade) came from this unused Gothic plan. The front of St. Paul's has three tall arches that reach the full height of the building. These arches form a shallow porch where people enter the church.
Wilmer liked the Gothic style because it reminded him of older English churches. He felt it was a more spiritual style for a church.
Latrobe wanted the inside of the church to be an open space for preaching. He imagined a central pulpit in front of the altar, with no pillars blocking the view. This way, everyone in the church could clearly see and hear the sermon.
Changes to the Interior
However, during construction, the church leaders made some changes. They added balconies (galleries) on three sides of the church. Latrobe strongly disagreed with this. He was right that people in the balconies would not be able to see the pulpit well. In 1872, the balconies were changed to raise the seats, which helped a little.
Over time, the way services were held in the Episcopal Church changed. There was more focus on rituals. So, in the late 1800s, the high central pulpit was moved to the side. In 1906, the area behind the altar was made much deeper.
Later, in 1968, the altar was moved again to be more central for worship. At that time, a new organ was installed in the West balcony.
Through all these changes, the outside of the church has stayed very true to Latrobe's original design. It has only had repairs, keeping its historic look.
Organ
The church has a large organ built by Casavant Frères Ltée. in 1968. It has 41 ranks (sets of pipes) and 1,972 pipes in total. It has 3 divisions and 2 manuals (keyboards).
See also
