St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church (Baltimore) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Wenceslaus Church |
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St. Wenceslaus Church, 2014.
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| Location | 2111 Ashland Ave., Baltimore |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Founded | November 1872 |
| Founder(s) | Bohemian immigrants |
| Dedication | St. Wenceslaus |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | For Bohemian immigrants |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Italianate |
| Groundbreaking | 1914 |
| Completed | 1914 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Granite |
St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church (which in Czech is Kostel sv. Václava) is a Catholic church in Baltimore, Maryland. It is part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The church is located in the Middle East neighborhood. Today, the church is managed by the Josephites and mainly serves an African-American community.
Contents
Church History: A Look Back
How St. Wenceslaus Church Began
St. Wenceslaus Church started in 1872. It was built in a part of East Baltimore once called Little Bohemia. The church was first created to serve the Bohemian, or Czech, people living in Baltimore.
Many of the first church members came from specific areas. These included South Bohemia near Milevsko and the Plzeň Region south of Nepomuk. Some also came from places like Pačejov and Myslív. Slovaks also attended, especially from areas like Studienka and Švábovce. Church services were held in both English and the Czech language.
Growth and Change Over Time
The current church building was finished in 1914. At that time, about 7,000 Bohemian Catholic members belonged to the church. By 1920, St. Wenceslaus was the fourth largest church in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Over the years, the people attending St. Wenceslaus Church changed. It went from being mostly Czech to a mix of different cultures and races. First, many Polish and Lithuanian families moved into the area. Later, the neighborhood became mostly African-American. Since 2018, the Josephites, a group that serves African-Americans, have managed the church.
Who Has Led the Church?
For many years, priests and lay brothers from the Redemptorists group founded and staffed St. Wenceslaus. This continued until 1999. After that, friars from the Franciscan Third Order Regular took over. As of 2022, the church is led by the Josephites.
Church Design: Italianate Style
The church building has an Italianate design. This style often includes features like wide overhanging eaves and tall, narrow windows.
Famous People Who Attended
Some notable people have attended St. Wenceslaus Church. They include:
- John Fick, a baseball player
- August Klecka, a politician
Church Records Online
You can find old church records online:
- Birth and baptism records from 1872-1892 (with some earlier information from 1868).
- Marriage records from 1872-1978.
- Death and burial records from 1880-1979.
See Also
- Black Catholicism
- History of the Czechs in Baltimore
- Catholicism in the Czech Republic
