St George's Church, Worcester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St George's Church |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 52°11′41″N 2°13′10″W / 52.1947°N 2.2195°W | |
| OS grid reference | SO 85091 55182 |
| Location | Worcester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | CatholicWorcester.org |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1829 |
| Founder(s) | Society of Jesus |
| Dedication | Saint George |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 22 May 1954 |
| Architect(s) | Henry Rowe |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Worcester |
| Archdiocese | Birmingham |
| Province | Birmingham |
St George's Church is a Roman Catholic church in the city of Worcester. It is famous because the great English composer Edward Elgar was once its organist.
The church was built in 1829 in the grand Baroque style. It is a Grade II* listed building, which means it is officially recognized as a very important historic site. For many years, it was run by the Society of Jesus (also known as the Jesuits), but since 1990, it has been part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham.
Contents
History of the Church
The St George's Church we see today is not the first one on this spot. An earlier, smaller church was built here in 1729, but we don't know much about it.
The Jesuits, a group of priests in the Catholic Church, organized England into areas called 'residences'. The residence for this part of the country was named after St. George, which is how the church got its name.
Building a New Church
The current church was designed by an architect named Henry Rowe. It officially opened on July 16, 1829.
About 50 years later, in 1880, the church was made bigger. In 1887, the front of the building, called the facade, was made taller and more impressive. These changes were designed by S. J. Nicoll, an architect who also worked on other famous churches.
A Famous Painting
Inside the church, behind the main altar, there is a huge copy of a famous painting called the Transfiguration. The original was painted by the Italian master Raphael.
This painting has a special link to Worcester. It was ordered in 1517 by Cardinal Giulio de' Medici. This same cardinal later became the Bishop of Worcester for a short time and was eventually elected as Pope Clement VII in 1523. The copy of the painting was given to the church in 1837.
Edward Elgar and the Church Organ
In 1885, a new organ was installed in St George's. That same year, a young man named Edward Elgar became the church organist. He would later become one of England's most celebrated composers.
Elgar was only 27 when he took the job, but he had already been the assistant organist since he was 15. He played the organ at St George's for four more years.
In 1970, the organ was rebuilt by a local company. To remember Elgar, the parts of the organ that he would have used were marked with the letter 'E'.
St George's in the Community
St George's is an active church that holds regular services for the community. There are Masses on Sundays, including one in Polish, and also on most weekdays.
The church has a close relationship with the nearby St George's Catholic Primary School. The school is proud of its connection to the church and its famous former organist, Edward Elgar.
See also
- Society of Jesus
- Worcester
- Archdiocese of Birmingham
