St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church
About this property
The Shrine of St. Joseph is a Catholic church in St. Louis, Missouri in Columbus Square. The church began in 1843 when the Jesuits founded the parish to serve the residential community consisting mostly of German immigrants. The church is the site of the only authenticated miracle in the Midwestern United States. After founding the parish in 1843, the Jesuits immediately instituted to build a church. Mrs. Ann Biddle a wealthy widow, known for her many philanthropic deeds, donated the land for the new church. The cornerstone for the new church was blessed by Bishop Kenrick on April 14, 1844. The completed building was a modest building which faced west toward 11th Street and was dedicated on the first Sunday in August, 1846 with Father James Van de Velde, later Bishop of Chicago, officiating. Soon St. Joseph parish was a very active community. In 1862 a large parish school was built nearby, to care for the many children of the area. The School Sisters of Notre Dame staffed the school. The church is associated with the sudden recovery of Ignatius Strecker, a man with a severe chest injury, in 1864. This event was formally declared an authentic miracle by the Holy See, and was used to fulfill the requirements for canonization of Peter Claver, whom Strecker had invoked just prior to his recovery. Just at this time a Jesuit missionary, Father Francis Xavier Weninger, came to St. Joseph's to preach. Over the years the parish grew, it became obvious that the original church was no longer large enough to serve the congregation. It was decided to build a large addition to the old building and to revise the structure so that the entrance faced Biddle Street. Bishop Kenrick laid the cornerstone for this second St. Joseph in 1865. Bueschers of Chicago, famous for their religious art work, were employed to carve an elaborate altar, which is designed as a replica of the Altar of St. Ignatius in the Jesuit Gesu Church in Rome, except that the figure of St. Joseph and the Christ Child are substituted for the figure of St. Ignatius. Beneath the central figures appear the words: "Ite ad Joseph", Go to Joseph. Known as "The Altar of Answered Prayers" because of its origin, this beautiful work can still be seen at St. Joseph's Shrine, where it serves as the central altar. It was installed early in 1867, at a total cost of $6,131. The grateful parishioners raised the additional funds above their original pledge in recognition of their deliverance from the cholera epidemic. The primary remodeling was completed in 1866. Father Pierre Jean De Smet, noted missionary to the Indians, officiated at the dedication services on December 30, 1866.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church listed on the National Register?
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 18, 1978.
What type of historic resource is St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church?
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church?
The period of significance for St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church is recorded as the industrial era.
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