Old St. Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic church in Cincinnati's historic Over-The-Rhine neighborhood. It is the oldest continually-used house of worship in Cincinnati.
Old St. Mary's is the oldest church in Cincinnati, and since 2017, home to The Cincinnati Oratory, a society of priests and brothers of The Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri. The church was organized in 1840 by German immigrants, at a time of dramatic growth in the city's population.
Designed in the Greek Revival style by Franz Ignatz Erd,[2] it is the second-oldest German-Catholic parish in the city and the oldest standing church in Cincinnati. The church is 142 feet long, 66 feet wide and with a steeple 170 feet tall. When built, it was the largest church in the Ohio Valley. The original church was dedicated on July 3, 1842.[1]
The parent parish was Holy Trinity Church (Heilige Dreieinigkeit), which was located at West Fifth Street and Barr Street/Mound Street, in Cincinnati's Old West End. Organized in 1834, Holy Trinity was the first German parish and second Roman Catholic parish in Cincinnati. The Holy Trinity Parish was closed in 1958 because of changing demographics.[3] As the congregation grew, a new parish was needed.
In 1840, German immigrants were arriving in Cincinnati at the rate of 200 per day. Many of the men donated their own labor to build the church, making the bricks by hand.[4] The number of German immigrants increased in mid-century, with many arriving after the 1848 revolutions in various principalities.
The St. Clair estate was acquired and the cornerstone was laid March 25, 1841 by Bishop Purcell. Father Clemens Hammer was the first pastor. St. Mary's has the oldest clock tower in Cincinnati. In 1842, a clock was installed in the steeple of St. Mary's. The first bell was blessed and placed in the tower in 1843. For many years it served as the fire alarm for the northeastern section of the city.[5]
A new organ was installed in 1846. A parish school was opened in 1844 and in 1846 the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur came to teach. In 1852 a school for boys was opened, staffed by the Marianist brothers. In May through August 1849, during the choleraepidemic in Cincinnati, 796 parishioners of St. Mary's died. There were 345 funerals in July.
The church nave as viewed from the loft.
The church was enlarged in 1865, and remodeled in 1890. The term "Old" was added to the name of this church in 1904 after St. Mary's in Hyde Park (Cincinnati) was founded.[3] In 1929, a second organ, from the Austin Organs was donated to the church.[6]
The three buildings of the Old St. Mary's parish complex were listed together on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.[1] Seven years later, they were among more than two thousand Over-the-Rhine buildings listed on the Register together as contributing to the Over-the-Rhine Historic DistrictHistoric District.[7]
The parish practices a full range of the rich liturgical, musical, and cultural heritages of the Roman Catholic tradition. Mass is offered in Latin and English every weekday, and in Latin, German, and English every Sunday. The Latin Mass features a schola of professional singers who provide music from the Church's treasury of sacred music each Sunday October through June and on special feast days.
Old St. Mary’s Church is the Oratory Church and main base of activity. The Oratorians also has care of Sacred Heart Church in Camp Washington.[14]
^"Photo of Most Reverend Joseph H. Albers, D.D." Good Samaritan School of Nursing, The Victorian. Cincinnati, Ohio: U.S. GenWeb project. 1930. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
^Parish Archives, The History of Old St. Mary Church (from the 1942 Anniversary Edition). 2008-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
^"Bishop Joseph Henry Albers, Deceased", Catholic Hierarchy.
Cincinnati, a Guide to the Queen City and Its Neighbors, American Guide Series, The Weisen-Hart Press, May 1943, p. 213
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Old Saint Mary's Church (Cincinnati, Ohio).
External linksedit
Old St. Mary's Church Official Website
Interior of Old St. Mary's
Old St. Mary's Church, circa 1896, Cincinnati Memory
Louis Aloysius Tieman, Assistant Rector, St. Mary's Church, circa 1896, Cincinnati Memory
November 01, 2023
mary, church, cincinnati, ohio, mary, church, roman, catholic, church, cincinnati, historic, over, rhine, neighborhood, oldest, continually, used, house, worship, cincinnati, mary, church, school, rectoryu, national, register, historic, placesu, historic, dist. Old St Mary s Church is a Roman Catholic church in Cincinnati s historic Over The Rhine neighborhood It is the oldest continually used house of worship in Cincinnati Old St Mary s Church School and RectoryU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S Historic districtContributing propertyFront of the church with its towerShow map of OhioShow map of the United StatesLocation123 E 13th St Cincinnati OhioCoordinates39 06 34 N 84 30 45 W 39 10944 N 84 51250 W 39 10944 84 51250Area1 9 acres 0 77 ha Built1841ArchitectFranz Ignatz ErdArchitectural styleGreek Revival Late VictorianPart ofOver the Rhine Historic District ID83001985 NRHP reference No 76001439 1 Added to NRHPMarch 13 1976Old St Mary s is the oldest church in Cincinnati and since 2017 home to The Cincinnati Oratory a society of priests and brothers of The Congregation of the Oratory of St Philip Neri The church was organized in 1840 by German immigrants at a time of dramatic growth in the city s population Designed in the Greek Revival style by Franz Ignatz Erd 2 it is the second oldest German Catholic parish in the city and the oldest standing church in Cincinnati The church is 142 feet long 66 feet wide and with a steeple 170 feet tall When built it was the largest church in the Ohio Valley The original church was dedicated on July 3 1842 1 Contents 1 History 2 Pastors 3 Present day 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory editThe parent parish was Holy Trinity Church Heilige Dreieinigkeit which was located at West Fifth Street and Barr Street Mound Street in Cincinnati s Old West End Organized in 1834 Holy Trinity was the first German parish and second Roman Catholic parish in Cincinnati The Holy Trinity Parish was closed in 1958 because of changing demographics 3 As the congregation grew a new parish was needed In 1840 German immigrants were arriving in Cincinnati at the rate of 200 per day Many of the men donated their own labor to build the church making the bricks by hand 4 The number of German immigrants increased in mid century with many arriving after the 1848 revolutions in various principalities The St Clair estate was acquired and the cornerstone was laid March 25 1841 by Bishop Purcell Father Clemens Hammer was the first pastor St Mary s has the oldest clock tower in Cincinnati In 1842 a clock was installed in the steeple of St Mary s The first bell was blessed and placed in the tower in 1843 For many years it served as the fire alarm for the northeastern section of the city 5 A new organ was installed in 1846 A parish school was opened in 1844 and in 1846 the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur came to teach In 1852 a school for boys was opened staffed by the Marianist brothers In May through August 1849 during the cholera epidemic in Cincinnati 796 parishioners of St Mary s died There were 345 funerals in July nbsp The church nave as viewed from the loft The church was enlarged in 1865 and remodeled in 1890 The term Old was added to the name of this church in 1904 after St Mary s in Hyde Park Cincinnati was founded 3 In 1929 a second organ from the Austin Organs was donated to the church 6 The three buildings of the Old St Mary s parish complex were listed together on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 1 Seven years later they were among more than two thousand Over the Rhine buildings listed on the Register together as contributing to the Over the Rhine Historic DistrictHistoric District 7 Joseph H Albers D D 8 was ordained a priest in 1916 Father Albers first appointment was in Cincinnati as an assistant pastor at Old St Mary s Church School 9 As an armed forces chaplain in World War I Father Albers was decorated and received the Silver Star presumably the Citation Star which was its predecessor for bravery and valor Thereafter he was assigned to establish the new Diocese of Lansing Michigan in 1937 and was its first bishop 1937 1964 10 11 12 13 Pastors editRev Clemens Hammer 1842 1860 Rev B Elkman 1861 1881 Rev B J Menge 1881 1897 Rev Bernard Moeller 1898 1915 Rev Joseph T Duerstock 1916 1941 Very Rev Jon Paul Bevak 2016 present Present day edit nbsp A Mass being celebrated at the church The parish practices a full range of the rich liturgical musical and cultural heritages of the Roman Catholic tradition Mass is offered in Latin and English every weekday and in Latin German and English every Sunday The Latin Mass features a schola of professional singers who provide music from the Church s treasury of sacred music each Sunday October through June and on special feast days Old St Mary s Church is the Oratory Church and main base of activity The Oratorians also has care of Sacred Heart Church in Camp Washington 14 References edit a b c National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 Clark S J 1912 Cincinnati the Queen City 1788 1912 Volume 2 The S J Clarke Publishing Company p 452 Retrieved May 20 2013 a b All Saints through Saint Ann Profiles of Roman Catholic Parishes in Cincinnati and Hamilton County Archived from the original on October 13 2006 Old St Mary s Church Official Website Archived from the original on November 21 2006 Retrieved December 6 2006 Old St Mary s Church Cincy Region Opus 1702 Austin Organs Inc National Register District Address Finder Archived 2013 09 28 at the Wayback Machine Ohio Historical Society 2010 Accessed 2010 11 10 Photo of Most Reverend Joseph H Albers D D Good Samaritan School of Nursing The Victorian Cincinnati Ohio U S GenWeb project 1930 Retrieved September 16 2012 Parish Archives The History of Old St Mary Church from the 1942 Anniversary Edition Archived 2008 09 30 at the Wayback Machine Bishop Joseph Henry Albers Deceased Catholic Hierarchy New Bishops August 1937 Time Magazine PNSI 2 16 Title Detroit Michigan Catholic Archbishop Edward Mooney and Bishop Joseph H Albers of Lansing 1937 0826 History of the Diocese Faith Magazine Diocese of Lansing The Cincinnati OratoryFurther reading editCincinnati a Guide to the Queen City and Its Neighbors American Guide Series The Weisen Hart Press May 1943 p 213 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Old Saint Mary s Church Cincinnati Ohio External links editU S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Saint Marys Catholic Church Old St Mary s Church Official Website Interior of Old St Mary s Old St Mary s Church circa 1896 Cincinnati Memory Louis Aloysius Tieman Assistant Rector St Mary s Church circa 1896 Cincinnati Memory Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Old St Mary 27s Church Cincinnati Ohio amp oldid 1173722425, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
