A WALK THROUGH ST. ALOYSIUS CHURCH
The exterior of St. Aloysius Church reflects many influences, both ancient and modern.
The portico is ltalian in style, an almost exact duplicate of the Church of Santa Maria della Grazie in Rome.
The name .'St. Aloysius" is formed in classic Roman letters high on the front of the church.
The bell tower is also ltalianate resembling closely the Campanile of St. Zeno in Verona and the Campanile of
St. Mark's in Venice.
The overall style of the Church tends toward French Gothic with escutchions, swags, and flaming pots which are French in character.
The building materials are very American. The main stonework is a rough cut pink granite. This cut is found rarely, if ever, in Europe All of the mouldings, and the fluted columns over the entrace above the portico are in terra cotta. The portico is built of Indiana limestone.
The Church is surmounted by three crosses, two of which are in wrought iron filigree. The main doors and the doors throughout are of bronze with the exterior doors centered with art-deco roundels of St. Aloysius. The windows over the front entrance depict St. Aloysius and are original to the fabric of the building.
The nave is a three bay basilica divided by two rows of scagliola faux-marble pillars. These pillars are capped with Renaissance style capitals and half circle arches. This arrangement is almost identical to that of the Church of St. Joseph du Carme in Paris.
The central sanctuary consists of a classical choir and apse arrangement. The original altar, now reredos, was expanded by adding two piers with Eupolas containing statues of angels. A marble wall connecting all three cupolas was also built. This altar now fashioned into a reredos is much like the decor of the exterior of Sacre Coeur in Paris.
The statuary is of white Carrara marble, namely, the Crucifis at the Nathex, Our Lady of Grace, St. Joseph, St. Aloysius, St. Anthony and the Sacred Heart. All are delicately carved with exceptionally fine detail.
The windows seem to date from different times. The semi-circular, clerestory windows picturing symbols of our Lord, our Lady, the Passion and some sacraments are older and may have been the originals since they match the windows over the front door.
The great windows of the sanctuary and nave are of a distinctively different style and witness to their German ancestry.
The renovations of 1987, restored the Church to its original chromatic colors. The altar facing the people was made larger and brought forward. The pulpit was moved and made larger being placed on a new platform extending from the sanctuary stairs. The Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament was simplified and enhanced as was the Shrine of Our Mary, the Lady of Grace. The baptismal font was placed in the center nave near the entrance.
These renovations were an attempt to bring back this magnificent and important structure to its original elegance and refinement. All of this was done to accentuate the very light and bright sense of the original architecture and decoration.
Text written and researched by: Rev. Charles MCDermott
The exterior of St. Aloysius Church reflects many influences, both ancient and modern.
The portico is ltalian in style, an almost exact duplicate of the Church of Santa Maria della Grazie in Rome.
The name .'St. Aloysius" is formed in classic Roman letters high on the front of the church.
The bell tower is also ltalianate resembling closely the Campanile of St. Zeno in Verona and the Campanile of
St. Mark's in Venice.
The overall style of the Church tends toward French Gothic with escutchions, swags, and flaming pots which are French in character.
The building materials are very American. The main stonework is a rough cut pink granite. This cut is found rarely, if ever, in Europe All of the mouldings, and the fluted columns over the entrace above the portico are in terra cotta. The portico is built of Indiana limestone.
The Church is surmounted by three crosses, two of which are in wrought iron filigree. The main doors and the doors throughout are of bronze with the exterior doors centered with art-deco roundels of St. Aloysius. The windows over the front entrance depict St. Aloysius and are original to the fabric of the building.
The nave is a three bay basilica divided by two rows of scagliola faux-marble pillars. These pillars are capped with Renaissance style capitals and half circle arches. This arrangement is almost identical to that of the Church of St. Joseph du Carme in Paris.
The central sanctuary consists of a classical choir and apse arrangement. The original altar, now reredos, was expanded by adding two piers with Eupolas containing statues of angels. A marble wall connecting all three cupolas was also built. This altar now fashioned into a reredos is much like the decor of the exterior of Sacre Coeur in Paris.
The statuary is of white Carrara marble, namely, the Crucifis at the Nathex, Our Lady of Grace, St. Joseph, St. Aloysius, St. Anthony and the Sacred Heart. All are delicately carved with exceptionally fine detail.
The windows seem to date from different times. The semi-circular, clerestory windows picturing symbols of our Lord, our Lady, the Passion and some sacraments are older and may have been the originals since they match the windows over the front door.
The great windows of the sanctuary and nave are of a distinctively different style and witness to their German ancestry.
The renovations of 1987, restored the Church to its original chromatic colors. The altar facing the people was made larger and brought forward. The pulpit was moved and made larger being placed on a new platform extending from the sanctuary stairs. The Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament was simplified and enhanced as was the Shrine of Our Mary, the Lady of Grace. The baptismal font was placed in the center nave near the entrance.
These renovations were an attempt to bring back this magnificent and important structure to its original elegance and refinement. All of this was done to accentuate the very light and bright sense of the original architecture and decoration.
Text written and researched by: Rev. Charles MCDermott
