SS. Cyril, Methodius, and Raphael's Church (New York City)

The Church of Saints Cyril & Methodius and St. Raphael
(Formerly the Church of St. Raphael)
SS Cyril Methodius Raphael RCC W41 Stepanic Pl snow jeh.jpg
Western side
General information
Architectural style Gothic Revival
Town or city Hell's Kitchen / Clinton, Manhattan, New York
Country United States of America
Construction started 1900 (for church)[1]
1900 (for dwelling house)[1]
Completed 1902 (for church)[2]
Cost $90,000 (for 1900 church)[1]
$25,000 (for 1900 dwelling house)[1]
Technical details
Structural system Structural masonry, Red brick with stone trim and Manhattan schist facade, also described as having "marble."
Design and construction
Client Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Architect George H. Streeton of 289 Fourth Avenue (for 1900 church & dwelling house)[1][3][2]

The Church of Saints Cyril & Methodius and St. Raphael. is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 502 West 41st Street in Hell's Kitchen / Clinton, Manhattan, New York City, near the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. It was established in 1974 from the parish merger of St. Raphael's Roman Catholic Church and SS. Cyril & Methodius and is staffed by the Franciscan Friars. The church is located in the former St. Raphael's Church. It is the city's Croatian American parish.

Contents

Building

The church building and "dwelling house" (used as a rectory) was built between 1900 and 1902 ("in marble" according to some) as the Parish Church of St. Raphael to the designs by the New York architect George H. Streeton[3] for $90,000 (for the church) and $25,000 (for the dwelling house).[1] The twin-towered design and front facade is composed of Manhattan schist trimmed with limestone; the rest of the church is brick trimmed with stone.

Organ

George Kilgen and Son of St. Louis, Missouri, are listed as repairing or replacing an electro-pneumatic action organ for the church in 1932.[2] That earlier organ may have been built by Lewis Condit Harrison of L.C. Harrison & Co. of Bloomfield, New Jersey.[2] Harrison is listed as having "built or rebuilt an organ at St. Raphael's Church" before he retired in 1909.[2]

History

St. Raphael's Parish (1886-1974)

The Parish of St. Raphael was established in 1886 to serve the Irish Catholics of Hell's Kitchen.[4] In 1892, the parish was listed as being located at 509 West 40th Street.[5] The decline of the neighborhood reverted St. Raphael's from parish status to a mission of Holy Innocents Church. The Rev. James A. Dunningham, an armed forces chaplain, was transferred to St. Raphael's in 1919.[6]

SS. Cyril and Methodius and St. Raphael's Parish (1974-present)

in 1974, the two parishes, St. Raphael's and the nearby Croatian Roman Catholic parish church of SS. Cyril and Methodius, merged creating the present name.[2] Now known as Saints Cyril and Methodius and St. Raphael's Croatian Catholic Church, the parish church is the former St. Raphael's Church building, which has also been renamed.[7]

Notable parishioners

"Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan was a parishioner of St. Raphael's and also cast his first vote" in the parish church.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Office for Metropolitan History, "Manhattan NB Database 1900-1986," (Accessed 25 Dec 2010).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g NYC Organ History Website (Accessed 24 Jan 2011)
  3. ^ a b David W. Dunlap. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship (New York City: Columbia University Press, 2004), p.200.
  4. ^ Remigius Lafort, S.T.D., Censor, The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X. Volume 3: The Province of Baltimore and the Province of New York, Section 1: Comprising the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn, Buffalo and Ogdensburg Together with some Supplementary Articles on Religious Communities of Women.. (New York City: The Catholic Editing Company, 1914), p.368.
  5. ^ The World Almanac 1892 and Book of Facts (New York: Press Publishing, 1892), p.390.
  6. ^ CLERICAL CHANGES IN ARCHDIOCESE; New Assignments of Pastors and Assistants Announced by Chancery Office. TWENTY-NINE NEW PRIESTS Many Army and Navy Chaplains Have Now Returned to Diocesan Work. Assistants Promoted to Pastorates. Interchange of Pastors. Army and Navy Chaplains. Interchange of Assistants. Assignments of Newly Ordained Priests., The New York Times, October 6, 1919.
  7. ^ Church Official Website Parish History "crkvanyc.org" Refuge on 50th Street / Transition to a new church (Accessed 24 Jan 2011)