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St. Stanislaus Church
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| Location: | Cleveland, Ohio |
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| Built: | 1886 |
| Architect: | Dunn, William H. |
| Architectural style: | Gothic |
| Governing body: | Private |
| NRHP Reference#: | 76001404[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | June 22, 1976 |
St. Stanislaus Church was established in 1873 by Polish American immigrants from Poland. They established a church and school for the growing Pol-Am (or Polish-American) Community of Cleveland. The Alliance of Poles on Broadway Avenue was allied with the St. Stanislaus Parish Community. As St. Stanislaus Church grew they decided to build a new church.
The church, built in 1886, is a historic building, located at 3649 East 65th Street in the historic Slavic Village neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. It has been operated by the Order of Friars Minor since its founding. It is in European Gothic style with flying buttresses. At the time of construction, it cost the parish $250,000 to build the church.
In 1894, Cleveland's Polish-American community established Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish on Lansing Avenue, leading to a schism between Polish Catholics in Cleveland.
A tornado on April 21, 1909 destroyed the twin spires at the front of the church. They were rebuilt within the year.[2] On June 22, 1976, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Saint Stanislaus original height was 232-feet, but currently is 122-feet.
In 1962, St. Stanislaus built a new parish social center and gym complex across the street. In 1969, Cleveland Central Catholic was established at St. Stanislaus Parish. Cleveland Central Catholic and St. Stanislaus School have Masses in the church. In 1969 Cardinal Karol Wojtyła (the future Pope John Paul II) visited the parish.
In 2002, Father William Gulas, O.F.M., was killed by Brother Daniel Montgomery, O.F.M., and to hide the crime Montgomery set the parish friary and offices on fire. Montgomery was sentenced to life in jail in 2005. Father William was succeeded by Father Michael Surufka O.F.M. Father Michael formed the Franciscan Development Corporation to help develop new residences in the neighborhood. In 2004, St. Stanislaus completed a $1.4 million dollar renovation of the church's interior and on 8 May 2004, it was dedicated as the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus.
In 2008, the administration of the parish was transferred from the care of Sacred Heart Province of the Order to Assumption Province, which is a Polish-American province.
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