Church of Our Lady of the Scapular-St. Stephen

Coordinates: 40°44′33″N 73°58′52.7″W / 40.74250°N 73.981306°W

The Church of Our Lady of the Scapular-St. Stephen

(2011)
General information
Architectural style Romanesque Revival
Town or city Manhattan, New York City
Country U.S.
Construction started school: c.1897
Completed church: 1854
extension: 1865
school: c.1902
renovation: 1949
rectory: 1954
Client Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Design and construction
Architect church:
James Renwick Jr.
extension:
Patrick Charles Keely
school:
Elliott Lynch
rectory:
Knappe & Johnson

The Church of Our Lady of the Scapular-St. Stephen is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 149 East 28th Street[1] between Third and Lexington Avenues in the Rose Hill neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It was established in the 1980s when the parish of the Church of Our Lady of the Scapular of Mount Carmel was merged into the parish of the Church of St. Stephen the Martyr.[2] In January 2007, it was announced by the Archdiocese of New York that the Church of the Sacred Hearts of Mary and Jesus, located at 307 East 33rd Street, was to be merged into Our Lady of the Scapular-St. Stephen,[3] then, in November 2014, the Archdiocese announced that the Church of Our Lady of the Scapular-St. Stephen was one of 31 neighborhood parishes which would be merged into other parishes.[4] Our Lady of the Scapular-St. Stephen was to be merged into the Church of Our Saviour at 59 Park Avenue.[5]

Parish history

The parish of St. Stephen the Martyr was formed in 1848 and was originally located on Madison Avenue. The parish's most famous pastor was the controversial Dr. Edward McGlynn, (who had served as assistant pastor). Known for his radical political beliefs, he was pastor until he was removed from the ministry by the Archbishop in 1887.

Epiphany School, 28th Street

Buildings

The parish's current church was built in 1854 and was designed by noted architect James Renwick, Jr.,[2] who also designed St. Patrick's Cathedral and Grace Church. The building was extended north to 142 East 29th Street in 1865 by architect Patrick Charles Keely.[6] The church includes forty-three interior murals by the artist Constantine Brumidi, who also provided murals in the U.S. Capitol.

The 29th Street facade is fully developed.[2] The church underwent restoration in 1949. The connected Epiphany School building on 28th Street was built c.1902, designed by Elliot Lynch,[6] and a rectory was built on the 29th Street side in 1956, designed by the firm of Knappe & Johnson.[7]

Epiphany School

The St. Stephen Parish School on 28th Street was built from 1897 to around 1902 to the designs of Elliot Lynch.[6][8][9] It is now the St. Stephen's campus of the Epiphany School, one of their two facilities, the other being on East 20th Street near the Epiphany Church.[10]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ The World Almanac 1892 and Book of Facts (New York: Press Publishing, 1892), p.390.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion. (2004) New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12543-7, p.168
  3. ↑ "Our Lady of the Scapular–St. Stephen (Roman Catholic)" on the New York City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists website
  4. ↑ Otterman, Sharon. "Tears and Heartache for New York’s Catholics as Cardinal Shuts Churches" New York Times (November 2, 2014)
  5. ↑ "List of Merging Churches and Those That Will Cease Regular Services" New York Times (November 2, 2014)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 White, Norval & Willensky, Elliot (2000). AIA Guide to New York City (4th ed.). New York: Three Rivers Press. ISBN 978-0-8129-3107-5., p.214
  7. ↑ "Manhattan NB Database 1900–1986" on the Office for Metropolitan History website. (Accessed 25 Dec 2010).
  8. ↑ Architectural League of New York Year book of the Architectural League of New York, and catalogue. Vol 12 (New York, 1897), p.115.
  9. ↑ “St. Stephen’s Parish School, New York, NY” The American Architect and Building News Vol. 84 (Boston: S.J. Parkhill & Co., Printers, 1904), p.20
  10. ↑ Epiphany School website

External links