St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (Indianapolis, Indiana)

St. John’s Church and Rectory
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	121 S. Capitol Ave. 124 and 126 W. Georgia St. Indianapolis, Indiana
Coordinates	39°45′52″N 86°9′41″W / 39.76444°N 86.16139°W / 39.76444; -86.16139Coordinates: 39°45′52″N 86°9′41″W / 39.76444°N 86.16139°W / 39.76444; -86.16139
Built	1863-1867
Architect	D.A. Bohlen
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
Governing body	Private
NRHP Reference #	80000061 [1]
Added to NRHP	September 17, 1980

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The church building and the rectory are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

St. John’s is the first Catholic parish in the city of Indianapolis.^[2] The present site on which the church was built was purchased in 1846, and the parish built its second church there. When it became too small, Dietrich Bohlen was hired to design the present church. It was built in the Gothic Revival style from 1863-1867. The spires on the two towers that flank the main façade were designed by Oscar Bohlen of D. A. Bohlen & Son and built in 1893.

The church nave with Christmas decoration.

The intention was for St. John’s to serve as the cathedral when the Diocese of Vincennes moved to Indianapolis. It partially served that function. It was the Proto-cathedral of the Diocese of Vincennes from 1871-1898.^[3] Pope Leo XIII officially moved the See City to Indianapolis on March 28, 1898^[4] and St. John’s continued as the cathedral church until 1907 when it was replaced by Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral. The parish continued to house the diocesan chancery until 1968 and the Metropolitan Tribunal until 1982.^[3]

References

External links

• St. John’s Parish Web Site

Archdiocese of Indianapolis Ordinaries Bishops of Vincennes Simon Bruté Célestine Guynemer de la Hailandière John Stephen Bazin Jacques-Maurice De Saint Palais Bishops of Indianapolis Silas Chatard Joseph Chartrand Archbishops of Indianapolis Joseph Ritter Paul Clarence Schulte George Biskup Edward Thomas O'Meara Daniel M. Buechlein Joseph William Tobin Auxiliary Bishops Denis O'Donaghue Christopher J. Coyne Churches Cathedral Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral Parishes St. John the Evangelist Church, Indianapolis St. Mary's Church, Indianapolis Shrine Church of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Abbey St. Meinrad Archabbey Chapel Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Education Higher Education Marian University Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Seminaries Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology High Schools Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard High School, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter High School, Indianapolis Cathedral High School, Indianapolis Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception, Oldenburg Our Lady of Providence Junior-Senior High School, Clarksville Providence Cristo Rey High School, Indianapolis Roncalli High School, Indianapolis Father Thomas Scecina Memorial High School, Indianapolis Seton Catholic High School, Richmond Father Michael Shawe Memorial High School, Madison Priests Herman Joseph Alerding Paul D. Etienne Gerald Andrew Gettelfinger Emmanuel Boleslaus Ledvina Alphonse John Smith Catholicism Portal