History of Saint Stephens

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http://ststephenw54st.blogspot.com/

(Just click on the URL and it will take you there!)

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Brief history and Tour

of

St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church*

1930 W. 54 St., Cleveland, 044120

Telephone: 216-631-5633; Fax: 216-631-5634

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[*] This an Edited and modified version of the published Rev. 11/7/97: SCMcH and RAB

Early history:

St. Stephen Parish arose from a division necessitated by the increases at St. Mary Parish, formerly located on W. 30th St. St. Mary’s Parish is no longer in existence. In April of 1869, Rt. Rev. Amadeus Rappe, first bishop of Cleveland, commissioned Father Stephen Falk to establish a two-story building which would service both church and school for German-speaking Catholics living west of W. 44th St. The newly ordained Father Casimir Reichlin was appointed the first pasture and celebrated the first mass in the new building on May 1, 1870. At that time to Parish consists of about 200 families. The Parish prospered, and so the larger church was needed. In 1873 the present structure was begun by the architectural firm Cudell and Richardson. Parishioners mortgage their own properties in order to raise the needed funds. On November 20, 1881, Rt. Rev. Richard Gilmour: second bishop of Cleveland, dedicated St. Stephen church; the interior had been completed just one week previously. On the day of its dedication, St. Stephen church stood as one of the most elegant and substantial church edifices in the city. Built entirely of stone, mainly of the best Amherst, the church is 165 ft. long and 74 ft. wide, the side walls are 40 ft. high. The style is Gothic, in the shape of the Cross. The church's interior is massive and sound the interior lentils give it a bright and airy feeling. Interior height from the floor to ceiling is 75 ft. On each side of the main aisle are six great tree-like pillars that branch out into numerous columns. The oak pews harmonize with wood carvings which dominate the high altar, siding alters, and pulpit. As the years passed, a Mexican onyx and brass communion rail were installed. Basket-weave marble tiles were installed in the sanctuary floor and aisles. The church building his many artistic treasures, some of them are described below:

Church Windows:

In 1876 the original lentils were simple, colorful and geometric. The only remaining originals are found in the wall behind the organ case. In 1906 new stained-glass windows were imported from Munich Germany and costs of $13,500. The Bavarian Institute of Art created the new windows, which are our cathedral-style and featured deep colors and fine renderings of figures, plants, and the architecture. A tornado in 1953 did considerable damage to a dozen of the stained-glass windows. Timothy Barrett fashion replacement windows for the foyer. The three windows behind the main altar were completely destroyed. These three windows were replaced in February 1993 under the supervision of Father S. Michael Franz, pastor, as a gift from the diocese of Cleveland and the people of St. Joseph Parish formerly located at E. 23rd St. and Woodland Ave. the windows were dedicated at a special service on May 23, 1993, attended by many former parishioners of St. Joseph Church. The following are details about the windows:

North wall (starting next to St. Joseph's altar)

1. Jesus, the Friend and select at children, with St. Paul the apostle in the circular opening at the top
2. Top section: The Nativity

Lower section: The Adoration Magi

Circular: The Apostle St. Matthew

3. Top Section: St. Lawrence is given the duty to care for the church's people by the imprisoned Pope, St. Sixtus II

Lower Section: Martyrdom of St. Lawrence by fire

Circular: Angle

4. Presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple

Circular: St. Mark the Evangelist

5. The Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph finding child Jesus in the Temple

Circular: the Apostle St. Jude Thaddeus

6. Return of the Prodigal Son

Circular: The Apostle St. James the Less

7. Top Section: Christ chasing the money lenders from the Temple

Lower section: The baptism of the Saxon King, Widukind

South Wall (starting next to the Blessed Virgin Mary’s Altar)

8. The Presentation of the Child Mary, in the Temple, with St. Peter the apostle in the circular opening at the top
9. Top Section: Miracle of the Multiplication of the loaves and fishes

Lower Section: The Last Supper

Circular: St. John the Evangelist

10. Top: Martyrdom of St. Stephen by Stoning

Lower Section: the Trial of St. Stephen

Circular: Angel

11. Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles on Pentecost Sunday, with St. Luke's the Evangelist in the circular opening at the top
12. The Resurrection

Circular: the Apostle St. Simon the Zealot

13. Christ at the marriage feast at Cana

Circular: the apostle St. Thomas

14. Top Section: Christ discourse with St. Nicodemus

Bottom Section: Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan by St. John the Baptist

East Wall (above the main entrance)

15. North Side: Death of St. Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus
16. South Side: The Holy Family
17. Foyer: Ornamental window made by Timothy Barrett
18. Organ Loft: ornamental window made by Timothy Barrett

West Wall (Stained glass windows behind the High Altar)

19. The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the Archangel Gabriel
20. St. Peter receiving the keys in the Kingdom of Heaven
21. St. Mary, sister of St. Lazarus and St. Martha, watching the feet of Jesus with her tears and drying them with her hair

The Pulpit:

The superb, free-standing oak woodwork pulpit supports a finely detailed canopy rising more than twenty five feet above the floor. Before its installation, the pulpit was presented to the public at the Columbian exposition held in Chicago, Illinois in 1893.

The Sanctuary:

The main and auxiliary alters and statues were carved from oak and with few exceptions were imported from Munich Germany in 1893. The Polychrome hand-crafted wood statues are unusual for the Victorian period since most statues of that era were made of plaster cast in molds. The figurines have Germanic facial features. This is clearly evident in the representations of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her hair is blonde, rather than dark. Here are some details:

The Blessed Virgin Marries Altar: Other statues at this altar are St. Ann, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a guardian angel, and St. Cecilia. On the sacristy the wall is a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The High Altar:

Located in the panel work niches to the left are statues of St. Anthony of Padua, St. Barnabas, the apostle of Germany, and St. Nicholas Bishop of Mira. In panel work niches on the right are statues of St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Rose of Lima, and St. Elizabeth Hungry. In the Crucifixion scene at the High Altar, the man standing at the foot of the Cross is not St. John the Apostle as one would expect, but is actually St. Stephen, Deacon and first Christian Martyr, in whose honor this church is named.

St. Joseph's Altar: to the leftist St. Aloysius Gonzaga, and to the right is St. Stanislaus Kostka. On the side wall is a statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The Pulpit: Six trumpet angels are on top. Surrounding the speakers platform are statues of our Lord and four doctors of the church, St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. John Chrysostom, St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, and St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan.

Located on the right side the church near the main entrance is a statue of St. Rita of Cascia

The Pipe Organ:

On October 25, 1886 the majestic pipe organ was installed in a Gothic-style wooden case. The organ was originally a 2 manual and panel tracker organ built by the Johnson and Sun Organ Company, a famous American company that built hundreds organs in the eastern U.S.A. from 1850 to 1898. The organ was completely rebuilt and radically redesigned in February 1938 by the Holtkamp-Vottler-Sparling Organ Company and is now a 3 manual, 41 rank electropneumatic organ with 2,298 pipes. A set of chimes was added in 1948 and rebuilt in 1993. The instrument was badly damaged by the tornado in 1953. Additional damage was caused later by water leakage. The organ was most recently rebuilt by Carl Emerson Pipe Organ Builder, Inc. The St. Stephen Alumni Association took an active part in the organ restoration.

A Relic St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr:

In 1993 St. Stephen Parish was honored to receive as a gift from the Diocese of Cleveland, a first class relic of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. He was one of the first seven deacons of the church. His ministry was to preach the Gospel and to care for widows and orphans. As a result of his preaching, St. Stephen was stoned to death about A.D. 35. Relics serve as a reminder of our enduring link with the communion of Saints, of the human nature of Saints and of their outstanding work and sacrifice for the sake of all people. A lock of St. Stephen's hair and a copper cross-shaped reliquary were obtained with the help of Father Ralph Wiatrowski, Chancellor of the Diocese of Cleveland, and Christopher Trunk. The reliquary was later enlarged with wood and a heavy stone that recalls the method of St. Stephen's martyrdom. Father S. Michael Franz, sixth pastor of St. Stephen's Parish, formally receive the relic at a special mass celebrated on December 26, 1993, Feast Day of St. Stephen.

St. Stephen Church Today:

St. Stephen church was appointed to the national register of the Historic Places on November 11, 1977. The church celebrated its 125th Anniversary on October 2, 1994. You are invited to attend our services. Please consult the weekly Church Bulletin for times of Masses and other information. The bulletin is available on-line at a weblog titled "St. Stephen West 54^th Street Cleveland.” The URL address is: http://ststephenw54st.blogspot.com . Constant effort is underway by parishioners, students, and the St. Stephen Alumni Association, and others to restore and maintain this historic church building. Your tax-deductible donation maybe mailed to the Historic St. Stephen Restoration Fund, 1930 West 54th St. Cleveland, OH 44102. Envelopes for your contributions are also available in church and in the Parish Rectory.





* This an Edited and modified version of the published Rev. 11/7/97: SCMcH and RAB