The imposing gray granite stones whisper tales of a bygone era. This is the Church of Saint Paul the Apostle a magnificent structure on the Upper West Side.
Founded in 1858 this church wasn’t always this grand. The original parish was a simple brick building. The congregation quickly outgrew it though. A new church was needed. The present church designed in the Late Victorian Gothic Revival style is a testament to that need. It’s the mother church of the Paulist Fathers the first religious community of Catholic priests founded in the United States.
Construction lasted from 1876 to 1884. Jeremiah O’Rourke initially designed it. Paulist priest George Deshon a military engineer took over after O’Rourke died. He may have simplified the original design. Some believe Isaac Hecker the founder of the Paulist Fathers also influenced the design. The thirteenth-century Cathedral of Santa Croce in Florence may have served as a model. The building materials tell a story too. They used Tarrytown gray granite stones salvaged from the Croton Aqueduct. They even used stones from other Manhattan structures. The granite steps came from Booth’s Theatre on Sixth Avenue.
The church was dedicated on January 25 1885. It wasn’t entirely finished then. The 114-foot towers weren’t complete. Much of the interior decoration was still to be installed. The interior is stunning. It boasts ecclesiastical art designed by renowned artists. Stanford White and many others contributed to its beauty. John LaFarge added stained glass windows. Augustus Saint-Gaudens Frederick MacMonnies and Bertram Goodhue also worked on the church. Goodhue created the floor mosaics. White and Goodhue advised on design elements. Lumen Martin Winter’s Angel of the Resurrection adorns Hecker’s sarcophagus. Other Paulist Fathers are entombed in a crypt below.
A New York Daily Tribune review described the church’s architecture. It called it vast plain and fortress-like. It even said the exterior was almost repelling. The review did praise the interior though. It called it the most August unworldly interior on the continent.
The Church of Saint Paul the Apostle has had a rich history. It faced financial difficulties in the 1960s and 1970s. There was even talk of demolishing it to build apartments. The church survived though. It sold part of its land to build a new parish center. Today it thrives. It hosts many services and outreach programs. It serves the nearby Fordham University John Jay College and Juilliard School. The church’s massive basement has served as a cafeteria a homeless shelter a soup kitchen a rehearsal space for the Rockettes and even for boxing matches. It even housed the Big Apple Comic Convention for several years. The Church of Saint Paul the Apostle a true New York City landmark continues to stand strong. It serves its community and bears witness to its fascinating past.