Peeking out above the neighborhood buildings, the bell tower hints at the unique architecture of Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church. This church is a rare example of Art Deco design. Gothic cathedrals influenced the moderne style. You can see this influence in the soaring verticality and buttressed walls. The symbolic ornamentation also gives it a Gothic feel.
However, Art Deco churches are rare. The style’s extravagant ornamentation was often deemed inappropriate for ecclesiastical structures. Lester G. Scherer was a Hollywood architect. He incorporated Art Deco elements into his Spanish Colonial Revival design for Our Lady of Lourdes Church in East Los Angeles. The Latin-cross floor plan gives a Spanish sensibility. So do the central dome, bell tower, red tile roof and smooth stucco surfaces.
A closer look reveals Scherer’s fresh take on these details. He reflects the interplay of geometry indicative of the moderne style. The red roofing tiles over the side aisles are laid in a zigzag pattern. Three peaked doorways are separated by thick piers. This creates a rhythm of chevrons across the facade.
Above, a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes is surrounded by cherub faces. They are in a hexagonal niche. The bell tower tapers to a hexagonal crown. Narrow setbacks attenuate the tower. Decorative panels show a cross on a florid background. The hexagon is prevalent throughout. You can see it in the jagged gold mosaic cap on the tower. Look for it in the honeycomb grillwork on the tower balcony. Notice the splayed windows of the central dome. Even the dome itself features the hexagon.
The bold Art Deco sensibility continues inside Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Simple yellow glass windows cast a golden light on the interior of the sanctuary. Peaked arches zigzag between the nave and the side aisles. They create a continuous line of chevrons toward the altar. The wooden confessionals echo this pattern.
The tile mural on the choir loft balcony is a highlight. It bears the inscription Pax Vobiscum. This is Latin for “Peace Be With You”. Above swirling stylized clouds stands a moderne resurrected Christ. He wears a stunning cubist robe. It is worthy of Erte.
Bishop Thomas Conaty established the first parish in the city named for Our Lady of Lourdes in 1910. It was in the Belvedere area of what is now East Los Angeles. Benedictine monks first planted the religious roots. They came as missionaries from Oklahoma in 1899. Father Leo Gariador and Father Gratian Ardans ministered to Basque settlers.
Father Ardans developed the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes. He found a location between Montebello and Los Angeles. This location served those who lived too far from St. Mary’s. He built the parish church on Third Street. The initial Mass was celebrated on Christmas Eve in 1910. The frame structure accommodated 400 people.
The school opened in 1914. Immaculate Heart Sisters and then the Presentation Sisters staffed it. Just 30 years later, Lourdes had 1000 students. This made it one of the biggest Catholic schools in the West.
Father Ardans served the new parish for 20 years. A new church was dedicated during the pastorate of Father Edmund Basel. He erected the first church of modern design in the West. In 1958, the centennial year celebrating the apparition at Lourdes, a mosaic mural was installed. It depicts St. Bernadette and Our Lady. Joseph Young was the artist.
Our Lady of Lourdes Church stands as a testament. It honors faith and architectural innovation. It is a beacon of peace in East Los Angeles.