“Worth a special visit” says the AIA Guide to New York City about St. John the Baptist Church. We are standing in front of this Roman Catholic midtown Trinity. Lost in the Fur District this exquisite single-spired brownstone church surprises with its beauty. The interior radiates light.
St. John the Baptist Church has a rich history dating back to 1840. It was the second parish for German Catholics in New York City. The first church was a small wooden building. It was dedicated on September 20 1840.
The early years were turbulent. Lay trustees were overbearing. They drove out several pastors. The first pastor Rev Zachary Kunze resigned in 1844. He founded the nearby Church of St. Francis of Assisi.
Problems persisted. St. John the Baptist Church was under interdict. It reopened then closed again. A fire destroyed the church in 1847. Archbishop John Hughes laid the cornerstone for a new brick church that same year.
More disagreements ensued. The church faced another interdiction. Pastors came and went quickly. In 1870 Archbishop John Cardinal McCloskey intervened. He suppressed St. John the Baptist. He asked the Capuchin Friars to take control.
The Capuchins brought stability. Father Bonventura Frey a Swiss-born pastor revitalized the parish. The German congregation built the present church. The cornerstone was laid on June 4 or 11 in 1871. Napoleon LeBrun designed the French Gothic-style church. LeBrun was an architect of several New York Catholic churches.
The church is 165 feet long and 67 feet wide. It accommodated 1200 people. The construction cost $175000. Father Frey returned in 1888. He built the central bell tower. The tower has five swinging bells. They still ring each day.
St. John the Baptist Church was dedicated on June 23 1872. Archbishop John Cardinal McCloskey the first American cardinal officiated. In the early 20th century Blessed Solanus Casey served as a priest here.
In preparation for the church’s 125th anniversary it was renovated. Cardinal John Joseph O’Connor rededicated it on June 24 1996. A fire damaged the organ and choir gallery in 1997. Repairs were made and an electronic organ was installed.
Antonio D’Urso and his wife Giovanna Parpo funded the bell tower restoration in 2000. Kevin Ward gifted the rededication of the St. Joseph Ave Maria St. Clare and St. Fidelis Bells.
The church has seen changes over the years. It has adapted to the evolving city around it. In 2015 St. John the Baptist Church merged with Holy Cross Church.
The brown brick Capuchin Monastery was built in 1974. It was sold to a retail property developer in 2016.
Father Frey opened a school in 1870. The Marist Brothers and Sisters of St. Dominic taught boys and girls.
Today St. John the Baptist Church stands as a testament to faith and perseverance. Its history reflects the challenges and triumphs of its community. Its beauty invites us to step inside and experience its light.