St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church

Did you know that a devastating fire almost erased St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church from Cambridge’s landscape? On December 7, 1956, a fire ravaged the church. The roof collapsed into the nave. The choir loft fell too. The blaze threatened to destroy everything. Thankfully, the side windows survived, although they were removed during the subsequent reconstruction. St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church was not easily defeated. Rebuilding began in April 1957. The main altar was reconstructed, incorporating the salvaged original steps leading into the sanctuary. The altar rail and pulpit remained miraculously intact. Financial constraints, however, forced some compromises. The clerestory, upper windows, and catwalk were not rebuilt. The statue of St. John also vanished. A smaller rose window replaced the original. Despite these losses, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church persevered. Above the high altar, a powerful inscription from the Gospel of John reminds us of the church’s enduring spirit: “And the word was made flesh and came to dwell among us.” The church’s story continued. In 1996, a renovation project began, addressing necessary repairs and liturgical updates. The marble high altar was moved forward, making it usable for the first time in years after the changes brought by the Second Vatican Council. The altar rail was removed, opening up the sanctuary. The pulpit was transformed into a new ambo. The original marble found new life in a baptismal font. Two statues, one of St. John the Evangelist and the other of Saint Joseph, were relocated to the front entrances. The side altars were repainted, highlighting their beauty. The church’s tabernacle, temporarily housed on the altar of the Sacred Heart, was restored to its original glory. The renovation also made the church handicap accessible. On December 27, 1998, the feast of St. John the Evangelist, Cardinal Bernard F. Law rededicated the revitalized St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. The church’s journey from a small wooden chapel on Rindge Avenue to the grand Romanesque Revival structure we see today is a testament to its resilience and the dedication of its parishioners.