Basilica of St. Josaphat
Encyclopedia
The Basilica of St. Josaphat, located in the Lincoln Village neighborhood
of Milwaukee
, Wisconsin
, in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, is one of 62 minor basilica
s found in the United States
. In its grandeur and opulence it is an excellent example of the so-called Polish Cathedral style of church architecture found in the Great Lakes region of North America
. Modeled after St. Peter's Basilica
in Rome
, it features one of the largest copper domes in the world. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
and is a designated Milwaukee Landmark.
, Polish-Ruthenian
martyr and saint of the Roman Catholic Church
as well as the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
.
on Milwaukee's (then) far south side. In 1896, when the parish church proved to be too small, Pastor Wilhelm Grutza commissioned the most prominent church architect of the late 19th century and early 20th century, Erhard Brielmaier
. Like a number of other Polish
churches in the so-called Polish Cathedral style
, such as St. Mary of the Angels
in Chicago
or Immaculate Heart of Mary in Pittsburgh
, the architectural plans for the new edifice were intentionally modeled on St. Peter's Basilica
.
As the design neared completion, Father Grutza learned that the Federal Building in Chicago was being razed. He purchased the 200,000 tons of salvage material for $20,000 and had it delivered to Milwaukee on 500 railroad flatcars, where parishioners were waiting to begin construction.
The Basilica was formally dedicated in 1901 by Archbishop Francis Xavier Katzer
with 4,000 people in attendance. Once completed, it met the requirements of Milwaukee's growing Polish Catholic population by seating 2,400 members and was the city's largest church. Artist Tadeusz Żukotyński
painted the first painting in the church, The Martyrdom of St. Josaphat in 1904.
Decoration on the interior was completed in 1926 by artists Conrad Schmitt and Gonippo Raggi. Detailed oil paintings depicting biblical scenes adorned the walls and inner dome, while ornamental plasterwork finished in gold leaf set the columns and ornate stained glass covered the windows.
In 1929, Pope Pius XI
designated St. Josaphat Church as the third minor basilica
in the United States
, marking it as a place of pilgrimage, special devotion, and historical significance.
An electrical fire in 1940 caused extensive smoke damage to the interior and a lightning storm in 1947 dislodged several large blocks of stone from the base of the dome. The need for repairs could no longer be ignored. Structural maintenance and renovation of the murals began in earnest from 1948 through 1951.
Strong winds in 1986 tore a sheet of copper from the dome and severe water damage occurred. Financial assistance in repairs was the impetus for partnerships with the Franciscan Order, along with several prominent businessmen from the Polish
community. This led to the establishment of the St. Josaphat Basilica Foundation in 1991 and allowed large scale restoration work to begin.
called for brick construction. When it was decided that salvage material from the demolished Chicago Federal Building was to be used, Erhard had to use reverse planning in order to incorporate stone as the primary building material.
Each block was carefully measured and numbered for a best fit in the new design and hardly any stone was re-cut or went to waste. A large field nearby was used for material storage and sorting as it came off the railroad flatcars.
Six large granite columns from the Federal Building, along with their carved stone capitals, were added to the plans. The original ornamental bronze railings, lighting fixtures, and doors were also to be used.
Before construction could begin, a broad hill standing 30 feet high at its peak needed to be leveled down to the surrounding area. This monumental task was completed using nothing more than man and horse power, which hauled the earth to a new location along the western shore of the Kinnickinnic River
.
The cornerstone was placed on July 4, 1897. Unskilled parishioners did most of the work under Erhard's careful guidance and direction. Hired help from among the poor also contributed, when limited church funds allowed.
Since domestic Portland cement
was of unknown quality at the time, German
Dyckerhoff cement was imported for use in the foundation, while old railroad ties served as reinforcement. Heavy steel rails were also used in the concrete footings for the eight piers that supported the 214 foot dome.
On July 21, 1901 a high mass presided over by Archbishop Francis Xavier Katzer
marked the formal completion and dedication of the basilica.
that was painted for this church was The Martyrdom of St. Josaphat
in 1904 by the artist Zukotynski
which is found directly behind and above the altar
. Most of the other murals found in the church were painted by Gonippo Raggi
. Conrad Schmitt Studios
later restored the interior of the Basilica to its 1926 decorative grandeur, originally executed by Conrad Schmitt Studios and Roman artist Professor Gonippo Raggi, and restored the Basilica's stained glass windows imported from Austria in 1902.
Lincoln Village, City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Lincoln Village is a south side neighborhood within the City of Milwaukee.-Geography:Using current street names, the Lincoln Village neighborhood is bounded by W Becher Street on the north to the Kinnickinnic River on the south, by South 5th Street on the east to South 20th Street on the...
of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, is one of 62 minor basilica
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
s found in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In its grandeur and opulence it is an excellent example of the so-called Polish Cathedral style of church architecture found in the Great Lakes region of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Modeled after St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, it features one of the largest copper domes in the world. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and is a designated Milwaukee Landmark.
Dedication
The Basilica of St. Josaphat was dedicated to Josaphat KuncevycJosaphat Kuncevyc
Josaphat Kuntsevych is a martyr and saint of the Catholic Church, born in Volodymyr-Volynskyi in the region of Volhynia in Ukraine, then part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1580 or 1584; he died at Vitebsk in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , 12 November 1623, killed by an Orthodox...
, Polish-Ruthenian
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
martyr and saint of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
as well as the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope...
.
History
St. Josaphat's congregation was founded in 1888 by immigrant PolesPoles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
on Milwaukee's (then) far south side. In 1896, when the parish church proved to be too small, Pastor Wilhelm Grutza commissioned the most prominent church architect of the late 19th century and early 20th century, Erhard Brielmaier
Erhard Brielmaier
Erhard Brielmaier , was a renowned and prominent architect within United States and Canada from late 19th century through the 20th century. Erhard Brielmaier designed and built more churches and hospitals than any other architect. -History:Brielmaier was born at Neufra near Rottweil, Wuerttemberg...
. Like a number of other Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
churches in the so-called Polish Cathedral style
Polish Cathedral style
The Polish Cathedral architectural style is a North American genre of Catholic church architecture found throughout the Great Lakes and Middle Atlantic regions as well as in parts of New England...
, such as St. Mary of the Angels
St. Mary of the Angels in Chicago
Saint Mary of the Angels - historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois.Located at 1850 North Hermitage Avenue in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood, it is an example of the so-called 'Polish Cathedral style' of churches. Along with St. Stanislaus Kostka, St....
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
or Immaculate Heart of Mary in Pittsburgh
Immaculate Heart of Mary in Pittsburgh
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Pittsburgh, referred to in Polish as Kościół Matki Boskiej, is a historic church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, one of the city's oldest and largest churches...
, the architectural plans for the new edifice were intentionally modeled on St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
.
As the design neared completion, Father Grutza learned that the Federal Building in Chicago was being razed. He purchased the 200,000 tons of salvage material for $20,000 and had it delivered to Milwaukee on 500 railroad flatcars, where parishioners were waiting to begin construction.
The Basilica was formally dedicated in 1901 by Archbishop Francis Xavier Katzer
Frederick Katzer
Frederick Xavier Katzer was a Roman Catholic archbishop. Katzer was the third Bishop of Diocese of Green Bay and the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in Wisconsin....
with 4,000 people in attendance. Once completed, it met the requirements of Milwaukee's growing Polish Catholic population by seating 2,400 members and was the city's largest church. Artist Tadeusz Żukotyński
Tadeusz Zukotynski
Polish count, professor, and painter Tadeusz Żukotyński was born in what is today the region of Podolia in Ukraine. One of Europe's foremost painters in religious subjects...
painted the first painting in the church, The Martyrdom of St. Josaphat in 1904.
Decoration on the interior was completed in 1926 by artists Conrad Schmitt and Gonippo Raggi. Detailed oil paintings depicting biblical scenes adorned the walls and inner dome, while ornamental plasterwork finished in gold leaf set the columns and ornate stained glass covered the windows.
In 1929, Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
designated St. Josaphat Church as the third minor basilica
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, marking it as a place of pilgrimage, special devotion, and historical significance.
An electrical fire in 1940 caused extensive smoke damage to the interior and a lightning storm in 1947 dislodged several large blocks of stone from the base of the dome. The need for repairs could no longer be ignored. Structural maintenance and renovation of the murals began in earnest from 1948 through 1951.
Strong winds in 1986 tore a sheet of copper from the dome and severe water damage occurred. Financial assistance in repairs was the impetus for partnerships with the Franciscan Order, along with several prominent businessmen from the Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
community. This led to the establishment of the St. Josaphat Basilica Foundation in 1991 and allowed large scale restoration work to begin.
Construction
The original plans drawn by architect Erhard BrielmaierErhard Brielmaier
Erhard Brielmaier , was a renowned and prominent architect within United States and Canada from late 19th century through the 20th century. Erhard Brielmaier designed and built more churches and hospitals than any other architect. -History:Brielmaier was born at Neufra near Rottweil, Wuerttemberg...
called for brick construction. When it was decided that salvage material from the demolished Chicago Federal Building was to be used, Erhard had to use reverse planning in order to incorporate stone as the primary building material.
Each block was carefully measured and numbered for a best fit in the new design and hardly any stone was re-cut or went to waste. A large field nearby was used for material storage and sorting as it came off the railroad flatcars.
Six large granite columns from the Federal Building, along with their carved stone capitals, were added to the plans. The original ornamental bronze railings, lighting fixtures, and doors were also to be used.
Before construction could begin, a broad hill standing 30 feet high at its peak needed to be leveled down to the surrounding area. This monumental task was completed using nothing more than man and horse power, which hauled the earth to a new location along the western shore of the Kinnickinnic River
Kinnickinnic River (Milwaukee River)
The Kinnickinnic River is one of three primary rivers that flow into the harbor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Lake Michigan, along with the Menomonee River and Milwaukee River. It is locally called the "KK River."...
.
The cornerstone was placed on July 4, 1897. Unskilled parishioners did most of the work under Erhard's careful guidance and direction. Hired help from among the poor also contributed, when limited church funds allowed.
Since domestic Portland cement
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
was of unknown quality at the time, German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Dyckerhoff cement was imported for use in the foundation, while old railroad ties served as reinforcement. Heavy steel rails were also used in the concrete footings for the eight piers that supported the 214 foot dome.
On July 21, 1901 a high mass presided over by Archbishop Francis Xavier Katzer
Frederick Katzer
Frederick Xavier Katzer was a Roman Catholic archbishop. Katzer was the third Bishop of Diocese of Green Bay and the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in Wisconsin....
marked the formal completion and dedication of the basilica.
Interior decoration
The first muralMural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
that was painted for this church was The Martyrdom of St. Josaphat
Josaphat Kuncevyc
Josaphat Kuntsevych is a martyr and saint of the Catholic Church, born in Volodymyr-Volynskyi in the region of Volhynia in Ukraine, then part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1580 or 1584; he died at Vitebsk in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , 12 November 1623, killed by an Orthodox...
in 1904 by the artist Zukotynski
Tadeusz Zukotynski
Polish count, professor, and painter Tadeusz Żukotyński was born in what is today the region of Podolia in Ukraine. One of Europe's foremost painters in religious subjects...
which is found directly behind and above the altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
. Most of the other murals found in the church were painted by Gonippo Raggi
Gonippo Raggi
Gonippo Raggi was an Italian artist who provided murals for many churches and church institutions in the United States.-Early childhood and education:He was born in Rome, Italy, in 1875, and studied at the Art Institute of St...
. Conrad Schmitt Studios
Conrad Schmitt Studios
Conrad Schmitt Studios is an architectural arts studio located in New Berlin, Wisconsin. It provides ecclesiastical art, stained glass artistry, art glass, decorative painting, mosaics, murals and sculptural arts. The studio specializes in restoration services for buildings of architectural,...
later restored the interior of the Basilica to its 1926 decorative grandeur, originally executed by Conrad Schmitt Studios and Roman artist Professor Gonippo Raggi, and restored the Basilica's stained glass windows imported from Austria in 1902.
See also
- Lincoln Village, City of Milwaukee, WisconsinLincoln Village, City of Milwaukee, WisconsinLincoln Village is a south side neighborhood within the City of Milwaukee.-Geography:Using current street names, the Lincoln Village neighborhood is bounded by W Becher Street on the north to the Kinnickinnic River on the south, by South 5th Street on the east to South 20th Street on the...
- Polish Americans
- Polish Cathedral stylePolish Cathedral styleThe Polish Cathedral architectural style is a North American genre of Catholic church architecture found throughout the Great Lakes and Middle Atlantic regions as well as in parts of New England...
- Roman Catholicism in PolandRoman Catholicism in PolandEver since Poland officially adopted Latin Christianity in 966, the Catholic Church has played an important religious, cultural and political role in the country....
- Wacław Kruszka
- Tadeusz ŻukotyńskiTadeusz ZukotynskiPolish count, professor, and painter Tadeusz Żukotyński was born in what is today the region of Podolia in Ukraine. One of Europe's foremost painters in religious subjects...
- PoloniaPoloniaThe Polish diaspora refers to people of Polish origin who live outside Poland. The Polish diaspora is also known in modern Polish language as Polonia, which is the name for Poland in Latin and in many other Romance languages....