Holy Trinity Polish Mission
Encyclopedia
Holy Trinity Church - historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
. It is a prime example of the so-called 'Polish Cathedral style
' of churches, in both its opulence and grand scale. Along with such monumental religious edifices as St. Mary of the Angels
, St. Hedwig's
or St. John Cantius, it is one of the many Polish churches that dominate over the Kennedy Expressway
in the Pulaski Park neighborhood of Chicago
, Illinois
.
Holy Trinity Church is the home of the Holy Trinity Polish Mission since 1987.
parish. A twenty-year feud between the two parishes ensued, and the parish was not recognized canonically until an apostolic delegate was sent from the Vatican
to resolve the issue. The Congregation of the Holy Cross was brought in to serve the parish under the leadership of Casimir Sztuczko. The parish was long identified with the Polish National Alliance
since most of the parishioners were among its most active members. The building of the Kennedy Expressway
which cut through the heart of Chicago
's Polonia
began a period of decline for the parish as many long-time residents were forced to relocate. Robert Kennedy attended Mass here that were part of the festivities surrounding the annual Polish Constitution Day Parade
in 1961. The parish was transferred in 1975 to the Resurrectionists
and in 1988 to the Society of Christ Fathers
who administer it to this day. On September 14, 2006, the parish hosted Polish
Prime Minister
Jaroslaw Kaczynski
during a Mass celebrating his visit to Chicago
.
Shots of Holy Trinity Polish Mission can be seen throughout Call Northside 777
(1948) starring James Stewart
, the first Hollywood feature film
to be shot on location in Chicago
.
The building combines a variety of styles. Two towers flank the entrance, which features a monumental portico
supported by four Corinthian columns. Corinthian pilaster
s and pediment
s adorn the openings in the lower portions of the towers; higher up, toward the cupolas, the decoration becomes exuberantly baroque. A baroque superstructure, constructed primarily of brick and stone, rises above the portico, but the interior segmental arches and the skeletons of the towers are of iron
. Inside the church the north and south windows are Gothic-Romanesque in style.
This blend of styles is reminiscent of the many churches of Poland which were built during the Middle Ages
and, after being damaged by war or fire, were rebuilt and remodeled to suit later tastes. Often the money was exhausted before the remodeling could be completed so that the exterior was executed in one style and the interior in another. The architect of Holy Trinity evidently followed the pattern of things remembered, hoping to give the congregation a feeling of the old country.
The turn-of-the-century church interior retains its original form. It is spacious (125 by 200 feet) and richly decorated. The segmental vaults
are tripartite but, being of iron
construction, have no supporting columns. Mural
s of religious scenes cover the walls, including a group depicting the patron saints of Poland
. All of the windows are stained glass
and represent sacred symbols familiar to the Polish immigrants who founded the parish, such as the Black Madonna over the altar of St. Francis of Assisi
; Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn
glows richly above the altar of the Sacred Heart. Other windows feature small windows of Polish Saints and martyrs as well as Polish eagles and folkloric motifs.
The interior decorations of Holy Trinity were executed in 1914 by K. Markiewicz. The mural paintings on the vaults were executed in 1926. The fine stained glass windows were selected in 1940 and installed in 1955. Most were installed by a well-known Polish
artist, Irena Lorentowicz. A figure of Our Lady
Queen of Emigrants by Professor Wiktor Zin
was brought to the church and blessed by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin in 1990. 1992 saw the placement of an urn
at Holy Trinity filled with soil from sites in the former Soviet Union
where mass graves of murdered Poles were buried: Kharkiv
, Katyn
and Mednoye
. Memorial plaque
s were installed in the narthex
in 1993 and 1994; the first was in honor of Casimir Sztuczko, CSC, the longtime pastor
of Holy Trinity who oversaw the building of the current church, while the second was to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the battle of Monte Cassino
. In 2000, new metal doors called the 'Millennium Doors' were installed, created by artist Jerzy Kenar
. A complete renovation of Holy Trinity began in 2005 in honor of the 100th anniversary of the building of the present church. New copper
dome
s were installed on the two church tower
s, new granite
tile was installed in the presbytery
, and the interior was completely repainted and refurbished. A new mural
was added above the choir
depicting St. Cecilia in the company of an angel
ic choir
. Additionally, relics of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, Karolina Kózka
and Padre Pio, as well as depictions of St. Faustina, Cardinala Stefan Wyszynski and August Hlond and Pope John Paul II
were added to reflect Saintly cults popular among today's Polish
community.
of Holy Trinity who oversaw the building of the present church, wished to have an area of the church set aside to venerate
the holy relics of saints and the beatified
. The result is one of the most distinctive and interesting aspects of Holy Trinity, its so-called 'catacombs', inspired by the underground cemetery
meeting places where early Christians met while the religion
was still illegal in the Roman Empire
. The 'catacombs' are found beneath the area formerly occupied by the lower church, and consist of a winding path lined with niche
s containing saintly relics leading up to the chamber
containing the grave of Christ
. This was the first area of the church restored during the renovation campaign anticipating the 100th anniversary of the church, since the 'catacombs' had become dilapidated over the years, particularly during the period when the parish was marked for liquidation. Relics of new saints were added, as was a collection of stones from biblical sites in the Holy Land
. The 'catacombs' are open on Sundays after Mass as well as during the liturgical season of Lent
. Relics of the following saint
s are found in the 'catacombs', a number of them being represented by more than one reliquary
:
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an Archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries...
. It is a prime example of 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...
' of churches, in both its opulence and grand scale. Along with such monumental religious edifices 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....
, St. Hedwig's
St. Hedwig's in Chicago
St. Hedwig's Church is an historic parish church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago located in Chicago, Illinois. Constructed in traditional grand Polish architecture and design, it is one of the many monumental Polish churches visible from the Kennedy Expressway...
or St. John Cantius, it is one of the many Polish churches that dominate over the Kennedy Expressway
Kennedy Expressway
The John F. Kennedy Expressway is a long highway that travels northwest from the Chicago Loop to O'Hare International Airport. The expressway is named for the 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy. The Interstate 90 portion of the Kennedy is a part of the much longer I-90...
in the Pulaski Park neighborhood of 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...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
Holy Trinity Church is the home of the Holy Trinity Polish Mission since 1987.
History
Founded in 1872 to relieve overcrowding at St. Stanislaus Kostka, the city's first PolishPoles
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...
parish. A twenty-year feud between the two parishes ensued, and the parish was not recognized canonically until an apostolic delegate was sent from the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
to resolve the issue. The Congregation of the Holy Cross was brought in to serve the parish under the leadership of Casimir Sztuczko. The parish was long identified with the Polish National Alliance
Polish National Alliance
The Polish National Alliance is the largest and one of the oldest Polish fraternal organizations in the United States, founded on 15 February 1880 in Philadelphia under the influence of Polish patriot Agaton Giller. Its first president was Juliusz Andrzejkowicz.The PNA founded a number of...
since most of the parishioners were among its most active members. The building of the Kennedy Expressway
Kennedy Expressway
The John F. Kennedy Expressway is a long highway that travels northwest from the Chicago Loop to O'Hare International Airport. The expressway is named for the 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy. The Interstate 90 portion of the Kennedy is a part of the much longer I-90...
which cut through the heart of 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...
's Polonia
Polonia
The 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....
began a period of decline for the parish as many long-time residents were forced to relocate. Robert Kennedy attended Mass here that were part of the festivities surrounding the annual Polish Constitution Day Parade
Polish Constitution Day Parade
The Polish Constitution Day Parade in Chicago is the largest Polish parade outside of Poland, and celebrates the anniversary of the ratification of the Polish Constitution of May 3, 1791, which historian Norman Davies calls "the first constitution of its kind in Europe".For 115 years, Polonia's...
in 1961. The parish was transferred in 1975 to the Resurrectionists
Resurrectionist Order
The Congregation of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is an international Institute of Consecrated Life of men within the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1836 by three men, Bogdan Jański, Peter Semenenko and Hieronim Kajsiewicz in Paris on the heels of the Polish Great Emigration...
and in 1988 to the Society of Christ Fathers
Society of Christ Fathers
The Society of Christ Fathers for Poles Living Abroad - Roman Catholic Society of Apostolic Life founded by the then Primate of Poland, Cardinal August Hlond, in cooperation with Fr...
who administer it to this day. On September 14, 2006, the parish hosted Polish
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...
Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Jaroslaw Kaczynski
Jaroslaw Kaczynski
Jarosław Aleksander Kaczyński is a conservative Polish politician who served as Prime Minister from July 2006 to November 2007. He is presently the chairman of the Law and Justice party, which he cofounded in 2002. He has been the leader of the opposition since the 2007 elections.He has a Doctor...
during a Mass celebrating his visit to 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...
.
Shots of Holy Trinity Polish Mission can be seen throughout Call Northside 777
Call Northside 777
Call Northside 777 is a documentary-style film noir directed by Henry Hathaway. It is based on the true story of a Chicago reporter who proved that a man, who had been in prison for murder, was wrongly convicted 11 years before....
(1948) starring James Stewart
James Stewart (actor)
James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
, the first Hollywood feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
to be shot on location 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...
.
Architecture
The original plans were drawn up by Herman Olszewski (better known by his pseudonym Von Herbulis), and had to be scaled down to fit the resources of the parish. Local architect William Krieg drew up the final version of the plans. The church building was begun in 1905 and completed by October 1906.The building combines a variety of styles. Two towers flank the entrance, which features a monumental portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
supported by four Corinthian columns. Corinthian pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s and pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
s adorn the openings in the lower portions of the towers; higher up, toward the cupolas, the decoration becomes exuberantly baroque. A baroque superstructure, constructed primarily of brick and stone, rises above the portico, but the interior segmental arches and the skeletons of the towers are of iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
. Inside the church the north and south windows are Gothic-Romanesque in style.
This blend of styles is reminiscent of the many churches of Poland which were built during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and, after being damaged by war or fire, were rebuilt and remodeled to suit later tastes. Often the money was exhausted before the remodeling could be completed so that the exterior was executed in one style and the interior in another. The architect of Holy Trinity evidently followed the pattern of things remembered, hoping to give the congregation a feeling of the old country.
The turn-of-the-century church interior retains its original form. It is spacious (125 by 200 feet) and richly decorated. The segmental vaults
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
are tripartite but, being of iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
construction, have no supporting columns. Mural
Mural
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...
s of religious scenes cover the walls, including a group depicting the patron saints of Poland
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...
. All of the windows are stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
and represent sacred symbols familiar to the Polish immigrants who founded the parish, such as the Black Madonna over the altar of St. Francis of Assisi
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
; Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn
Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn
Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn is the prominent painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated by the faithful in the Chapel of the Gate of Dawn in Vilnius, Lithuania. The Renaissance painting, completed possibly in the first half of the 17th century, is an unusual portrayal of Madonna as she is...
glows richly above the altar of the Sacred Heart. Other windows feature small windows of Polish Saints and martyrs as well as Polish eagles and folkloric motifs.
The interior decorations of Holy Trinity were executed in 1914 by K. Markiewicz. The mural paintings on the vaults were executed in 1926. The fine stained glass windows were selected in 1940 and installed in 1955. Most were installed by a well-known 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...
artist, Irena Lorentowicz. A figure of Our Lady
Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic)
Roman Catholic veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary is based on Holy Scripture: In the fullness of time, God sent his son, born of a virgin. The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God through Mary thus signifies her honour as Mother of God...
Queen of Emigrants by Professor Wiktor Zin
Wiktor Zin
Wiktor Zin - Polish architect, graphic artist, professor, architectural preservationist, cultural activist, and promoter of Polish history and culture.-Biography:...
was brought to the church and blessed by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin in 1990. 1992 saw the placement of an urn
Urn
An urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal. "Knife urns" placed on pedestals flanking a dining-room sideboard were an English innovation for high-style dining rooms of the late 1760s...
at Holy Trinity filled with soil from sites in the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
where mass graves of murdered Poles were buried: Kharkiv
Kharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
, Katyn
Katyn massacre
The Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre , was a mass execution of Polish nationals carried out by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs , the Soviet secret police, in April and May 1940. The massacre was prompted by Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all members of...
and Mednoye
Mednoye
Mednoye is a village in Kalininsky District of Tver Oblast, Russia, located on the Tvertsa River, 28 km west of Tver, by the Moscow–St.Petersburg highway. Population: 3,047 ....
. Memorial plaque
Commemorative plaque
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
s were installed in the narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
in 1993 and 1994; the first was in honor of Casimir Sztuczko, CSC, the longtime pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Holy Trinity who oversaw the building of the current church, while the second was to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the battle of Monte Cassino
Battle of Monte Cassino
The Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
. In 2000, new metal doors called the 'Millennium Doors' were installed, created by artist Jerzy Kenar
Jerzy Kenar
Jerzy S. Kenar is a Polish-American sculptor in the United States. Kenar works in wood, bronze as well as in an Acrylic-based composite.Born on January 19, 1948 in the town of Iwonicz-Zdrój, he left Poland permanently in 1973 for Sweden...
. A complete renovation of Holy Trinity began in 2005 in honor of the 100th anniversary of the building of the present church. New copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
s were installed on the two church tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
s, new granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
tile was installed in the presbytery
Presbytery (architecture)
The presbytery is the name for an area in a church building which is reserved for the clergy.In the oldest church it is separated by short walls, by small columns and pilasters in the Renaissance ones; it can also be raised, being reachable by a few steps, usually with railings....
, and the interior was completely repainted and refurbished. A new mural
Mural
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...
was added above the choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
depicting St. Cecilia in the company of an angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
ic choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. Additionally, relics of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, Karolina Kózka
Karolina Kózka
- Young Life :Born on August 2, 1898, Karolina Kozka was one of eleven children, although sources conflict about her being the 4th, 7th, or 8th born. Her parents were Jan and Maria Borzecka Kozka of Poland. The family lived in the Wal-Ruda and was part of the Diocese of Tarnow...
and Padre Pio, as well as depictions of St. Faustina, Cardinala Stefan Wyszynski and August Hlond and Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
were added to reflect Saintly cults popular among today's 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.
Catacombs
Casimir Sztuczko CSC, the long-time pastorPastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Holy Trinity who oversaw the building of the present church, wished to have an area of the church set aside to venerate
Veneration
Veneration , or veneration of saints, is a special act of honoring a saint: an angel, or a dead person who has been identified by a church committee as singular in the traditions of the religion. It is practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic, and Eastern Catholic Churches...
the holy relics of saints and the beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
. The result is one of the most distinctive and interesting aspects of Holy Trinity, its so-called 'catacombs', inspired by the underground cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
meeting places where early Christians met while the religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
was still illegal in the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. The 'catacombs' are found beneath the area formerly occupied by the lower church, and consist of a winding path lined with niche
Niche (architecture)
A niche in classical architecture is an exedra or an apse that has been reduced in size, retaining the half-dome heading usual for an apse. Nero's Domus Aurea was the first semi-private dwelling that possessed rooms that were given richly varied floor plans, shaped with niches and exedras;...
s containing saintly relics leading up to the chamber
Room
A room is any distinguishable space within a structure.Room may also refer to:* Room , by Emma Donoghue* Room, Nepal* Room for PlayStation Portable, a social networking service* Thomas Gerald Room , Australian mathematician...
containing the grave of Christ
Tomb of Jesus
Several places have been proposed as the tomb of Jesus, the place where Jesus Christ was buried:*Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, accepted by many Christians and scholars as built on ground on which Jesus was crucified and buried...
. This was the first area of the church restored during the renovation campaign anticipating the 100th anniversary of the church, since the 'catacombs' had become dilapidated over the years, particularly during the period when the parish was marked for liquidation. Relics of new saints were added, as was a collection of stones from biblical sites in the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
. The 'catacombs' are open on Sundays after Mass as well as during the liturgical season of Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
. Relics of the following saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
s are found in the 'catacombs', a number of them being represented by more than one reliquary
Reliquary
A reliquary is a container for relics. These may be the physical remains of saints, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures...
:
- Matthew the EvangelistMatthew the EvangelistMatthew the Evangelist was, according to the Bible, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the four Evangelists.-Identity:...
- Saint Hedwig of SilesiaHedwig of AndechsSaint Hedwig of Silesia , also Saint Hedwig of Andechs from the comital House of Andechs was Duchess of Silesia from 1201 and of Greater Poland from 1231 as well as High Duchess consort of Poland from 1232 until 1238.-Life:...
- Saint Elizabeth of Hungary
- Saint AdalbertAdalbert of PragueThis article is about St Adalbert of Prague. For other uses, see Adalbert .Saint Adalbert, Czech: ; , , Czech Roman Catholic saint, a Bishop of Prague and a missionary, was martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians. He evangelized Poles and Hungarians. St...
- Salomea of PolandSalomea of PolandSalome of Poland , also known as Salome of Cracow or Blessed Salome , was a Polish princess and from 1215 to 1219 the Queen of Halych by virtue of being the wife of Kálmán or Coloman of Lodomeria....
- Saint Clare of Assisi
- Saint Louis
- Saint Kinga
- Saint Cyril of Alexandria
- Saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów
- Saint FlorianSaint FlorianFlorian lived in the time of the Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian, and was commander of the imperial army in the Roman province of Noricum. In addition to his military duties, he was also responsible for organizing firefighting brigades....
- Saint Catherine of AlexandriaCatherine of AlexandriaSaint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is, according to tradition, a Christian saint and virgin, who was martyred in the early 4th century at the hands of the pagan emperor Maxentius...
- Padre Pio
- Blessed Karolina Kózka
- Saint FaustinaSaint FaustinaSaint Faustina may refer to:*Saint Faustina , 6th century Italian saint, feast day January 18*Mary Faustina Kowalska , Polish nun and saint, feast day October 5...
- Saint Thérèse de LisieuxThérèse de LisieuxSaint Thérèse of Lisieux , or Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, born Marie-Françoise-Thérèse Martin, was a French Carmelite nun...
- Saint Anthony of Padua
- Saint Andrew Bobola
- Saint John Vianney
- Saint Jean EudesJean EudesJean Eudes was a French missionary, founder of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary and of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, and author of the Propers for Mass and Divine Office of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.-Biography:John Eudes, born at Ri, Orne, was a brother of the...
- Saint Peter Canisius
- Saint Josaphat
- Saint John CantiusJohn CantiusSaint John Cantius was a renowned Polish priest, Scholastic philosopher, physicist and theologian. He is also known as John of Kanty or John of Kanti.-Biography:...
- Saint HyacinthSaint HyacinthSaint Hyacinth, O.P., was educated in Paris and Bologna. A Doctor of Sacred Studies and a secular priest, he worked to reform women's monasteries in his native Poland...
- Saint CasimirSaint CasimirSaint Casimir Jagiellon was a royal prince of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania who became a patron saint of Lithuania, Poland, and the young.-Biography:...
- Saint Brigid
- Saint MauritiusSaint MauriceSaint Maurice was the leader of the legendary Roman Theban Legion in the 3rd century, and one of the favorite and most widely venerated saints of that group. He was the patron saint of several professions, locales, and kingdoms...
See also
- 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...
churches of Chicago - Polish Americans
- Poles in ChicagoPoles in ChicagoChicago Polonia, refers to both immigrant Poles and Americans of Polish heritage living in Chicago, Illinois. They are a part of worldwide Polonia, the proper term for the Polish Diaspora outside of Poland. Poles in Chicago have contributed to the economic, social and cultural well-being of Chicago...
- Sr. Mary Stanisia
- 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...
- 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....