Our Lady of Victory Church (Manhattan)
Encyclopedia
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The Church of Our Lady of Victory, also known as the War Memorial Church, is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
, located at 60 William Street on the southeast corner of William Street and Pine Street in the Financial District
of Manhattan
, New York City
. It was established in 1944, during World War II
, by Francis Cardinal Spellman
, Archbishop of New York and Apostolic Vicar for the U.S. Armed Forces from December 11, 1939 to December 2, 1967, at a time when "victory in the war was in sight but not yet assured." A quote from Cardinal Spellman greets worshipers at the front door: "This Holy Shrine is dedicated to Our Lady of Victory in Thanksgiving for Victory won by our valiant dead, our soldier’s blood, our country’s tears, shed to defend men’s rights and win back men’s hearts to God."
A Soldier's Shrine is in the lower chapel, and the Teresa Benedicta
Auschwitz Memorial in the lobby commemorates a victim of the Holocaust. A 9-11 Remembrance Book is displayed.
Today, the church primarily serves as a place for daytime worship, rather than as a neighborhood church.
at a planned cost of $430,000. The land was donated by Major Edward Bowes
. The style of the church has also been described as "basilican." Construction was completed in 1946 and the church dedicated by Cardinal Spellman on June 23, 1947.
. An earlier organ was produced for the church by George Kilgen & Son of St. Louis, Missouri
in 1955.
, located at Throop Avenue and McDonough Street, built from 1891-1895 to the design of Thomas E. Houghton. The parish
in Tremont
, Bronx was established in 1909 and is believed to commemorate the Battle of Lepanto
(1571). Manhattan's establishment in 1944 is the most recent.
:
The Church of Our Lady of Victory, also known as the War Memorial Church, is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
, located at 60 William Street on the southeast corner of William Street and Pine Street in the Financial District
Financial District, Manhattan
The Financial District of New York City is a neighborhood on the southernmost section of the borough of Manhattan which comprises the offices and headquarters of many of the city's major financial institutions, including the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York...
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It was established in 1944, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, by Francis Cardinal Spellman
Francis Cardinal Spellman
Francis Joseph, Cardinal Spellman was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the sixth Archbishop of New York from 1939 to 1967, having previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston...
, Archbishop of New York and Apostolic Vicar for the U.S. Armed Forces from December 11, 1939 to December 2, 1967, at a time when "victory in the war was in sight but not yet assured." A quote from Cardinal Spellman greets worshipers at the front door: "This Holy Shrine is dedicated to Our Lady of Victory in Thanksgiving for Victory won by our valiant dead, our soldier’s blood, our country’s tears, shed to defend men’s rights and win back men’s hearts to God."
A Soldier's Shrine is in the lower chapel, and the Teresa Benedicta
Edith Stein
Saint Teresia Benedicta of the Cross, sometimes also known as Saint Edith Stein , was a German Roman Catholic philosopher and nun, regarded as a martyr and saint of the Roman Catholic Church...
Auschwitz Memorial in the lobby commemorates a victim of the Holocaust. A 9-11 Remembrance Book is displayed.
Today, the church primarily serves as a place for daytime worship, rather than as a neighborhood church.
History
Between 1944 and 1945, the church occupied a temporary premise at 23 William Street. The present brick Georgian Revival church was built in 1944-1946 to the designs by the prominent New York City architectural firm of Eggers & HigginsEggers & Higgins
Eggers & Higgins was a New York architectural firm partnered by Otto Reinhold Eggers and Daniel Paul Higgins . The architects were responsible for the construction phase of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial beginning in 1939, two years after the death of its original architect, John Russell Pope,...
at a planned cost of $430,000. The land was donated by Major Edward Bowes
Edward Bowes
Edward Bowes was an American radio personality of the 1930s and 40s whose Major Bowes' Amateur Hour was the best-known amateur talent show in radio during its eighteen-year run on NBC Radio and CBS Radio.-Early life and radio career:Bowes made his first business success in real estate, until the...
. The style of the church has also been described as "basilican." Construction was completed in 1946 and the church dedicated by Cardinal Spellman on June 23, 1947.
Organ
The church currently has an organ from c.2010 manufactured by the Allen Organ Company of Macungie, PennsylvaniaMacungie, Pennsylvania
Macungie is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is the second oldest borough in the county and a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.-History:...
. An earlier organ was produced for the church by George Kilgen & Son of St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in 1955.
Dedication
The church's "Victory" dedication is commemorates the then ongoing actions during the Second World War. There are at least three Our Lady of Victory Roman Catholic churches in New York City. Brooklyn's appears to be the oldest, with the present church buildingOur Lady of Victory Church (Brooklyn, New York)
The Church of Our Lady of Victory is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, located at Throop Avenue and McDonough Street, Brooklyn, New York City, New York. The parish was established in 1868.-Dedication:...
, located at Throop Avenue and McDonough Street, built from 1891-1895 to the design of Thomas E. Houghton. The parish
Our Lady of Victory Church (Bronx, New York)
The Church of Our Lady of Victory is a Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at Webster Avenue, Tremont, Bronx, New York City. The parish was established in 1909.-Buildings:...
in Tremont
Tremont, Bronx
Tremont is a low income residential neighborhood geographically located in the west Bronx, New York City. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 5. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: East 183rd Street to the north, Webster Avenue to the east, the...
, Bronx was established in 1909 and is believed to commemorate the Battle of Lepanto
Battle of Lepanto
The Battle of Lepanto normally refers to the 1571 Holy League victory over the Ottoman fleet. There were also three earlier battles fought in the vicinity of Lepanto:*Battle of Naupactus in 429 BC, an Athenian victory during the Peleoponnesian War...
(1571). Manhattan's establishment in 1944 is the most recent.
Memorials
Among the memorials in the church are a number of bronze plaques in the narthexNarthex
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...
:
- (Above the central aisle door) "This Holy Shrine is dedicated to Our Lady of Victory in Thanksgiving for Victory won by our valiant dead, our soldier’s blood, our country’s tears, shed to defend men’s rights and win back men’s hearts to God." (Archbishop Spellman’s dedication speech).
- (To the left of the central aisle door) "War Memorial Church / Our Lady of Victory / In Prayerful Remembrance / of / Right Reverend Monsignor / Richard J. Pigott, P.A. / Born January 22, 1895 / Ordained May 21, 1921 / Died November 17, 1963" (Wall-mounted bronze memorial)
- (To the right of the central aisle door) "The Main Altar of this Church / Donated by / Mr. & Mrs. Christopher J. Devine / In Memory of / The Kirby & Devine Families / Church Dedicated on June 23, 1947 / by / Francis Cardinal Spellman / Archbishop of New York / Rev. Richard J. Pigott, Pastor" (Wall-mounted bronze memorial). Devine was founder and Senior Partner of C.J. Devine & Co. a noted dealer in United States Government securities, who lead the funds drive to build the church.
- (Below the above mentioned Devine Memorial) "The site of this Church / of Our Lady of Victory / Was onated by / Major Edward Bowes / To Francis Cardinal Spellman / Archbishop of New York" (Wall-mounted bronze memorial)
- (To right of William Street Entrance)"The Statue of / Our Lady of Victory / On the William Street / Façade has been / Donated in Memory of / Wallace Gilroy." (Wall-mounted bronze memorial)
- (Below the above mentioned Gilroy Memorial) "The Carillon / has been donated by / George Doty / in memory of his sister / Josephine Jaburg." (Doty of Goldman SachsGoldman SachsThe Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients...
) (Wall-mounted bronze memorial) - (Far wall opposite William Street entrance) "Teresa Benedicta of the Cross / Her Calvary was Auschwitz / Gift of the Edith Stein Guild / New York, 1978 A.D." (Wall-mounted bronze memorial)
- Stained glass fanlight above Pine Street entrance depicting Downtown New York Skyline with World Trade Center, inscribed "September 11th Year 2001."