St. Hedwig's in Chicago
Encyclopedia
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
. The church is located at 2226 North Hoyne Avenue.
parish in Chicago
. In the 1890s a group of parishioners who resented the dominance of the Resurrectionists culminating in the so-called “Pepper Riots”, where a crowd of 3,000 protesters broke into the foyer and assaulted the resident priests inside. When the police intervened, the protesters threw red pepper into their eyes. The end result was that shots were fired and dozens were injured, including one policeman who was struck by a hammer. The disgruntled anti-Resurrectionists broke off from the parish to form an independent church, which became All Saints Cathedral
of the Polish National Catholic Church
. Pope John Paul II
visited the parish as Bishop of Cracow in 1977, just one year before his election as pope. St.Hedwig's is still administered by the Resurrectionists, though it now has a large Latino population. The surrounding neighborhood of Bucktown has in recent years become newly prosperous and gentrified
. Mass is now celebrated in English
, Polish
and Spanish
.
In May 2, 1965, three men broke into the church. They stole $400 from the donation boxes and started a fire destroying the sacristy and side altar cause great damage. According to an article published by Chicago Tribune
, the three culprits that were caught eventually pleaded guilty and later were sentenced to prison terms.
A basement fire broke out on April 9, 2008, burning a 15 foot by 3 feet hole underneath the altar, leaving no injuries, but destroying the original statue of Our Lady of Manaoag
brought to Chicago 17 years earlier.
who also drew up architectural plans for St. John Cantius
. Like many of Chicago
's Polish Cathedrals, its Renaissance
style recalls the glory days of the Polish Commonwealth
in the 15th and 16th centuries. The interior of St. Hedwig's features a series of paintings by Thaddeus von Zukotynski as well as the work of John A. Mallin
done for the Parish Jubilee in 1938. The aedicula
above the entry is echoed by a pediment
ed reredos
behind the altar
. Made of brick
and Bedford limestone
it has a seating capacity of 1500. Other artistic treasures in the church include the stained glass
window
s imported from Bavaria
.
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...
located 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...
, 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,...
. Constructed in traditional grand 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...
architecture and design, it is one of the many monumental 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 visible from 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...
. The church is located at 2226 North Hoyne Avenue.
History
Founded in 1888 by the Resurrectionist Order who administered St. Stanislaus Kostka, the 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 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...
. In the 1890s a group of parishioners who resented the dominance of the Resurrectionists culminating in the so-called “Pepper Riots”, where a crowd of 3,000 protesters broke into the foyer and assaulted the resident priests inside. When the police intervened, the protesters threw red pepper into their eyes. The end result was that shots were fired and dozens were injured, including one policeman who was struck by a hammer. The disgruntled anti-Resurrectionists broke off from the parish to form an independent church, which became All Saints Cathedral
Former All Saints Cathedral, Chicago
The former Cathedral of All Saints of the Polish National Catholic Church in Chicago, referred to in Polish as Katedra Wszystkich Świętych is a historic church building located in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States...
of the Polish National Catholic Church
Polish National Catholic Church
The Polish National Catholic Church is a Christian church founded and based in the United States by Polish-Americans who were Roman Catholic. The PNCC is a breakaway Catholic Church in dialogue with the Catholic Church; it seeks full communion with the Holy See although it differs theologically...
. 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 ...
visited the parish as Bishop of Cracow in 1977, just one year before his election as pope. St.Hedwig's is still administered by the Resurrectionists, though it now has a large Latino population. The surrounding neighborhood of Bucktown has in recent years become newly prosperous and gentrified
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
. Mass is now celebrated in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
In May 2, 1965, three men broke into the church. They stole $400 from the donation boxes and started a fire destroying the sacristy and side altar cause great damage. According to an article published by Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, the three culprits that were caught eventually pleaded guilty and later were sentenced to prison terms.
A basement fire broke out on April 9, 2008, burning a 15 foot by 3 feet hole underneath the altar, leaving no injuries, but destroying the original statue of Our Lady of Manaoag
Our Lady of Manaoag
Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag is a 17th century Roman Catholic ivory icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the central figure at the altar of her shrine located in Manaoag, Pangasinan...
brought to Chicago 17 years earlier.
Architecture
The church building was completed at a cost of $160,000 in 1901 and designed by Adolphus DruidingAdolphus Druiding
Adolphus Druiding was a German-born American architect who was best known for his work in creating Roman Catholic churches, schools, rectories and convents...
who also drew up architectural plans for St. John Cantius
St. John Cantius in Chicago
St. John Cantius Church is a historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago located in Chicago, Illinois.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...
. Like many 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 Polish Cathedrals, its Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
style recalls the glory days of the Polish Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
in the 15th and 16th centuries. The interior of St. Hedwig's features a series of paintings by Thaddeus von Zukotynski as well as the work of John A. Mallin
John A. Mallin
John A. Mallin was a Czech-American mural and fresco painter in the Chicago area in the 20th century. He painted many church interiors for the Archdiocese of Chicago, often working after the architect and builder Henry J...
done for the Parish Jubilee in 1938. The aedicula
Aedicula
In religion in ancient Rome, an aedicula is a small shrine. The word aedicula is the diminutive of the Latin aedes, a temple building or house....
above the entry is echoed by a 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...
ed reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
behind 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...
. Made of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
and Bedford limestone
Indiana Limestone
Indiana Limestone, also known as Bedford Limestone is a common regional term for Salem limestone, a geological formation primarily quarried in south central Indiana between Bloomington and Bedford....
it has a seating capacity of 1500. Other artistic treasures in the church include the 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...
window
Window
A window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...
s imported from Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
.
External links
See also
- 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...
, Catholic fine art painter and mural artist - Sr. Maria Stanisia, Polish-American fine art painter and restoration artist
- Jozef MazurJozef MazurJozef C. Mazur was an Polish-American stained glass artist, painter and sculptor. His works can be found signed as Josef Mazur, Joseph Mazur, Joe Mazur, J. C. Mazur as well as a few others.-Life:...
, Polish-American painter and stained glass artist
- 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...
- Polish Roman Catholic Union of AmericaPolish Roman Catholic Union of AmericaThe Polish Roman Catholic Union of America is the oldest Polish American organization in the United States. Its history spans notable periods in the development of the Polish American ethnic group, from the time of early settlement by immigrants from Poland through their development of ethnic...
- 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....