St. Philomena's Church (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Encyclopedia
St. Philomena's Church was a Roman Catholic
church located 619 East Third Street at East Pearl Street, in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio
. The church was named in honor of St. Philomena, a popular saint of the period. This parish was founded to serve the growing tide of German-speaking Catholic population in Cincinnati, it was the fourth German
Catholic Parish in Cincinnati.
The cornerstone
was laid August 23, 1846. Rev. Louis Huber, O.S.F., and after him, Rev. B. Hengehold, directed the building of the church. The dedication ceremonies were performed by Archbishop John Baptist Purcell
, May 21, 1848, though services had been held since the January previous in the uncompleted building. The school house was erected in 1865, the parsonage in 1872. The congregation numbered 200 families in 1896.http://memory.gclc-lib.org/cgi-bin/library?e=d-000-00---0greaterc--00-0-0--0prompt-10---4------0-1l--1-en-50---20-about---00031-001-1-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&c=greaterc&cl=CL1.19&d=HASH1d9b9b19b0a70d88aa4d31 Services were no longer held in German after World War I
began.
Because of the church's location near the riverfront, St. Philomena's steeple
was a well known landmark on the Cincinnati skyline. On July 7, 1915 a tornado damaged the steeple. The steeple feel on a building across Pearl Street. (See link)
The Parish was closed in 1954. Records for this Parish are located at the Chancery Office of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, 100 E. 8th St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.
In the late 1950s much of Cincinnati's historic riverfront including St. Philomena's Church was cleared for the construction of the Fort Washington Way
and later the Lytle Tunnel
.
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...
church located 619 East Third Street at East Pearl Street, in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. The church was named in honor of St. Philomena, a popular saint of the period. This parish was founded to serve the growing tide of German-speaking Catholic population in Cincinnati, it was the fourth German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
Catholic Parish in Cincinnati.
The cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
was laid August 23, 1846. Rev. Louis Huber, O.S.F., and after him, Rev. B. Hengehold, directed the building of the church. The dedication ceremonies were performed by Archbishop John Baptist Purcell
John Baptist Purcell
John Baptist Purcell was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cincinnati from 1833 until his death in 1883, and was elevated to the rank of Archbishop in 1850.-Biography:...
, May 21, 1848, though services had been held since the January previous in the uncompleted building. The school house was erected in 1865, the parsonage in 1872. The congregation numbered 200 families in 1896.http://memory.gclc-lib.org/cgi-bin/library?e=d-000-00---0greaterc--00-0-0--0prompt-10---4------0-1l--1-en-50---20-about---00031-001-1-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&c=greaterc&cl=CL1.19&d=HASH1d9b9b19b0a70d88aa4d31 Services were no longer held in German after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
began.
Because of the church's location near the riverfront, St. Philomena's steeple
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
was a well known landmark on the Cincinnati skyline. On July 7, 1915 a tornado damaged the steeple. The steeple feel on a building across Pearl Street. (See link)
The Parish was closed in 1954. Records for this Parish are located at the Chancery Office of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, 100 E. 8th St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.
In the late 1950s much of Cincinnati's historic riverfront including St. Philomena's Church was cleared for the construction of the Fort Washington Way
Fort Washington Way
Fort Washington Way is a one-mile section of freeway in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Running east-west in a trench, it carries Interstate 71 and US-50, first built between 1958 and 1961. It is named for a former fort which once stood nearby....
and later the Lytle Tunnel
Lytle Tunnel
The Lytle Tunnel is a vehicular tunnel that carries Interstate 71 under the historic Lytle Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It is a six-lane tunnel with three tubes. There is a two lane southbound tube, a three lane northbound tube, and a one lane southbound tube that separates from the...
.
External links
- Parish profile
- St. Philomena's Church, East Pearl Street
- Old St. Philomena Church, aerial view
- St. Philomena's steeple in middle of Cincinnati skyline
- Rev. Herman Kemper, Pastor, St. Philomena's Church, circa 1896
- Original Fort Washington Way
- Construction Fort Washington Way
- 1913 Flood
- St. Philomena on the riverfront
- Looking South from Mount Adams, St. Philomena on right
- Tornado damage from fall of St. Philomena's Church steeple, July 7, 1915
