Church Restoration Underway

Nave of Saint John the Baptist Church, in Saint Louis, Missouri, undergoing restoration. According to an August 10^th, 2007, article in the Saint Louis Review:

"The church at one point was much more decorative. We’ll restore a lot of those elements," [Father Edward M. Rice] said.

Included are elements such as marbleizing the pillars, reguilding the columns and highlighting the Roman arches with a stone look. Those elements all were in the church before the last painting, he said.

The high altar is being repainted and reguilded, and the original light fixtures are being rewired and refurbished.

"Somebody coming into church who remembers how it used to look will say, ‘This is the way it used to be,’" Father Rice said.

A few new items are being introduced. At the top of the sanctuary was a simple cross. The new design has a medallion of the Sacred Heart with gold rays cascading down into the sanctuary.

Restoration work is being done by Max Autenrieb Church Interior Decorating.