The town of New Baden was mainly settled by immigrants from the German Duchy of Baden. Catholics attended Mass in nearby communities until this parish was organized in 1894 with Rev. Gerhard Toennies as pastor.
This church dates from 1907 and was designed by the architect Victor Klutho of Saint Louis, who also designed Saint Francis de Sales Church, Chaminade High School, the convent of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the Benedictine monastery church in Indiana, and St. Gregory's Abbey in Oklahoma, among other buildings.
New Baden was destroyed by the Great Cyclone of 1896, one of the worst in U.S. history, which also caused much devastation and misery in Saint Louis.
These photos were taken during the eve of the first Sunday in Advent.
High altar and Advent wreath.
Altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
XIth Station of the Cross: Jesus is nailed to the Cross. "Consider Jesus, thrown down upon the cross, He stretched out His arms and offered to His eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. They nailed His hands and feet, and then, raising the cross, left Him to die in anguish."
Stained glass windows in the narthex, depicting Saint George and Saint Michael the Archangel slaying dragons.
Saint George was a Roman soldier, martyred for the faith in Lydda, Palestine (modern-day Lod, Israel). His cultus is ancient and is the subject of numerous legends. His relics are in entombed in the Church of Saint George, which shares space with a mosque in a Byzantine basilica.
And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels: And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world; and he was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. — Apoc. 12:7-9
Recall that the devil appeared as a serpent to Eve.
Selig sind die Barmherzigen, Blessed are the merciful. According to the church's web site, "Here we see a rich lady being convinced by her confessor to take this poor woman and her child into her home, thereby showing compassion."
These two stained glass windows prefigure Christ. The sovereign priest Melchisidech makes an offering of bread and wine; and an angel stops Abraham from sacrificing his son.
Address:
200 North 3rd Street
New Baden, Illinois 62265
Baptismal font, located in the narthex.
Can any reader identify the meaning of the two leftmost symbols on the bowl of the font? These show two fish and two birds. The peacock symbol on the front of the base represents immortality, and is below the dove, symbol of the Holy Ghost.
Selig sind die Barmherzigen, Blessed are the merciful. According to the church's web site, "Here we see a rich lady being convinced by her confessor to take this poor woman and her child into her home, thereby showing compassion."
Grapes and lion in this window.
These two stained glass windows prefigure Christ. The sovereign priest Melchisidech makes an offering of bread and wine; and an angel stops Abraham from sacrificing his son.
Address:
200 North 3rd Street
New Baden, Illinois 62265
what a large and beautiful church with only one Sunday Mass.....what does the future hold for these rural treasurers as more and more people more to metro suburban areas!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful Church!
ReplyDeleteI live right by this church when I am in Il. I love waking up to the church bells!
ReplyDeletein 1982 i was 16 yrs old, and pregnant. my dad was stationed at scott afb. we lived in one of the apts across the way. i had some very difficult decisions to make. i was so terribly alone, but i remember the church and the cemetery, and the people burning their leaves in the fall. although i had no religious background of my own, i made the decision to place my baby for adoption with a catholic family through Catholic Charities. I believe it was the beauty and the powerful, but calming prescence of this church, and its grand steeple and sweet bells, that helped me make that toughest ever decision of my life. I have only recently, 28 yrs later, had my son reconnect with me via email. It has been hugely healing for me to learn of the solid, happy, productive, and rooted life he has. I guess i will always mourn that i could not raise him; but i rejoice that the church of St. George was there to help guide me in doing the best thing for my birthson. I never went in the sanctuary, so thank you for these pictures.
ReplyDeleteChristine, I know that's an old comment, but thanks for sharing that beautiful story.
ReplyDelete