The Villiger Society of St. Joseph's Preparatory School's 4 The Church of the Gesu, St. Joseph's Preparatory School "We build this tower and hung these Bells, And reared this altar

The Villiger Society of St. Joseph's Preparatory School's

Ihunch of the Ges

Page 2

The Church of the Gesu, & Joseph's Preparatory School

The Villiger Society of St. Joseph's Preparatory School's

Guide to the

Email at [email protected]

Please visit villigerarchives.blogspot.com Ownership of the contents is listed below:

Front piece: Photo from Gesu postcard, copyright in 1963 by the Colorcraft studios, 114 E. 22 street, New York 16, NY

Page 4: Poem by James J. Daly, SJ., copied from a plaque on the Church of the Gesu's wall.

Pages 5-11: "Four things you didn't know about the Church of the Gesu" by Leo Vaccaro, re-edited from the Prep News Summer

2008 edition.

Vnliger Society Guide to the Church of the Gesu Page 3

Pages 12-13: Photo of the Gesu parishoners from Golden Jubilee 1888 -1934: Church of the Gesu (Privately published), 129.

Page 14: Images of the cross section of the Gesu from John Milner As- sociates, "An Historical and Architectural Analysis of the Church of the

Gesu" March 1987. This version is from a copy available in the Vil- liger Archives of SJP.

Pages 15-16, 20-21, 23-24: Outline of a guided tour of the Gesu.

Page 17: Image of the mannequins, Golden Jubilee 1888-1934: Church of the Gesu (Privately published), 113.

Pages 18-19: Image of the layout of the Gesu from John Milner Associ- ates (see page 14), labeled with side chapels and the stations of the cross by Leo Vaccaro. This version is from the Villiger Archives.

Page 22: Image of the layout of the Gesu in Rome and the Walls of the Gesu in Philadelphia from John Milner Associates. This version is

from the Villiger Archives.

Pages 26-30: Copies from the Church and Society Bulletin, from No-

vember 1911. From the Villiger Archives copy.

Page 31: From the 1880 book of Announcements, quoted in "How much did you pay for that seat? A tale of pew rents at the Gesu" pub-

lished on the villigerarchives.blogspot.com on 9 February 2012.

Pages 32-33: From Cyril M. Harris, ed., Illustrated Dictionary off-Ks-

toric Architecture (New York: Dover Publications,1977), 138-139.

Pages 34-35: Charles Kling's notes on the Gesu.

Last Page: Photo from the first Mass at the Gesu, from Golden Jubilee

1888-1934: Church of the Gesu (Privately published), 31.

Special thanks to William Conners, Bill Avington, Magdalena Sanchez, Carmen Croce, Pat McAvinue, Charles Kling and

St. Joseph's Preparatory School.

Page 4

The Church of the Gesu, St. Joseph's Preparatory School

"We build this tower and hung these Bells,

And reared this altar where Christ dwells;

We flung these arches overhead,

Who now lie numbered with the dead.

We opened doors for you to Him

Who is the joy of seraphim.

All you who enter here to pray,

Remember us who led the way."

-James J. Daly, S.J.

Vi'Eger Society Guide to the Church of the Gesu Page 5

Four things you didn't know

about the Church of the Gest:,

By Leo J. Vaccaro, '05

The greatest ideas are those that develop into reality and be-

come integral parts of people's lives. Swiss immigrant and Jesuit Bur-

chard Villiger's greatest idea was the Church of the GesU, and the

Gest) certainly remained an important structure for those who were

associated with it. When it was completed in 1888, the Gest) was

not just a single building, but it was the focal point around which re-

volved entire communities — scholastic institutions, a religious com-

munity and a neighborhood. In many ways, it is difficult to approach

the history of the GesU through the viewpoint of the first generations

of Saint Joseph's Preparatory School, Saint Joseph's College (now

University), and what is now called the Gesu School because these

institutions seem to have been viewed as largely dependent and unit-

ed by the Gest) Church. Currently, with the University departed to

City Avenue, the Gesu School being "independent",' the parish hav-

ing closed, and the Prep owning the Church structure; it can be diffi-

cult to envision a historical situation that was utterly reversed.

It was never completed.

In spite of the efforts of Philadelphia's Jesuit community, the

Gest) was never fully completed. Plans to build what was to become

the Church of the Gest) may have begun as early as 1866. In Decem-

ber of that year, the Catholic Standard (a Philadelphia Catholic news-

paper), announced that "A tract of ground, up town, in extent about

three acres, has just been purchased by the Jesuits .... [where a]

Page 6

The Church of the Gesu, St Joseph's Preparatory School

church, a college, and pastoral residence will be built ...." More sig-

nificantly, however, the Catholic Standard added that this church "...

will be one of the largest, if not the largest, of any of the parish

churches in the city ...." Unless the Catholic Standard was fueled

entirely by gossip on this point (something that seems very unlikely),

it seems as though the Philadelphian Jesuits already had a great plan in

mind well over a decade before the Gesa's cornerstone was set in

place.'

Work on the current Church of the Gest:, was not started

until 1879. By 1883, a "Description of the New Church in Process of

Erection" was printed in the Philadelphia Inquirer noting that "Work

was resumed about a month ago on the new church building" and

then went on to describe the dimensions the church as planned. Less

than a week later, the Inquirer noted that "The new Church of the

Gesu is being pushed to completion." In 1884, the walls were high

enough that one man, John Maguire, fell and was mortally wounded

while working on the GesO. However, "The church was not quite

finished ...." even by October 4, 1888, when a ceremony honoring

the 50th Anniversary of Villiger's entrance into the Jesuit order was

held in the new church. Although the year 1888 marked the end of

major exterior construction at the Church of the Gesu; it was

planned that a major addition would be made to the two towers at

the front of the church. There are a large number of pictures that

show this intended design; which were to consist of (in the words of

the scholar James D. Van Trump) "domed bonnets in a rather unin-

spired Second Empire style." Furthermore, the main altar was in-

tended to be constructed of "... marble and onyx ...." In many dif-

ferent ways, the image that the early parishioners may have had of

the Church of the Gesil was one that was never finished.3

Villiger Society Guide to the Church of the Gesu Page 7

The cost of the Gesu.

Even before the cornerstone of the Gesi, was laid, the Jesuits

in North Philadelphia had already accumulated a debt of approxi-

mately $75,000. The cost of purchasing the land, the construction of

the temporary Church of the Gesii (known as New St. Joseph's and

then as Holy Family — a period photograph preserved in the Gesu

Parish's commemorative centennial book demonstrates that it faced

18th Street above Stiles Street) as well as the partial construction of

the "Preparatory Department of St. Joseph's College" had all contrib-

uted to the Jesuits' financial woes. Villiger, however, being "... a re-

markable financier and against difficulties that would have crushed a

lesser man ...." continued work on the Church. In Villiger's own

words, "... I was unexpectedly sent to Philadelphia to commence the

building of a new Church and College, without any means or money,

with the only hope of God's providence, in the midst of opposition

on every side, - a sure sign that the powers of hell were not pleased

with such a project." Historian David Contosta stated that the

Church of the Gesu cost $426,548 — an extraordinary amount for

the time period. Francis X. Talbot, S.J. — one of the most important

scholars to have ever commented on the construction of the Gesu —

noted that, due to the construction of the GesO Church, "... St. Jo-

seph's College has suffered grievously.'

The fate of the Gesu Church and that of Saint Joseph's Col-

lege were very closely intertwined — Burchard Villiger, S.J. (the found-

er of the Gesu) thought that "... Our colleges must always have a

church attached to them ...." and it was this reasoning that propelled

the construction of the Gesu Church before the construction of the

new College building — on which ground was not broken until 1898.

Saint Joseph's College failed to quickly take dominant educational

leadership in Catholic Philadelphia (as Contosta points out), mean-

while La Salle College, as well as Temple, were both able to attract

Page 8

The Church of the Gesu, &Joseph's Preparatory School

students and open within a few blocks of the Gesu (La Salle during

those years had moved to the corner of Broad and Girard). Accord-

ing to Contosta, "Not only did large sums of money go into building

the Gesu instead of to the college, but the two decades which had

elapsed between buying the property in North Philadelphia and com-

pleting the Church of the Gesu had allowed La Salle College to estab-

lish itself as the city's only Catholic institution of higher learning."

Furthermore, it can be surmised that Talbot seems to think that a

greater plan would have been to build "The Catholic University of

Philadelphia" — an idea created by provincial Joseph Keller, S.J., and

supported by Archbishop Wood. It never happened however; bluntly

put, Talbot stated, "One is tempted to speculate about the present

status of St. Joseph's College if Father Villiger had applied his visions

and his electric energy to his college rather than to his church."'

The Gest) may have once held the nation's

largest collection of relics.

In 1938, for the "Golden Jubilee" of the Gesu parish, a booklet

was published in which various essays, pictures, and articles about the

history of the Church of the Gesu were displayed. In one article, the

booklet reprinted a note from the "Gesu Church Calendar" of March

1903. In that article, it was stated that "IN the number and variety of

its sacred relics, the Gesu, we believe, is more richly provided than

any other church in the country. It may not perhaps stand alone in

point of mere numbers, but if account is taken of the periods of the

Church's history represented, and the diversity of condition of the

Saints comprised in the collection, our church is probably without a

rival." Unfortunately, many were destroyed in a fire "... which invad-

ed the sacristy some years ago, but most providentially the far greater


part, together with the authentics, were saved."'

According to some early documents, now in the possession of

Historian Carmen Croce, a great number of relics were purchased by

Villiger from Rev. Charles Piccirillo, S.J., "... from Rome where they

had been venerated for more than one hundred and twenty years in a

Chapel of a noble family who being reduced to poverty were obliged

to sell their Palace and Chapel treasures ...." It was reported that

Villiger spent "... more than Two hundred Dollars as an alms to se-cure these Relics for our Church." Included in this list were 6 "Bodies of Saints", 3 pieces of the true cross, and 194 "Relics of other

Saints". Afterwards, their "... authentications had to be sent to Rome

for revision ...." and all were sent back "... except two ... because

those two had been misplaced by the Prefect of Relics; if found, they

will be sent back." The list continued to grow, however, and by April

1891, the Gesu may have had in excess of 370 relics.'

Some of the relics were displayed in a unique way. Many peo-

ple who have visited churches in Rome notice that the bodies of saints

are often somewhat visible lying in glass cases, sometimes below al-

tars. The Gesu simulated this effect, by displaying models of Saints

Eleutherius, Urbanus, and Secundilla with their respective relics. Pic-

tures survive of these mannequins, and they closely resembled the

bodies of visible saints in Rome. Saint Eleutheris was placed in the

main altar, Saint Urbanus (Urban) was placed in the Saint Ignatius altar,

and Saint Secundilla was placed in Saint Francis Xavier's altar. 8

The Gesu is missing a number of valuable

paintings.

According to Burchard Villiger's biographer, John Ryan, S.J., in Octo-

ber 1887 Villiger displayed a number of paintings purchased from "...

Page 10

The Church of the Gesu, Joseph's Preparatory School

a Belgian Jesuit ..." who had had been "... traveling in Mexico ...."

Those paintings, according to Ryan, were painted by Cabrera, a great

Mexican painter. In recent years, Miguel de Cabrera, has been called

(by Ramon Gutierrez and Graciela Maria Vii-ivales) one of the "... the

two greatest painters of colonial Mexico ...." (along with Cristobal de

Villalpando). 9

Ryan reports that this Philadelphia collection "... consisted of

eighteen life-size portraits of the Generals of the Society of Jesus from

Saint Ignatius to Father Lawrence Ricci, a painting of our Lady of Gua-

dalupe, the Mexican Madonna, and a head of Saint Francis Xavier.

There were also paintings of Saint Aloysius and Saint Stanislaus." 1°

Ryan remarks that the paintings "... were afterward enclosed in neat

frames and hung up in the corridors of the college when it was built;

and they may be seen there now." His book was published in 1906,

and it is the last known account mentioning the current location of

the paintings.' '

Notes:

1 "Independent" in the sense as stated on their website, "GESU School —About GESU," Gesu School, http://www.gesuschool.org/Ol_about.htm (accessed July 24, 2008).

2 Catholic Standard, 1 December 1866, p. 5. 3 Francis X. Talbot, S.J., Jesuit Education in Philadelphia: Saint Joseph 's

College 1851-1926 (Philadelphia: Saint Joseph's College, 1927) p. 79.; Philadelphia Inquirer, 1 August 1883, p. 2.; Philadelphia Inquirer, 6 August 1883, p. 2.; Golden Jubilee 1888-1934: Church of the Gesu (Privately published), p. 34.; Philadelphia Inquirer, 15 August 1884, p. 3.; Philadelphia Inquirer, 18 August 1884, p. 2.; Public Ledger, 15 August 1884, p. 1.; Public Ledger, 16 August 1884, p. 1.; Public Ledger, 18 August 1884, p. 2.; Golden Jubilee, p. 34.; Philadelphia Inquirer, 5 October 1888 p. 2.; John J. Ryan, S.J., Memoir of the Life of Rev. Burchard Villiger of the Society of Jesus (Philadelphia: F. McManus, Jr. & Co., 1906), pp. 135-143, 150-151.; James D. Van Trump, "The Column and the Cross in Philadelphia: Three Victorian Classi-cal Churches by Edwin F. Durang," Charette: Pennsylvania Journal of Architecture 47, no. 1 (January 1967): p. 11.; Concerning the final sentence on the question of perceived image of the Gesii: This information seems to be confirmed furthermore by the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Archives collection of pamphlets that long demon-strate a non-existent image of the Gesii, as well as Saint Joseph's College materials that demonstrate similarly imaginary illustrations (i.e. such as the pamphlet for the

Villiger Society Guide to the Church of the Gesu

Page 11

["Grand Bazaar and Spring Festival In Aide of the New Convent for the Sisters of the Gesu Parochial School to be held in St. Joseph's College Auditorium Com-mencing Easter Monday Evening, April 13 th, 1914," Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center]; and ["St. Joseph's College Philadelphia, PA. 1901-1902 [College Catalogue]," F. McManus Jr. & Co., Saint Joseph's University Ar-chives and Special Collections] which both still contain images of the Gesu in a final, never completed state).

4 Talbot, Jesuit Education, pp. 76-79, 80; The Gesu Parish Centennial (South Hackensack, N.J.: Custombook, Inc., Ecclesiastical Color Publishers, 1969), p. 4.; Burchard Villiger, "AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FATHER BURCHARD VILLIGER," in The Woodstock Letters, (Woodstock College: 1903) Vol. XXXII, pp. 79-80.; (The Woodstock Letters were a Jesuit publication distributed "FOR CIRCULATION AMONG OURS ONLY" — as the front page of the previously quoted volume indicated — meaning that only Jesuits were supposed to have access to these books); David R. Contosta, Saint Joseph's: Philadelphia's Jesuit Univer-sity (Philadelphia: Saint Joseph's University Press, 2000) p. 42.

5 Talbot, Jesuit Education, p. 78, 77-79, 99, 80, 81, 84. Contosta, Saint Joseph's, p. 43. For the details of the mentioned and projected University, see Talbot, Jesuit Education, pp. 81-84. If one looks close enough, however, Talbot's insistence on a 'Catholic University of Philadelphia' may merely be an example of a seasoned scholar falling into "what-if' history. There is more to be said about Talbot's claim, which he did not take into account, and will need to be discussed at greater length in a later publication.

6 Golden Jubilee, pp. 111-112. (The relics section extended, in total, from page 111 to page 114). Gesu Church Calendar, March 1903, p. 23-25.

7 The previous quotes all exist in a typed document, in the possession of Carmen Croce, labeled as "Church of the Gesu Account of Sacred Relics". Croce, a tireless protector of Gesu materials, also has other documents related to the Ge-su's relics.

8 Golden Jubilee, pp. 112-114, 113. 9 Ryan, Memoir of the Life of Rev. Burchard Villiger, p. 122, 120 - 121. If

anyone has any suggestions for who the mentioned 'Belgian' Jesuit might be, please contact me. Ramon Gutierrez and Graciela Maria Vifitiales, "The Artistic and Architectural Legacy of the Jesuits in Spanish America" in The Jesuits and the Arts: 1540-1773 eds. John W. O'Malley, S.J. & Gauvin Alexander Bailey (Philadelphia: Saint Joseph's University Press, 2003) p. 303.

10 Ryan, Memoir of the Life of Rev. Burchard Villiger, p. 120 - 121. 11 Ryan, Memoir of the Life of Rev. Burchard Villiger, p. 122.

GOLDEN JUBILEE GROUP—Phoi

Parishioners

Page 12



:o taken Sunday, October 30th, 1938

1888-1938

Pag-c 14 The Church of the Gesu, &Joseph's Preparatory School

Viltiger Society Guide to the Church of the Gesu Page 15

Station 1:

The Church of the Gesu is a Jesuit church - a Roman Catholic Or-

der that was founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) in

1540. 1

Jesuits were leaders of the Catholic Counter-Reformation.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis Borgia laid the cor-

nerstone for a church in Rome in either 1550 or 1551. 3 This

later church eventually developed into the Gesu church in

Rome.

Giovanni Bartolomeo di Lippi and Michelangelo were

hired as architects before "Jacopo Barozzi, known as Vi-

gnola, architect of the Farnesi, received the commission to

build the church. He was assisted by the architects of the

Giovanni Tristano studio, who ... directed the actual con-

struction. Vignola followed the wishes of the cardinal

[Farnesi], who wanted, as more suitable to the require-

ments of worship, a church with a single nave, side-

chapels, and vaulted ceiling, ...." 4

The first priest to establish a Catholic Church in the City of Phila-delphia was the Jesuit Joseph Greaton (1679-1753) 5, who pur-chased a property in Philadelphia between 3r d and 4th streets on 15 May 1733. 6

Some early Philadelphians felt that Catholics should not be able to practice their religion, and an early conflict about religious lib-erty was decided in favor of Joseph Greaton, who after asserting that, "We are, and of right ought to be, free and independent of any civil law restricting or debarring our right to religious liberty" was granted the right celebrate the only legal Catholic mass in the English-speaking world.'

Page 16


Felix Joseph Barbelin (1808-1869), a native of Luneville, France, a long-time beloved pastor of Old St. Joseph's Church, became the first president of the Prep when it was founded in 1851 and was chartered in 1852 as part of the college. 9

There was a school that was founded much earlier at St. Joseph's Church (in the 18th century).' °

The Prep is the oldest Catholic high school in Philadelph-ia.'

Barbelin purchased property between Stiles, Thompson, 18th , and 17th streets (where you are standing right now) in 1866. 1'

Archbishop Wood assisted in financing the purchase of this property, which cost $45,000 in total.

Father Burchard Villiger, S.J. (1819 4-1902) 15 , a native of Switzer-land who escaped religious persecution and came to the United States in 1848, took over the building of St. Joseph's College in North Philadelphia.' 6

In March 1868, Villiger was charged with building a "temporary" chapel on the site, which was supposed to be able to be converted into a piece of St. Joseph's College at a later date.''

This church was opened on 6 December 1868, and was first called "New St. Joseph's" and then "Holy Family." 18

In 1871, Villiger wrote, "Our first or temporary church in the College building, was opened for several months and the pews rented without having had any parish. A parish of small limits was afterward given us to attend, as an ac-cidental work that might be given up to the Bishop at any time. But a college without a church we could never open

Vi'tiger Society Guide to the Church of the Gesu Page 17

MMI

Top—CRYPT UNDER MAIN ALTAR Center—CRYPT UNDER ST. IGNATiUS' ALTAR

Bottom—CRYPT UNDER ST. FRANCIS XAVIER'S ALTAR

one hundred thirteen

IIX IX X XI IIIA

snsuolny sp 1111111r 11111111

AI011 APH

uopayano

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111 111111111111111111 111111111111111111111111111111111111111 111111101101111111

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111110101111111111 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

..111111'

/1$112.1

puejod jo

APt'l -m0

sty!sAow-

IAA

SA10110S

Jo =pow

Page 20

The Church of the Gesu, St. Joseph's Preparatory, School

anywhere ... Our colleges must always have a church at-tached to them. So we have the Roman College with a church; professed houses like the Gesu in Rome with a church, and so elsewhere."

Station 2:

Ground was broken on io March 1879, and the foundations were between twelve and fourteen feet thick.'

It is approx. 122 feet wide, 252 feet long, the side walls ex-tend 84 feet, the center of the nave is ioo feet, the span of the nave is 76 feet.'

"This arched ceiling was designed long before the age of steel. The architects assured Father Villiger that such an arch could not be built. He insisted that it could, and ex-plained how the supporting walls could be made enor- mously heavy and thick; in the end he persuaded them to attempt what had been described as a 'triumph of archi-tectural skill and daring.' The church is a massive concep-tion, not beautiful, but overpowering by its immensity.'

2 October 1888 there was a reception in the Church with an offi- cial dedication on 2 December 1888. 23

The pews were rented; in 1910 there were 964 pew renters, who payed between io and loo dollars a year"' - (notice the numbers on the pews).

One estimate (written by David Contosta) puts the work-ing class and lower-middle class at 81 percent of the parish in 1911, with perhaps less than 4o parishioners of an actual professional class.25

Vilager Society Guide to the Church of the Gesu Page 21

The towers were never finished. 26

In 1886, Villiger bought 5 bells in St. Louis, and they were in-

stalled in 1887. 28

They are named after the Holy Name of Jesus, Mary, St.

Joseph, St. Ignatius, St. Francis Xavier.

The towers are 216 feet ta11. 29

According to James D. Van Trump: 3° "Stylistically, the side

elevation on 18th Street and the main façade on Stiles ... are

extremely impressive in their breadth of handling and

their gaunt Classical severity. The high south front ap-

pears slightly stilted with its circular-pedimented doors

and its superimposed orders, the lower Doric and the up-

per Ionic. The rather weak central gable which is, howev-

er, not unimportant in the general composition, was cer-

tainly intended to recall a notable feature of Vignola's and

Giacomo della Porta's Church of the Gesu (1568-84) at

Rome. The blunt square towers were intended to be

crowned with domed bonnets in a rather uninspired Se-

cond Empire style. Although the main outlines of the

church are almost neo-Classical in their severity, the feel-

ing and tone of the exterior is strongly Baroque."

"There can be no doubt about the Baroque interior, which

is one of the architectural glories of Philadelphia."

Villiger intentionally left the church interior white, in the hopes

that the interior would be made marble, but later Brother Francis

C. Schroen, S.J., decorated the church. 3 '

It is is Brother Schroen who puts the Latin running around the

Church's interior: with the following quotes: 32

The Church of the Gesu, St. Joseph's Preparatory School Page 22

Figure 5.4 Diagram of typical side chapel brick arch structural system


"0 SALUTARIS HOSTIA ... OSTIUM" - 0 Saving Victim opening

wide the gate of Heaven.

"SANCTA MARIA SANCTA DEI GENITRIX" and "SANCTE JO-

SEPH SPNSE VIRGGINIS MARIA ORA PRO

NOBIS" - Holy Mary, Holy Mother of God

and Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Virgin Mary,

Pray for Us.

"SANCTE PATER IGNATI ORA PRO NOBIS" and "SANCTE

FRANCISCE XAVERI ORA PRO

NOBIS" (obvious translation)

"DONAVIT ILLI NOMEN QUOD EST SUPER OMNE NOMEN

UT IN NOMINE JESU OMNE GENU FLEC-

TATUR COELESTIUM TERRESTRIUM ET

INFERNORUM" trans. "He hath given Him a

Name which is above all names, that in the

Name of Jesus every knee should know, of

those that are in Heaven, on earth, and un-

der the earth" (Philippians 2:9).

"OMNE QUODCUMQUE FACITIS IN VERBO AUT IN OPERE

OMNIA IN NOMINE DOMINI JESU CHRIS-

TI GRATIAS AGENTES DEO ET PATRI PER

IPSUM" trans "All whatsoever you do in

word or in work, do all in the name of the

Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and

the Father by Him" (Colossians 2:17).

"SANCTUS SANCTUS SANCTUS DOMINUS DEUS" trans. "Holy

Hold Holy Lord God"

"OMNIA AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM" trans. "All to the Great-

er Glory of God."

Page 24 The Church of the Gesu, St Joseph's Preparatory School

Notes

1. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Personal Writings, trans. & eds. Joseph A. Munitiz and Philip Endean (London: Penguin, 2004), xiii-xiv.

2. For further reading on this topic check the Catholic Encyclopedia online and its article about the "Counter Reformation" http:// www.newadventorg/cathen/04437a.htm

3. "Church of the Gesu" pamphlet accessed online at http:// www.chiesadelgesu.org/documenti/ presentazione_chiesa_del_gesu_roma.pdf

4. "Church of the Gesu" pamphlet accessed online at http:// www.chiesadelgesu.org/documenti/ presentazione_chiesa_del_gesu_roma.pdf

5. http://old.library.georgetown.edu/advancement/newsletter/72/ greaton72.htm

6. James J. Gormley, A History ofSt. Joseph's Preparatory Schoo112; Years 1851-1976, 11.

7. Quoted in Ibid. 8. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02286a.htm 9. Gormley, A History of St. Joseph's Preparatory School, 12. 10. Ibid., 11-12. 11. Ibid., 12. 12. Francis X. Talbot, Sj.,Jesuit Education in Philadelphia: SaintJo-

seph's College 1851-1926 (Philadelphia: Saint Joseph's College, 1927), 73.

13. Talbot, Jesuit Education in Philadelphia, 73-74. 14. Talbot, Jesuit Education in Philadelphia, 75. 15. Golden Jubilee 1888-1934: Church of the Gesu (Privately pub-

lished)„ 30. 16. Talbot, Jesuit Education in Philadelphia,74-76. 17. Talbot, Jesuit Education in Philadelphia, 74-75. 18. Talbot, Jesuit Education in Philadelphia, 77 . 19. Talbot, Jesuit Education in Philadelphia,78. 20. Wilfred Parsons, "Foreword," Golden Jubilee, 14. 21. Golden Jubilee, 32 and Postcard (the numbers do not all agree with

each other). 22. Golden Jubilee, 32. 23. Golden Jubilee, 34.


Page 25

24. David R. Contosta, SaintJoseph's: Philadelphia'sJesuit University (Philadelphia: SaintJoseph's University Press, 2000), 47.

25. Contosta, SaintJoseph's, 48. 26. Parsons, "Foreword," Golden Jubilee, 16. 27. Parsons, "Forword," Golden Jubilee, 16. 28. John J. Ryan, SJ., Memoir of the Life of Rev. Burchard Villiger of

the Society ofJesus (Philadelphia: F. McManus, Jr. & Co., 1906)„ 134.

29. From a 1963 Postcard: 1963 by the Colorcraft studios, 114 E. 22

street, New York 16, NY.

30. James D. Van Trump, "The Column and the Cross in Philadelphia:

Three Victorian Classical Churches by Edwin F. Durang," Charette:

Pennsylvania Journal of Architecture 47, no. 1 (January 1967): 11.

31. Parsons, "Foreword," Golden Jubilee, 14; Golden Jubilee, 49-53. 32. All quotes and translations from pages 41-42 of the Golden Jubilee

book.

11411 ,14:

i JOSE

OIEEGE

QM% •

.1: •

tOV

Ct fy

IRARD

MARPC1.1

ID11:0.11ES.

BOUNDARIES OF THE PARISH OF THE GESU. From the North side of Fairmount Avenue to the South side of Columbia Avenue, and

from the West side of Fifteenth Street to the East side of Twentieth Street.

I I I I. I I L__J L__J t____ OLUMBIA AVE.

I JEFFER$On

.1.7,1:11UsIsIs

Z 5T

"Ma

.

AVE.

15 H 5T. PA RRI5

1

Page 26


LEFT RIGHT

16 IS

it 11

la 3

PLAN AND YEARLY RENTAL OF PEWS IN THE CHURCH OF THE GESU

SANCTUARY

__. '70.

. ' 100. 8 100. I '

.. 2 -

z - 3 . 3 •• 3

*60. 4 •

• 5 5 " 4 5

• 6 6 is 90. •• 6

B50. 7 7 • - 7

•• 8. 5 ..

4 9 9 • 9

" io 10 " 0 lot

e. 4 II 11 13 80. $90. 11 .. 12 12 •• •• I?

• 13 13 •• • 13

• 14 14 '' • 14

15 I5 1;70. 8 80. 15

- 16 16 • • !4 uu .1 . 17 I7 " •• 17

P " 13 13 ' .. 18

11 40. 19 19 g 60. 8 70. 19

a, .. 20 20 '' " 20 < Z . 21 21 ' " ?I

w n ?? ?? s 50.-

s so. e % 9 " 23 23 " •• .'3 ii * 30. 24 24 " " 14

" 25 25 " " 50. e5 " 26 26 " " 21

• 27 27 " - 2 " 20 23 " s 40. 20

*20. 29 2 5 1340. •' 25 4 30 30 " 4 30

" 31

3 1 U30. * 30. 3 1 "3Z 32 " " 32

*1. 33 33 " •. 33 0 3.1.

34u20. S 20. 3

___-_-__ 35 35 " . 35 " 36 36 " " 36 0

* 12. 37

31 30'15. 15. 38 " "

3101 3

_ " 31 39 u12. " 39 - . 44 40 " 13 12.. 1

40 1 ALL

RIGHT LEFT

I S/100. /$ 100. I 2

"

3

4 " 4 5 5

. I/ 90. 6

0 3 9 • 9 w •

11 90. " 11

1?

13 •

1 s80. 11 70.

RIGHT

1$ 70.

MID

DL

E A

ISL

E

22 8 60.

24 '

25 u50. 1340. ?s

24

23

27 " 27

$9 11 70. 8 60. 19

26 26

79 '' 29

30 "

31 8 30.

32

33 "

34 8 20__

36 37:vrr 15._

33

840. 8 3.0. 20

33

u20._

3S

15. 0 12. 38

''

ail

0

30

8 25. 31

80. Ir

IS

14 S

T. J

OS

EP

H'S

AIS

L

10

12

13

oc1110 15

16

Ig

20

2

17

2 2 °30. Z3 "

6

7 "50._ 3

25 "

7 7

24 "

26 "

20 "

30

7 91520.

3! "

32 "

5 7 0 12.

31 "

33 0 1 5. 34 "

35 "

30 "

"

40 2

PEWS HAVE 4 SEATS

SID

E-C

HAP

EL

AIS

LE

s 50. ?el " 231

3 ..

48 60.

39

4011 1 0.


IIIIMPI"Pill '''

Page 28

The Church of the Gesu, St Joseph's Preparatory School

32 CHURCH AND COLLEGE SOCIETY BULLETIN

LIST OF PEW HOLDERS IN CHURCH OF THE GESU

PEW NO. NO. SEATS. 1 Vacant 4 2 Walter S. Humphreys 4 3 Vacant 4 4 James McFillin 4 5 Daniel H. Mahony .

Vacant 6 Edward White 7 M. F. Hanson 4 8 Daniel Gallagher

Vacant 9 Jobn McGlinn 4

lo Vacant 4 W. Forrestal 2

rs. Mary McGeogh 12 Misses Mathews

Miss G. Kennedy a 13 James F. Gill 4 14 R. W. McCallion... • 4 15 Mrs. Henry White

Miss C. D. Shedaker s6 James J. Gillin and

M. J. Lawn 4

MIDDLE AISLE RIGHT

PEW NO. NO. SEATS.

17 Joseph P. Egan a Mrs. M. L Rogers z Miss Mary A. Keppler s

18 Miss M. Donovan 2

Miss C. Hallah 2

19 Mrs. E. A. Comber 4

20 Francis O'Callaghan • 4

21 Miss Mary Maguire a Mrs. John Martin 2

22 Mrs. J. G. Pearce 2 Miss . E. Finley 1 Mrs. John McGlinn

23 Mrs. A. C. McVey Misses E. & J. Kenny 2

24 James Breagy Miss Fannie Hay Vacant

5 Mrs. S. J. Cheeseman a Mrs. F. J. Hurley a

PEW NO.

NO SEATS 26 Frank X. Kelly 2

Emile G. Perrot 2 27 John A. Bradley • 4 a8 Charles S. McNally 4 ao James J. Ragan 4 3o Daniel A. Kennedy 4 31 Mrs. T. Minnick 4

32 M. F. Quinn 4

33 Michael O'Neill 4

34 Miss E. O'Donnell J. C. Smith 3

35 A. R. Dougherty 36 William J. Cragin 37 Mrs. John Jacobs .. 38 Miss Mary Mathieu .

39 Lawrence Hawes Misses H. and A.

Gallagher

2

Ao Peter P. Roddy

2

4

2

5 6 Mrs. James Clare 4 7 Bernard Corr 4 8 Joseph M. Danneker. ,

Miss C. G. Coleman 7 Vacant 2

9 Mrs. M. E. Dooner 4 512 A. J. Downes 4 i s Joseph J. Shields . • • 4 x a Michael J. Ryan ... • 4 13 Mrs. C. H. Lamb 4

14 Thomas Reilly 4 15 Frank McManus, Jr 4 16 Cliarlaa A. McManus 4 17 Jobs X. Moore 4

MIDDLE AISLE LEFT

raw go. I P NO. SEATS.

t8 Frank A. Hookey .. • • 4'3 isi Misses Egan and Al-

fred j. Murphy ..• 4 1 3 zo Peter Carrigan ....• 2

William Corish 2 3 21 Charles F. Weber 4 22 C. F. Bachler a 3

Mark A. McGrillis a Mrs. Susan Costello 2 James

McManus 4 ames Knowlan 2 3

t" 24 as Miss Rose M. Barrett 2

James A. Donnelly 1 Miss J. M. V. Godfrey 1 3

z6 Mrs. A. L. Burke 2 John C. Devereux 2

27 Mrs. R. M. Stanton 4 28 Mrs. Michael Dolan 4 29 Dr. Chas. F. Wassem 4 30 Andrew J. Reilly 3

Miss A. M. Ryan 1 i 4

PEW NO. I Vacant 2 William Gorman 3 Vacant 4 Vacant

Vacant ....... .

NO. SLATS

4

4 4 4 4

5

SW NO. NO. SEATS. t Mrs. Susan Feighan. s

Denis O'Brien a Miss Sarah Barr s

Miss L. A. Tierney s 3 Mrs. Margaret Kerns 3

Mrs. Anna Gaffney t 4 Harry J. Fox

Mrs. A. Flanagan Mrs. Jane Kervin . • Miss N. C. Broderick Miss R. M. Cullen Miss M. J. Lenahan Joseph J. Keating

6 Mrs. M. C. Kelley • Miss K. Schneider

37 Hugh I. Mattson .. John A. Gorman .. • •

38 Miss K. Brady, etc. • 4 39 Aug. A. Smith ...... • I

Vacant o Mrs. P. Fitzpatrick •


CHURCH AND COLLEGE SOCIETY BULLETIN

ST. JOSEPH'S AISLE

33

PEW NO.

NO. SEATS.

I Miss Margaret King. I

Miss Alice McDevitt 1 Vacant 2

a John J. McCloskey 2 Vacant 1

3 Miss Marg't Keenan Mrs. Ellen Richley Vacant

4 Bernard F. McFillin 2

Miss Mary Lawless Miss Rose Town James J. Mallon .. • • 4 Mn. Frances McIntyre 1

Vacant 1 Miss Louise L. Cassidy i Vacant 3 Mrs. E. Kennedy 1

Mrs. C. Wintersteen

Louis W. Widmeier Vacant a

Miss E. B. Burktnan s

Mrs. Jas. McFadden t Mrs. E. Shields t

Miss Cath. Traynor

Miss Mary Coghlan Miss M. Dolphin

Miss Ellen Maguire t

Miss Mary Morgan s to Edward J. Nolan a

Mrs. E. A. O'Brien s

Miss M. A. O'Brien

RIGHT 1 raw NO. 1 'SW NO.

NO. SEATS. i NO. SEATS. ij Wm. J. McShane 4 , 27 Mr. Daniel J. Ragan. 4 1 4 Pembroke l) Hasson 4 1 28 James McNamara ... a is Thomas H. Killion a , Francis J. O'Brien .. 2

Vacant a I i6 Mrs. 0. Thompson 2 i 29 Mrs. Mary Smith.... 2

Miss Marcella Ennis i ' Vacant 2

Miss Felixine Malone 1 i 3o Francis Farrell 2

17 losenh F. Kearney .. 4 James McKenna a 18 Hugh A. Brogan ..... al 3t Mrs. Ellen Kelly .. • 4

Frank J. Glascott.... 2 , 19 Miss A. Gallagher.... 2 ' 32 john H. Herring 2

Miss Winifred Caffey i Bernard J. Brady.... 2 20 Miss A. E. McMenamin 2

Miss Louse Lawler i

Miss M. C. McCaffrey 1 33 Edward B. Wingert 4

Mrs. Mary E. Elder.. I 34 Miss M. E. Comstock 4 at James A. McNulty.. .: I

P 35 Miss C. Culliton 2

eter Neeson Michael J. Hayden .. 1 12 Mrs. Jane Brown a

Philip Gallagher I j Miss Josephine Krug. i

Miss Adelaide Roop 1 1 36 W. H. Mc Manus .. • 4 33 Edward Donnelly . • 4 i 37 Miss Mary Ennis ... ,

I 24 Miss Louise A. Daley a . Miss Kate Ennis .... I Miss Millie Herzog t Edward Byrnes z Miss Lavinia O'Brien t Miss B. McMahon t

as Miss Nellie Bachman. 1 38 Edmund L. Hoey a Patrick Bonner 2 Miss Cash. Brown .. I Miss Clara R. Hemple I I Miss Cath. McNalis.. 1

s6 Miss M. C. Creamer. z 1 Mrs. Mary Downs i 1 34 Edgar C. Sassier .... 4 Mrs. Marg't Golden t I 40 Frank Miller a Miss Sarah Rogers .. 1 ' Gerald P. Barry a

ST. JOSEPH'S AISLE

LEFT NO. raw NO Cr,. NC

1102. SEATS. NO. SEATS. MO. SEATS.

a Vacant 4 19 Mrs. Catharine Steele 4 31 John Hayes a a Miss Mary G. Burns. 4 20 James Dolan 4 Miss Annie Moran... 1 3 Vacant 4 at Mrs. T. Maria Hyedell 2 . Miss Mary Murphy.. . 4 Vacant 4 Vacant 2 1 3a Mrs. Marg't McKeon a 5 Vacant 4 Isadore Reinhart ... a 6 Vacant

as Miss Virginia Reckless a i 4 Moses Murphy 4

7 Vacant Mrs. Mary Lingg.... z ' 33

4 Mrs. E. Cashen x 8 Vacant

Miss Josephine Peyton 1 34 4 Miss Mary A. Mullen z

9 Mrs. Chas. J. Snyder 4 a3 Frank J. Gorman.... 2 Miss Lizzie Steele.... 1

to Vacant Joseph P. Quinn .... I Miss E. Reiner 1 is Aloysius J. Maguire. 4

4 24 Mrs. F. Ilardart .... 4 35 Edward Fitzpatrick • 4 12 F. W. E. Stedem ... 4 I 25 Miss Ellen Bannon . 2 36 John A. Madden . . 2

3 3 Dr. John F. X. Jones 2 j Peter Tumelty a Miss Cath. Phillips . a

Robert G. White 2 26 Peter Devereux 4 37 Percy V. Barber a 3 4 lohn O'Neill 4 27 Michael H. Conahan. a James W. O'Connor.. i

:a Thomas J. Minnick 4 John Osborn 2 Vacant 1 Wm. R. Dougherty . 4 28 Arthur Lynch 3 38 lohn I. Madden . . • • 4

) 7 Mrs. K. A. Mooney . 1 Miss Kate Dietrich I 39 W. Ford 4

Paul J. Parsons .... 2 29 Charles Maguire .... 2 40 Francis X. Klinger 2

I.

.

MISS L. G. Metzgar.. 1 James Halloran 2I Vacant 1 Vacant 3 j 30 Mrs. Susan McHugh. 4 I

Page 30


34 CHURCH AND COLLEGE SOCIETY BULLETIN

B. V. M. AISLE RIGHT

raw NO.

2

3 4 5 6

7 8 9 o

it 12 13 14 15

PEW NO.

Vacant Vacant Vacant Felix Hanlon Vacant Miss M. S. Carlin Vacant Vacant Vacant Vacant Henry J. Hartley Vacant Vacant Thomas J. Breslin Vacant Patrick Carrell' Mrs. Andrew Nevin Vacant

NO.

SEATS. Paw no,

No. SEATS. 4 16 Dr. J. A. McCormick 2

4 H. McDermott 17 Vacant 4 4 18 Mrs. Susan Kerrigan 4

4 19 Michael C. Hammel'. 4 George W. White z I Mary B. P. Stinson 1 3 i 2o Cornelius McDermott 4 4 21 Bernard M. Sweeney 4 41 22 Michael J. Kerwin 4 41 23 John Howden

I Miss C. Hartman ... . •

3 1 24 Mrs. F. X. Seiberlich z 4 Mrs. J. F. Shilling . 2

•• 4 25 Mrs. Honora Gill ... 2

4 Jesse D. Parsons ... 2 4 26 Miss Mary A. Green. 2

; Miss M. McCarthy . , 2

2 27 Mrs. Ellen O'Brien • 4

PEW NO.

28

29

3o 31 32

33 34

35 36 37

, 8 39 40

PEW

NO.

Nc SEATS

John S. Kelly Miss M. McCorriston Miss M. McDonald Miss Margaret Ryan i

Michael Donahue 4 William V. Barry 4 James Robb 4 Philip Dolan 2

Mrs. F. J. Hurley 2

James McGilley 4 Mrs. F . D. Curry I Miss Jane Taggart F. J. Foley Mrs. Sarah Doyle 4 Mrs. Mary Albert 4 Mrs. John Farrell 4 John P. McGovern . • 4 Mrs. C. Parker • Mrs. Jas. W. Hawes.

NO. SEATS.

NO. SEATS.

B. V. M. AISLE LEFT

PEW no.

0. SEATS. 1 St. Joseph's Hospital. 4 i6 Misses Barry 4 28 Mrs. K. D. Loughlin. 4 2 St. Joseph's Hospital. 4 17 Jno. E. Fitzgerald 4 29 Robert K. Severs 2n a 3 Mrs. James Shields . 2 18 B. S. Dougherty 1 ames Wilson .... a

Vacant 2 Mrs. A. H. Henkels. 2 30 ohn Hogan 4 4 John J. McKenna . . . 2 19 Francis P. McCue... 2 31 ohn Dewan 2

Vacant a Miss Margaret Garra. i icholas Hines 2

s Vacant 4 Mrs. Ellen Cavanagh. I 32 Francis Harvey 2

6 Vacant a 20 Tames A. Flaherty .. 4 Mrs. John A. Hookey 2

7 E. W. McCaskey — 4 21 Miss M. C. Lynch... 2 33 Robert C. Adams.... 2

8 Vacant 4 Miss G. Mornen . .. 1 Henry C. Stoughton. 2

9 Vacant 4 Mrs. E. A. McNulty. 1 34 Wendall Becker .... 4 14) Vacant 4 22 Miss Regina Hartley. 2 35 Miss •Mary Boyle . • • 4 i 4 Vacant 4 Mrs. E. C. Ripka.... 2 36 Henry Mongan 2

12 Alfred McNichol .... 2 23 Karl Ehmaa ..... .. 2 Mrs. Martin Flanagan i Vacant 2 Miss Annie Dwyer .. 2 Miss L. McCloskey .. 1

1 3 Harold D. Elfreth 1 24 Miss Ella Call 2 37 Lawrence Boyle ... . 2

Miss Bridget Kelly .. i Miss Eliz. McCloskey i Tames Cummings ... s Miss Lizzie Smith .. i Miss Mary McCloskey I 38 Mrs. Jane Carr .. • • 4 Vacant 1 25 Mrs. Cath. McGuigan 4 39 Mr. James Lang .... a

14 Mrs. Anna Kelly 2 26 Matthew Murphy . • • 4 Miss Anna Mullin .. a

John J. Ragan 2 27 GPO. RaODenglUeCk .. 2 40 Charles B. Curry • - . • 4 14 John I. Daily 4 Alfred Werstein .... 2

PEW REGULATIONS IN THE CHURCH OF THE GESU 1. Pew Rents are payable in advance, and are due the ist of Jun('

and 1st of December. 2. All checks should be made payable to ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE.

3. The Pews will be free at the early Masses. 4. The Ushers are authorized to open any unoccupied Pew just before

the sermon at Mass and Vespers. 5. During Lent, Advent, the month of May. or other extraordinary

devotions the Pew-holders are required to notify the Treasurer of their intention to occupy their Pews, and the same rule will be observed a> in No. 4.

I

V]]liger Society Guide to the Church of the Gesu Page 31

Regulations for renting Pews

in the Church of the Gesu, 18th & Stiles.

1st. The Pew Rents are payable six months in advance.

2nd. Four weeks' delay in paying rent, vacates the Pew.

3rd. No pew can be transferred by gift, sale or other-

wise, except by the Pastor, & it finally reverts to the

Church.

4th. The Sexton is authorized to open any unoccupied

Pew at the Epistle at High Mass, and after the begin-

ning of Vespers.

5th. In Lent, Advent, the Month of May, & other ex-

traordinary Devotions, the Pewholders are required to

notify the Sexton of their intention to occupy their

Pew, and the same rule will be observed as above

(No 4.).

6. The pews will be free at the early Masses. Persons

who have no pews or seats, will remember their obliga-

tion of supporting the Church & the Pastors, & ought

to give ten Cents in the Collection, every Sunday.

7. The only ornament allowed in the Pews is the Cush-

ion, Carpet on floor & Kneeling Stool.

8. These Regulation will last until the future Church

opens. [This 188o pew rent rules predates the opening

of the final Gesu.]

;

Page 32


Cymatlum Corona

Cornice

CL

`4. Frieze

CO

Architrave

Dentlls

Frieze

Architrave molding

Abacus and Fleuron

Volutes and Council%

Acanthus

Astragal

Torus10 Scotia d Torus cri

column and entablature of a

(10

I

.̀".7vg0_,V:&?; .44c-xtv4A6Ve,;‘A■714,1rOATAVihtlgt44 44%

lU •

TBINAA41..).."?.4444Wor, 4.1

ViNger Society Guide to the Church of the Gem

Par 33

4 .4".71111,AV! .... ... .. tem

P -nclons■I;Itimmtais

P1W;111.2 *71,1111111.70

VAIMECIPVIAIRCALVIIGNE.

WAIN! WV 1101,40 V 1-0X.14 ■1132~WAInffileSeleVINN

Roman Corinthian

Cyril M. Harris, ed., Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Architecture

(New York: Dover Publications,1977),

Page 34 The Church of the Gesu, St Joseph's Preparatory School

Church of the Gesu Fact Sheet By Charles Kling, '61

Kling (who probably gave more tours of the Gesu than any other person in history) compiled this fact sheet which includes re-

search from Dr. Henry Bender. ■ Land on which the Church & surrounding buildings sit was pur-chased by Jesuits in 1866 for $45,000. ■ In 1868, temporary chapel erected, known as Church of the Holy Family, & in 1869 identified as Holy Family Parish, under Swiss-born Jesuit pastor names Fr. Burchard Villiger. • By 1875, Church of the Holy Family had become identified as the Church of the Gesu. • Fr. Villiger, aware of the effect of large and lavish churches on the faithful in the Italy of his studies, met with Edwind F. Durang, soon to be the preeminent ecclesiastical architect in Philadelphia, sometime in 1875. N Cornerstone laid for the present Church in dedication ceremony on March 10, 1879. • Dedication for the Gesu took place on December 2, 1888. Result- ing Church looks superficially very little like, but is greatly informed and influenced by, the Church of the Gesu in Rome. • The central nave was at one time the widest unobstructed nave in the country. The ceiling is 100 ft high and 122 ft in diameter. The cen-tral nave is 75 ft wide and 252 ft long, the side altars are 23.5 ft deep, and the main altar is 72 ft high. ■ The structure is similar to the Gesu in Rome in its side altar nich-es, its vaulted nave, and in its side altars dedicated to Mary & Joseph, as well as the left transept altar to St. Ignatius and the right transept altar to St. Francis Xavier. • The Gesu in Rome has a ceiling 90 ft high, a diameter of 115 ft, a central nave width of 55 ft, side chapels 30 ft deep, and a central nave of 225 ft • The exteriors of each Gesu are markedly different. The Rome Ge-su has no towers and shows scrolls in the medial frontal level; there are three entrance bays. The interior has six chapels on each side-


Page 35

• By 1875, Church of the Holy Family had become identified as the Church of the Gesu. • Fr. Villiger, aware of the effect of large and lavish churches on the faithful in the Italy of his studies, met with Edwind F. Durang, soon to be the preeminent ecclesiastical architect in Philadelphia, sometime in 1875. • Cornerstone laid for the present Church in dedication ceremony on March 10, 1879. • Dedication for the Gesu took place on December 2, 1888. Result-ing Church looks superficially very little like, but is greatly informed and influenced by, the Church of the Gesu in Rome. • The central nave was at one time the widest unobstructed nave in the country. The ceiling is 100 ft high and 122 ft in diameter. The cen-tral nave is 75 ft wide and 252 ft long, the side altars are 23.5 ft deep, and the main altar is 72 ft high. ■ The structure is similar to the Gesu in Rome in its side altar nich-es, its vaulted nave, and in its side altars dedicated to Mary & Joseph, as well as the left transept altar to St. Ignatius and the right transept altar to St. Francis Xavier. • The Gesu in Rome has a ceiling 90 ft high, a diameter of 115 ft, a central nave width of 55 ft, side chapels 30 ft deep, and a central nave of 225 ft • The exteriors of each Gesu are markedly different. The Rome Ge-su has no towers and shows scrolls in the medial frontal level; there are three entrance bays. The interior has six chapels on each side-three of uniform size and three of varying proportions • The façade of the Philadelphia Gesu has two 216-ft towers of brick & cement framing the center. Forty additional ft were planned but never constructed. The Doric, Ionic and Tuscan orders of architec-ture decorate the façade • In 1889 Fr. Villiger opened St. Joseph's College in a building at-tached to the east side of the church. That connection endured until the fire of 1966, & is echoed in the present connecting link

(I am greatly indebted for most of the research above to my great friend, Dr. Henry Bender.)

FATHER VILLIGER SAYING FIRST MASS IN THE NEW CHURCH

Page 36

The Church of the Cesu, St. josepA Preparatory aid

The Villiger Society of St. Joseph's Preparatory School's 4 The Church of the Gesu, St. Joseph's Preparatory School "We build this tower and hung these Bells, And reared this altar

Documents