St. Lucy's Church (Manhattan)

Left column top to bottom: East aisle windows and one of two nave skylights; Center from top to bottom: Front (North) Elevation, Interior view from south to north rose window, Interior view of north rose window, and exterior view of front facade cornerstone dated 1914; Right column from top to bottom: West aisle windows and detail of rose window.

St. Lucy’s Church is a Roman Catholic parish located in Manhattan, New York City under the authority of the Archdiocese of New York. The church and school address is 338-342 East 104th Street, New York, New York 10029; the school occupied 336 East 104th Street.

First church

The parish was established in 1899 by the Rev. Edmund W. Cronin for Italian and English-speaking Catholics of the secion of the city that lies between 97th and 110th Streets and 2nds Avenue and the East River^[1] The first church was erected 1900 to the designs of the architectural firm of Lynch & Comb (of 1133 Broadway), for the Rev. E. W. Cronin at a cost of $25,000. The unnamed structure was described as a "1-sty stone church, 80.8×96.11" and the address Nos 336 to 343 E 104th Street. In addition, Rev. Cronin commissioned the same architectural firm to build a four-story brick and stone rectory at 344 East 104th Street for $12,000.^[2] Mass was first said there on January 21, 1900.^[1][3] Ground was broken for the rectory at East 104th Street on June 6, 1900 and the structure was completed by Christmas that year.^[1] A basement church was solemnly dedicated by Archbishop Corrigan on Pentecost Sunday, May 26, 1901. The parish population was around 5,000 to 6,000, half of whom were Italian.^[1] By 1914, the parish population had risen to 15,000 to 16,000, of whom only 500 could speak English. The majority were now Italian. Active societies that year included senior and junior sections of Holy Name Societies, Children of Mary, as well as Rosary Society, Angel's Sodality, league of the Sacred Heart and the Eucharist League.^[1]

Present church

Despite the priests of Irish descent as well as some lingering parishioners, the church quickly reflected the neighboring Italian American community and a new church was planned reflecting this demographic change.

St. Lucy's was built between 1914 and 1915 to designs by the architectural firm of Thomas. J. Duff at 407 West 14th Street, New York City. The structure was described in the planning application (1914) as a "three-story brick church and settlement house, 80×96 ft," and the structure was planned to cost $40,000.^[4] Rev. Patrick J. Lennon succeed rev. Cronin as rector in May 1911,^[1] and the cornerstone was dated to 1914.^[4] It was dedicated in 1915 by “Cardinal Farley and Archbishop John Bonzano, Apostolic Delegate from Rome to the U.S. and several monsignors and several priests.” The school was “regarded by the Fire Department as a model in fire exit accommodations. Every classroom [had] three exits….”^[5]

Description

The midblock double-height Neo-Gothic-style church has a rendered symmetrical façade of three bays, a splayed plinth and a moulded stringcourse running above between the first and (heightened) second floors. The central bay has a depressed gable surmounted by an open bellcote with cast-bronze bell; the second storey has a prominent quatrefoil rose window surmounted by a stop-ended hood mould over the first floor with three square-headed windows in round-headed recesses. Flanking bays both slightly project with square-headed parapet roofs, while both second floors have three square-headed windows in round-headed recesses over gabled breakfront entrance porches. Both porch entrances are square-headed double varnished timber paneled doors set within a deep round-headed opening with quatrefoil and mouchette tympanums.

Pastors

• 1899-1911: Rev. Edmund W. Cronin, who was born in New York City on 9 August 1863, educated at St. Francis Xavier's College, the North American College, Rome, and ordained in Rome on June 4, 1887, by Cardinal Parocchi. Rev. John L. Kenney was assigned here (presumably as assistant) in 1904. Attending to the Italian parishioners in 1904, the Rev. Marcucci and Rev. DeVivo switched assignments between here and St. Patrick's Cathedral, with the Rev. Marcucci leaving St. Lucy's. The same year, Rev. Nationio Cattogio transferred to this church from Immaculate Conception Church (Manhattan)^[6]
• 1911-?: Rev. Patrick J. Lennon in May 1911.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Remigius Lafort, S.T.D., Censor, The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X. Volume 3: The Province of Baltimore and the Province of New York, Section 1: Comprising the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn, Buffalo and Ogdensburg Together with some Supplementary Articles on Religious Communities of Women.. (New York City: The Catholic Editing Company, 1914), p.344.
2. ^ Office for Metropolitan History 1900, "Manhattan NB Database 1900-1986," (10 Mar 2010), http://www.MetroHistory.com
3. ^ David W. Dunlap, From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. (New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.) p. 222.
4. ^ ^{a b} Office for Metropolitan History 1914, "Manhattan NB Database 1900-1986," (10 Mar 2010), http://www.MetroHistory.com
5. ^ "New St. Lucy’s Dedicated: Cardinal Commends Pastor for Erecting Model School Structure". New York Times. November 8, 1915.
6. ^ "Changes in Catholic Clergy: Archbishop Farley Announces a Number of Assignments and Transfers", New York Times, Jun 11, 1904. Retrieved 21 July 2011, Excerpt: "Martin J. Burke. from St. Joseph's to the Church of the Nativity, city; the Roy. Anthony J. Morgan, from the Church of the Guardian Angels to the Mission of ..."

• Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. (New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.), p. 222.

External links

• Internal Photos
• External Photos