St. Edward's Catholic Church

St. Edward's Catholic Church was the first church in the world to have electric lighting. The lighting was installed by Edison Illuminating Company [ [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nungesser/Thomas/ThomasStudio/Edison.htm Thomas Edison, known world-wide as one of the most prolific inventors in history, held 1,097 U ] ] . The church is located in Shamokin, Pennsylvania. The church then burned down, and then was replaced by Mother Cabrini Catholic Church. Mother Cabrini still is a fully functioning church.

Ref Tom Jones [e-mail] on 7/4/08 St. Edward's Church has a unique history as the first Anthracite Cathedral north of Harrisburgin the 1800s. Built form local mason stones the church was famous for its imported Italian marble alters and stained glass windows from Lancaster. After a 100 years of wear, Father Woody Jones befriended me and asked me for my advice in a detailed cleaning of the edifice. Paintings on the ceilings and walls were re-oil painted and all marble was restored to its Italian beauty. As a benefit to me, Fr Woody sail that he would give me the $99.90 special on the first Marriage in the new church in July of 1969 with my new bride, Darlene. The work was tedious and very detailed but proved that Woody was a knowledgeable Michael Angelo. The church looked magnificent when completed.

Tragedy struck on Holy Thursday night only three years later, our Cathedral edifice burntcompletely to the ground only the mason walls were left standing. The fire was so intense that it sucked the moisture from the marble three alters and left them intact like potato chips to the touch.All was lost and devastating to look upon was the broken figure of Father Woody Jones who kept mumbling what to do? As Father woody and I looked from the Parish window upon the smoldering ruinsthe next day, I said that we would do it again and rebuild. His reply was that the parish was poorand could not afford even a new church of Saint Edwards and the Bishop also agreed.

The next week, Fr Woody and I went to Harrisburg to see the Bishop and Woody told the Bishopthat we were going to "Build our church upon these Rocks standing" and he volunteered me as Fund Chairman. After much reluctance, the Bishop agreed and we went to Lunch at the Senate hangout ofpoliticians. Woody used to be associate with the famous Genevieve Blatt of the Fine era before he became a priest, so his renown was well known. We walked away from that lunch with over a $100,000in pledges, a true reformation of our goal. When we got home, I appointed twelve leaders of the community as the Twelve Apostles committee to build our church.

Today, it is the same Saint Edwards as before the burning, replacing ever stoneand as edifying interior wise as in the 1800s. Unfortunately, the Edison lamps used for the first Catholic church lite by electricity were destroyed in storage in the fire but the fact still remainsas the first Edison lighted edifice of worship. The most outstanding feature of the re-building was that the Italian marble alters were replaced by a solid black anthracite coal alter and pulpit. So fitting for the Coal Region's worship to God.

References

1. [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nungesser/Thomas/ThomasStudio/Edison.htm] Thomas Edison, known world-wide as one of the most prolific inventors in history, held 1,097 U