The Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola is a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

located on the

Upper East Side The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 96th Street to the north, the East River to the east, 59th Street to the south, and Central Park/Fifth Avenue to the we ...

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, administered by the

Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

(Jesuits). The parish is under the authority of the

Archdiocese of New York The Archdiocese of New York ( la, Archidiœcesis Neo-Eboracensis) is an ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church ( particularly the Roman Catholic or Latin Church) located in the State of New York. It encompasses the boroug ...

, and was established in 1851 as St. Lawrence O'Toole's Church. In 1898, permission to change the

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

of the parish from St. Lawrence O'Toole to St. Ignatius of Loyola was granted by

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and cu ...

"Church of St. Ignatius Loyola" LP-0431
, March 4, 1969, Number 3 The address is 980 Park Avenue, New York City, New York 10028. The church on the southwest corner of

Park Avenue Park Avenue is a wide New York City boulevard which carries north and southbound traffic in the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. For most of the road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Av ...

and 84th Street is part of a Jesuit

complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...

on the block that includes Wallace Hall, the

parish hall A church hall or parish hall is a room or building associated with a church, generally for community and charitable use.

beneath the church, the

rectory A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of religion. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as manse, parsonage, rectory or vicarage. Function A clergy house is typically o ...

at the midblock location on Park Avenue, the grade school of St. Ignatius's School on the north midblock location of 84th Street behind the church and the high school of Loyola School (also 980 Park Avenue) at the northwest corner of Park Avenue and 83rd Street. In addition, another Jesuit high school, Regis High School (55 E 84th Street), occupies the midblock location on the north side of 84th Street. The church was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

on July 24, 1980.

History

The parish was established in 1851.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.335. Occupying "the site of the former St. Lawrence O'Toole Church, founded in 1851, and named for a twelfth-century

bishop of Dublin The Archbishop of Dublin is an archepiscopal title which takes its name after Dublin, Ireland. Since the Reformation, there have been parallel apostolic successions to the title: one in the Catholic Church and the other in the Church of Ir ...

by the parish's first pastor, the Rev. Eugene O'Reilly from Ireland. "St. Ignatius Loyola, A Pictorial History and Walking Guide of New York City’s Church of St. Ignatius Loyola''. 1999, cited on church website.
/ref> The parish was entrusted to the care of the

Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

in 1886 and marked the Jesuits' first major apostolate in the Yorkville area of New York. Late-nineteenth-century directories listed the address of St. Lawrence at the corner of Park Avenue and East 84th Street. The present grand limestone edifice stands as testimony to both the growing affluence and confidence of the Catholic community on New York's Upper East Side near the start of the 20th century as well as the ambitious determination of Fr. Neil McKinnon, S.J., pastor of the parish from 1893 to 1907. During his time, Martin J. Scott, later a noted author of novels and controversial literature, worked as assistant priest among the young (1902-1915) and built a day nursery in 1910. The church was declared a New York City Landmark on March 4, 1969. The church was added to the

on July 24, 1980.

Notable funerals

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A p ...

, First Lady – May 1994 *

Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...

, singer and actress – August 2001 *

Patricia Kennedy Lawford Patricia Helen Kennedy Lawford (May 6, 1924 – September 17, 2006) was an American socialite, and the sixth of nine children of Rose and Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. She was a sister of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Senat ...

– September 2006 *

Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was an American dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than seventy years, appearing in film, television, and theatre. Horne joined the chorus of th ...

, singer and actress – May 2010 *

Philip Seymour Hoffman Philip Seymour Hoffman (July 23, 1967 – February 2, 2014) was an American actor. Known for his distinctive supporting and character roles—typically lowlifes, eccentrics, underdogs, and misfits—he acted in many films and theatrical produc ...

, actor – February 2014 * Oscar de la Renta, fashion designer – November 2014 *

Mario Cuomo Mario Matthew Cuomo (, ; June 15, 1932 – January 1, 2015) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 52nd governor of New York for three terms, from 1983 to 1994. A member of the Democratic Party, Cuomo previously served as ...

, governor of New York – January 2015 * Ann Mara, co-owner of N.Y. Giants Football Team – February 2015 * David Carr, N.Y. Times media columnist – February 2015

Architecture

Construction

A wooden church was erected in 1852, which was replaced in 1853 by a modest brick structure. The church's present foundation was built 1884-1886 as the foundations to a planned Gothic design. The parish was transferred to Jesuit control in 1886. The present church was built 1895 to 1900 to the designs of architect J. William Schickel of Schickel & Ditmars, and dedicated on December 11, 1898, by the Most Reverend

Michael Corrigan Michael Augustine Corrigan (August 13, 1839May 5, 1902) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the third archbishop of New York from 1885 to 1902. Early life Michael Augustine Corrigan was born August 13, 1839, in Ne ...

, third

Archbishop of New York The Archbishop of New York is the head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, who is responsible for looking after its spiritual and administrative needs. As the archdiocese is the metropolitan see of the ecclesiastical province encompass ...

David W. Dunlap David W. Dunlap (born 1952) is an American journalist who worked as a reporter for '' The New York Times''. He wrote a regular column, Building Blocks, that looked at the New York metropolitan area through its architecture, infrastructure, spaces ...

,
From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship
'. (New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.) p. 208.

Exterior

''St. Ignatius Loyola, A Pictorial History and Walking Guide of New York City's Church of St. Ignatius Loyola'' (1999) includes an exemplary description of the exterior and interior of the church:

Two unbroken vertical orders, a Palladian arched window, and a tri-part horizontal division suggesting the central nave and side aisles beyond, lend a Classical balance to the Park Avenue exterior. Yet St. Ignatius' façade is not static; the central division raised in slight relief beyond the side divisions and the varying intervals between the symmetrically positioned pilasters (columns that are not free standing) create a subtly undulating dynamism that introduces a note of syncopated rhythm reminiscent of the exterior of Il Gesù, the Jesuits'
mother church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother in her functions of nourishing and protecting the believer. It may also refer to the primary church of a Christian denomination or diocese, i.e. a cathedral or a metropo ...
in Rome. The original plans for the street front of St. Ignatius, presently 90 feet high and 87 feel wide, included a pair of towers designed to reach 210 feet above the ground, but this feature of the project was abandoned early, leaving only the two copper-capped tower bases on either side of the central pediment as hints of the grander scheme. Located directly beneath this pediment are the motto of the Society of Jesus, Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God) and the Great Seal of the Society, composed of a cross, three nails, and the letters I H S (the first three letters of Jesus' name in Greek which later became a Latin acronym denoting Jesus the Savior of Humankind); together they proclaim to all who pass by that St. Ignatius is a Jesuit Parish.

Interior

The church is constructed of American, European, and African marbles, including pink Tennessee, red-veined Numidian, yellow Siena, pink Algerian marble, white

Carrara marble Carrara marble, Luna marble to the Romans, is a type of white or blue-grey marble popular for use in sculpture and building decor. It has been quarried since Roman times in the mountains just outside the city of Carrara in the province of Massa ...

, and veined Pavonazzo marble; most of the intricate marble work was executed by the firm of James G. Batterson Jr., and John Eisele of New York. The marble mosaic

Stations of the Cross The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of Crucifixion of Jesus, his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The station ...

panels were designed by Professor Paoletti for Salviati & Company of

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

; some were publicly exhibited in

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

before installation.

The great twelve-panel bronze doors located at the sanctuary end of the side aisles… were designed by the Rev. Patrick O'Gorman, S.J., pastor from 1924 to 1929... nd werecrafted by the Long Island Bronze Company….

The Jesuit statues, including St. Francis Xavier and

St. John Francis Regis Jean-François Régis, commonly known as Saint John Francis Regis and Saint Regis, (31 January 1597 – 31 December 1640), was a French priest of the Society of Jesus, recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1737. A tireless p ...

were carved by the Joseph Sibbel Studio of New York in Carrara marble. The church is notable for its organ, dedicated in 1993 and built by N.P. Mander of

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, "this instrument is New York City's largest mechanical action (tracker) pipe organ, and the largest mechanical action pipe organ ever to have been built in the British Isles." Baptistery The semi-circular wrought-iron

baptistery In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned structure surrounding the baptism ...

screen in the Chapel of John the Baptist of gilt flaming swords was wrought by Mr. John Williams to the designs of William Schickel. The baptistery font is of

set above marble pavement designed "by Heaton, Butler & Bayne of London, with slight modifications made by Mr. John Buck of the Ecclesiastical Department of the

Gorham Company The Gorham Manufacturing Company is one of the largest American manufacturers of sterling and silverplate and a foundry for bronze sculpture. History Gorham Silver was founded in Providence, Rhode Island, 1831 by Jabez Gorham, a master crafts ...

of New York; the Gorham Company was also responsible for cutting and installing the mosaic's

tesserae A tessera (plural: tesserae, diminutive ''tessella'') is an individual tile, usually formed in the shape of a square, used in creating a mosaic. It is also known as an abaciscus or abaculus. Historical tesserae The oldest known tessera ...

(the pieces comprising the mosaic)." The baptistery's altar and surround curved walls are of Pavonazzo marble inlaid with mosaics, "designed and executed under the direction of Mr.

Caryl Coleman Charles Caryl Coleman (April 25, 1840 in Buffalo, New York – December 5, 1928 in Capri, Italy) was an American artist. Early life Coleman was born in Buffalo, New York to John Hull Coleman (1813) and Charlotte Augusta (née Caryl) Coleman. ...

of the Ecclesiastical Department of the

Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is the American artist most associated with the Art NouveauL ...

. These mosaics, composed of that company's justly famous opalescent

Favrile glass Favrile glass is a type of iridescent art glass developed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. He patented this process in 1894 and first produced the glass for manufacture in 1896 in Queens, New York. It differs from most iridescent glasses because the c ...

, are as delicate as the Venetian glass mosaics above are bold." Tiffany also executed the baptistery's semi-dome.

List of rectors

*1. Rev. Eugene O'Reilly, rector 1851-August 5, 1852Robert F. Meade and Joann M. Kusk, ''The Centennial History of Loyola School: 1900-2000'' (New York City: elf-published 2000), p.7-8 *2. Rev. Thomas Ouellet, S.J., rector 1852- *3. Rev. Walter J. Quarter, rector –1866 *4. Rev. Samuel Mulledy (1811–1866), rector 1863–1866 *5. Rev. Victor Beaudevin, S.J., rector 1866– *10. Rev. John Treanor, S.J., rector (–1880) *11. Rev. Robert J. Fulton, S.J.(1826-1895), rector November 1, 1880- *12. Rev. David Merrick, S.J. (rector 1880–) *13. Rev. Neil McKinnon, S.J., rector July 31, 1893 – 1907 (parish rededicated on December 11, 1898, with new upper church dedicated to

St. Ignatius Loyola Ignatius of Loyola, S.J. (born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; eu, Ignazio Loiolakoa; es, Ignacio de Loyola; la, Ignatius de Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Spanish Catholic priest and theologian, ...

and lower church dedicated to St. Lawrence O'Toole) *14. William O'Brien Pardow, S.J., rector 1907-1909Patrick Joseph Dooley, S.J., Fifty Years in Yorkville; Or, Annals of the Parish of St. Ignatius Loyola (New York: rank Meany Co., Printers, Inc.1917), p.353 *15. David Hearn, S.J., rector 1909-1915 *16. Cowles Havens Richards, S.J., rector 1915-1919Robert F. Meade and Joann M. Kump. The Centennial History of Loyola School:1900-2000 (New York: elf-published 2000), p.vii *17. James J. Kilrowy, S.J., rector 1919-1924 *18. Patrick F. O'Gorman, S.J., rector 1924-1929 *19. Edward J. Sweeney, S.J., rector 1930-1933 *20. William J. Devlin, S.J., rector 1933-1935 *21. W. Coleman Nevils, S.J., rector 1935-1940 *22. Francis A. McQuade, S.J., rector 1940-1945 *23. John Edwards Gratton, S.J., rector 1945-1949 *24. C. Justin Hanley, S.J., rector 1949-1952 *25. Robert I. Gannon, S.J., rector 1952-1958 *26. John J. McGinty, S.J., rector 1958-1960 *27. William T. Wood, S.J., rector 1960-1966 *28. Charles T. Taylor, S.J., rector 1966-1970 *29. Robert J. Haskins, S.J., rector 1970-1979http://jesuits.org/Assets/Publications/File/NJN_v35n1_Oct_2005.pdf *30. Victor R. Yanitelli, S.J., rector 1980-1986 *31. Walter F. Modrys, S.J., rector 1986-2005http://www.stignatiusloyola.org/pdf/bulletins/1617/10302016SIL.pdf *32. Gerald R. Blaszczak, S.J., rector 2005-2008 *33. William J. Bergen, S.J., acting rector June–August 2008 *34. George M. Witt, S.J., rector 2008-2015 *35. Thomas H. Feely, S.J., parish administrator 2015–2016 *36. Dennis J. Yesalonia, S.J., rector 2016–Present

References

Notes Further reading * *Dunlap, David W. ''From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship.'' (New York: Columbia University Press, 2004). * St. Ignatius Loyola, ''A Pictorial History and Walking Guide of New York City's Church of St. Ignatius Loyola,'' 1999. Photos by Laurie Lambrech.

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Church Of Saint Ignatius Loyola (New York City) Italianate architecture in New York City Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in Manhattan St. Ignatius of Loyola, Church of (New York City) Roman Catholic churches completed in 1898 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States Italian-American culture in New York City Roman Catholic churches in Manhattan Jesuit churches in the United States New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan Park Avenue Schickel & Ditmars church buildings Baroque Revival architecture in New York City Yorkville, Manhattan 1851 establishments in New York (state) Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) Italianate church buildings in the United States Neoclassical church buildings in the United States