St. Mary of Perpetual Help Church (Chicago)

St. Mary of Perpetual Help (Polish: Kościół Matki Bożej Nieustającej Pomocy) - historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago located in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is a prime example of the so-called Polish Cathedral style of churches in both its opulence and grand scale. Along with St. Barbara's in Chicago, it is one of two monumental religious edifices found in this near South Side neighborhood. History Founded in 1882 as a Polish parish, it remained a parish for Polish workers in the Union Stockyards until the yards closed in the early 1970s. In recent years the neighborhood has seen a growth in new housing and has seen an influx of new residents of many backgrounds and cultures. St. Mary of Perpetual Help was built from the same or a similar plan as St. Casimir Church in Detroit in 1889, which was razed in 1961. Architecture The church designed by Henry Engelbert in a Romanesque-Byzantine style, was completed in 1889. The brick exterior hides a lavishly shaped and opulently decorated interior enriched with Stations of the Cross and stained glass windows with Polish inscriptions. Three domes sail above, the central dome lit by a ring of lantern windows and towering 137 feet (42 m) over the neighborhood. Since 1999, the church has undergone extensive restoration of the original structure, the interior decoration by John A. Mallin in 1961 and the 1928 Austin organ, Opus 1602. The historic paintings in the Shrine Altars which date to 1890, were recently restored by the Art Institute of Chicago. The Joyful Mysteries are depicted in the "Shrine of our Blessed Mother", while the "Shrine of St. Joseph" holds paintings of the Holy Family, the Flight into Egypt and the Marriage of Joseph and Mary. The nave is decorated with fine scaliola work and a suspended pulpit is topped by a wedding cake cupola. A new mosaic of Our Lady of Perpetual Help by the Soprani Studios of Rome was recently installed, as well as the contents of a time capsule of precious historical documents. See also Tadeusz Żukotyński Sr. Maria Stanisia Jozef Mazur Polish Cathedral style Poles in Chicago Polish Roman Catholic Union of America References External links PGSA - St. Mary of Perpetual Help Church History Parish Web site Further reading Sinkevitch, Alice (12 April 2004). The AIA Guide to Chicago. Harvest Books. p. 403. ISBN 978-0156029087. Schulze, Franz; Harrington, Kevin (15 November 2003). Chicago's Famous Buildings. University Of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0226740669. McNamara, Denis R. (5 October 2005). Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications. ISBN 978-1568545035. Chiat, Marylin (1 September 2004). The Spiritual Traveler: Chicago and Illinois: A Guide to Sacred Sites and Peaceful Places. Mahwah, NJ: HiddenSpring. ISBN 978-1587680106. Chiat, Marylin; Peterson, Eric (2004). North American Churches: From Chapels To Cathedrals. Publications International. ISBN 978-1412710206. Lane, George A. (September 1982). Chicago Churches and Synagogues: An Architectural Pilgrimage. Chicago: Loyola Press. ISBN 978-0829403732. Kantowicz, Edward R.; Treanor, John J., eds. (2007). The Archdiocese of Chicago: A Journey of Faith. Booklink. Johnson, Elizabeth (15 November 1999). Chicago Churches: A Photographic Essay. Uppercase Books Inc. ISBN 978-0967067001.