Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-16
CHURCH FOR PARISH
HERE TO Be UNIQUE
North italian Romanesque
Style in New Sacred
Heart Structure.

The new church to be erected by
the Sacred Heart Catholic parish at
18th street and Park road will be
the only structure Of that kind OF
| architecture in this country. This
is the North Italian Romanesque.
One very beautiful building in New
york, which is now being dismantled
| to make way for a skyscraper-the
Parkhurst. or Madison Avenue Pres
| byterian Church-was of this type. It
| was called the finest work designed
by Stanford White. and a new build
ing is to be made out Of the frag-
mSlts.
| The plans for the new Sacred Heart
| Church represent several years work
BY Murphy 6 Olnsted, architects OF
this city. in cooperation with Ma
ginnjs & Walsh of Boston.
| The structure has been designed to
give maximum efficiency as an audi
torium or church, at the same time
preserving the religious character
necessary to such structure. The
Ronlanesque style. Mr.. Murphy ex-
| and ecclesiastical character with an
| avoidance of heaviness. 1t combines
| some elements of the classical with
| certain other elements of the me-
dieyal style.
| Features OF Building.
Ino church Will be zoo feet long
and $50 feet wide, and will seat about
1900 persons. 1t will have nave, tran
sept and generous sized sanctuary.
choir and side aislas, SO designed that
an uninterrupted vision of the altar
may be had from every seat.
1t is to be built of granite and
limestone, with a general effect Of
grandeur, and only the most durable
Of materials will be used. Richness
Of decoration will be confined to the
portico rose window and dome.
Special study has been made to Mt
| and have it harmonic with the width
of 10th street. the other important
buildings in the neighborhood and
| the vista along the Avenue of the
Presidents.
The main floor level will be raised
| sufficiently above the level of the
| street so that a high basement can
| be provided for use by church socle-
| ties and for social gatherings.
The portico will consist of massive
granite columns and will give access
| to- wide vestibule leading directly
| into the nave and side aisles. the
nave will have a width of fifty feet.
| The crossing of the nave and transept
| will be surmounted by a low dom,
similar to those generally employed
| in the Romanesque style.
The portico will be reached by
| wide flight of granite steps, and ac-
cess to the basement is provided from
entrance both at the side and rear.
The rectory, which VIII CONFORM 20
the general design of the church:
also will be on 10th street, and OF
| most modern plan, of such proper
lions as are best suited to the de-
mands of such a structure ard as
supplemental the church edlhce.
Picture Scheme for Windows.
The windows will be of~stained
glass, and the picture scheme IS now
being given close study by Rev. T. }.
Gavan. the pastor. 1t is intended to
have these windows unmatched in
any church in this country and OF
such artistic design and colorlng tina!
they viii attract art lovers s. IRON rann an
to harmonic with the general de-
sign and with all other fittings and
to avoid any incongruity that might
be detected by art students.
Old world travellers from the en-
bassies along 18th street will be es-
pecially well pleased with the struc,
ture because they will be reminded
of the best types of the Romanesaue
style of architecture. Special studies
have been made Of such churches as
Ambrose, in Milan. This style pre-
vailed from the ninth to the twelfth
century and from it the Gothic was
developed.
The parishioners OF the Sacred
Heart Church, at 14th street and Park
road, are very enthusiastic about the
plans for the new church. They have
pledged themselves to raise at least
500, 900 in ten-day drive. which Is
to start next Friday morning. This
drive is under the direction of
Charles Jerome Sheffield. who has
previously conducted several success
full drives for Catholic parishes In
this city. ~..