Queen of All Saints Basilica
Encyclopedia
Queen of All Saints Basilica
is a historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
located at 6280 North Sauganash Avenue in Chicago's Sauganash
neighborhood. It is along with St. Hyacinth and Our Lady of Sorrows
, one of three basilica
s in Chicago
.
in the Forest Glen
community. The area was filled up with residential development after World War II
and first attracted descendants of ethnic immigrants, especially Irish and German. Today the residents of the parish and neighborhood represent a wide diversity of European
ethnic groups. They include many young professionals. The Queen of All Saints School was founded along with the Basilica in 1932. It has remained a prospering Catholic school since its start. It, like the church, represents mostly European ethnicities.
by Pope John XXIII
on March 26, 1962. The large window over the choir loft features eight different shrines of the Virgin Mary: Our Lady of Czestochowa, Our Lady of Knock, Our Lady of Einsiedeln
, Our Lady of the Snows
, Our Lady of La Salette
, Our Lady of Guadalupe
, Our Lady of Lourdes
and Our Lady of Fatima
. This display alludes to the theme of the universality of the Catholic Church by highlighting that although these shrines are particular to a certain country or culture, the Cult of the Virgin Mary bridges over all these barriers, bringing together the different ethnic groups living in Sauganash area of Forest Glen
.
, among them:
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
is a historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an Archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries...
located at 6280 North Sauganash Avenue in Chicago's Sauganash
Sauganash
Billy Caldwell, baptized Thomas Caldwell , known also as Sauganash, was a British-Mohawk fur trader who was commissioned captain in the Indian Department of Canada...
neighborhood. It is along with St. Hyacinth and Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica
Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica is a Roman Catholic basilica on the west side of Chicago, Illinois. Located at 3121 West Jackson Boulevard, it is, along with St...
, one of three basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
s in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
History
The church was founded in 1929 in a lightly settled area on the far northwest side of ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the Forest Glen
Forest Glen, Chicago
Forest Glen is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois, located in the city's Northwest Side.-Edgebrook:Edgebrook borders the neighborhood of Sauganash. Edgebrook was once part of the Sauganash land tract and was annexed by the city of Chicago in 1889. To the north of Edgebrook lie...
community. The area was filled up with residential development after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and first attracted descendants of ethnic immigrants, especially Irish and German. Today the residents of the parish and neighborhood represent a wide diversity of European
European American
A European American is a citizen or resident of the United States who has origins in any of the original peoples of Europe...
ethnic groups. They include many young professionals. The Queen of All Saints School was founded along with the Basilica in 1932. It has remained a prospering Catholic school since its start. It, like the church, represents mostly European ethnicities.
Architecture
The church, designed in a modernized Gothic style by Meyer and Cook was completed in 1960. The Magnificent, cathedral-like church was raised to the dignity of a basilicaBasilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
by Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
on March 26, 1962. The large window over the choir loft features eight different shrines of the Virgin Mary: Our Lady of Czestochowa, Our Lady of Knock, Our Lady of Einsiedeln
Einsiedeln Abbey
Einsiedeln Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the town of Einsiedeln in the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, the title being derived from the circumstances of its foundation, from which the name Einsiedeln is also said to have originated...
, Our Lady of the Snows
Our Lady of the Snows
Our Lady of the Snows may refer to:* Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, in Rome* Dedication of Saint Mary Major, the feast celebrating the dedication of this church, renamed from the Dedication of Our Lady of the Snows in 1969...
, Our Lady of La Salette
Our Lady of La Salette
La Salette is a small mountaintop village near Grenoble, France. It is most noted for an apparition of the Virgin Mary that was reported in 1846 by two shepherd children, Mélanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud, followed by numerous accounts of miraculous healings....
, Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe , also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe is a celebrated Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.According to tradition, on December 9, 1531 Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, had a vision of a young woman while he was on a hill in the Tepeyac desert, near Mexico City. The lady...
, Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes is the name used to refer to the Marian apparition said to have appeared before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France...
and Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
. This display alludes to the theme of the universality of the Catholic Church by highlighting that although these shrines are particular to a certain country or culture, the Cult of the Virgin Mary bridges over all these barriers, bringing together the different ethnic groups living in Sauganash area of Forest Glen
Forest Glen, Chicago
Forest Glen is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois, located in the city's Northwest Side.-Edgebrook:Edgebrook borders the neighborhood of Sauganash. Edgebrook was once part of the Sauganash land tract and was annexed by the city of Chicago in 1889. To the north of Edgebrook lie...
.
Queen of All Saints Basilica in architecture books
Queen of All Saints Basilica is featured in a number of books on church architectureChurch architecture
Church architecture refers to the architecture of buildings of Christian churches. It has evolved over the two thousand years of the Christian religion, partly by innovation and partly by imitating other architectural styles as well as responding to changing beliefs, practices and local traditions...
, among them:
- Chicago Churches: A Photographic Essay by Elizabeth Johnson (Uppercase Books Inc, 1999)
- Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago by Denis R. McNamara (Liturgy Training Publications)
- Chicago Churches and Synagogues: An Architectural Pilgrimage by George A. Lane (Loyola Press 1982), 2005)
- The Archdiocese of Chicago: A Journey of Faith by Edward R. Kantowicz (Booklink 2007).