St. Anthony's Catholic Church (Padua, Ohio)
Encyclopedia
St. Anthony's Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in Padua
, an unincorporated community
in Washington Township
, Mercer County
, Ohio
, United States
. Built in the late nineteenth century, it remains the home of a functioning congregation, and it has been recognized as a historically significant building because of its architecture.
, the Catholics of the community typically travelled to Minster
, over 20 miles (35 km) away. After the parish
was established in 1852, its members quickly built a small log church. Itinerant priests from the Society of the Precious Blood
visited the church occasionally; lacking a priest on many Sundays, the people often found it necessary to travel to St. Peter's Church, 6 miles (10 km) away, for worship.
for the church's foundation, while others began to make bricks at the site of the future church. Local architect Anton DeCurtins designed the new structure, which was built by a Mr. Van Oss of Minster; under their leadership, construction was completed in 1875, and the building was finished in 1879. The single-story church was erected atop a basement; its walls were faced with a stretcher bond
, and the gable
d roof was finished with slate
s. Among its most distinctive elements are the square pilaster
s on each corner of the building's facade
. Inside, many of the walls of the sanctuary were decorated with fresco
es, and it was lit by stained glass
windows donated by members of the congregation. The sanctuary was further enriched by the installation of a large high altar
in 1880 and a pipe organ in 1900.
Architectural historians have divided the Precious Blood-related churches of western Ohio into multiple generations. Only a few buildings remain from the first generation, which consisted primarily of small wooden churches, and only St. John's Church in Fryburg remains essentially unchanged. Replacing these wooden buildings were the churches of the second generation, which were generally small brick buildings without tall spires. St. Anthony's simple brick walls and rectangular floorplan places it in the second generation; its large tower, atypical of second-generation churches, is the result of an expansion in 1900, which also included the enlargement of the sacristy
and the addition of fresco
es on the ceiling. It is not the only church in the region that has been expanded vertically; the first-generation St. Augustine's Catholic Church in Minster now includes massive twin towers, which were added more than 25 years after the church was built.
Located near the church are a former rectory
, built in 1900, and a former parish school, which is now used as a parish hall
. Both buildings and one cemetery lie adjacent to the church, while an older cemetery is located near the site of the parish's original building, approximately ¼ mile north of the present church.
. Thirty-three other buildings related to the Society of the Precious Blood, including twenty-six churches, were added to the Register at the same time. The church dominates the architecture of Padua, which remains a tiny community.
Today, St. Anthony's remains an active parish of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
. It is clustered with Holy Trinity parish in Coldwater
and St. Mary parish in Philothea; the entire cluster is a part of the St. Marys Deanery.
Padua, Ohio
Padua is an unincorporated community in western Washington Township, Mercer County, Ohio, United States. It lies at the intersection of State Route 49 and St. Anthony Road, west of the city of Celina, the county seat of Mercer County...
, an unincorporated community
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Washington Township
Washington Township, Mercer County, Ohio
Washington Township is one of the fourteen townships of Mercer County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,218 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the western part of the county, it borders the following townships:*Liberty Township - north...
, Mercer County
Mercer County, Ohio
Mercer County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. Its county seat is Celina and is named for Hugh Mercer, an officer in the American Revolutionary War.The Celina Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Mercer County.-Geography:...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Built in the late nineteenth century, it remains the home of a functioning congregation, and it has been recognized as a historically significant building because of its architecture.
Early history
Founded in 1848, Padua is one of the oldest communities in the region. No church existed in Padua in its first few years; in order to hear MassMass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
, the Catholics of the community typically travelled to Minster
Minster, Ohio
Minster is a village in Auglaize County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,794 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, over 20 miles (35 km) away. After the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
was established in 1852, its members quickly built a small log church. Itinerant priests from the Society of the Precious Blood
Missionaries of the Precious Blood
The Missionaries of the Precious Blood form a community of priests and brothers within the Latin Church, one of the 23 sui iuris churches which make up the universal Catholic Church. The Society was founded by Saint Gaspar del Bufalo in 1815...
visited the church occasionally; lacking a priest on many Sundays, the people often found it necessary to travel to St. Peter's Church, 6 miles (10 km) away, for worship.
Construction
By the 1870s, the congregation had grown to the point that the old log church had become too small to hold its parishioners. After a member donated land slightly south of the original church, preparations for construction began in 1873; at this time, workers began to bring stone from New BremenNew Bremen, Ohio
New Bremen is a village in Auglaize County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,909 at of the 2000 census. It is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area....
for the church's foundation, while others began to make bricks at the site of the future church. Local architect Anton DeCurtins designed the new structure, which was built by a Mr. Van Oss of Minster; under their leadership, construction was completed in 1875, and the building was finished in 1879. The single-story church was erected atop a basement; its walls were faced with a stretcher bond
Brickwork
Brickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar to build up brick structures such as walls. Brickwork is also used to finish corners, door, and window openings, etc...
, and the gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d roof was finished with slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
s. Among its most distinctive elements are the square pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s on each corner of the building's facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
. Inside, many of the walls of the sanctuary were decorated with fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es, and it was lit by stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows donated by members of the congregation. The sanctuary was further enriched by the installation of a large high altar
Altar (Catholicism)
In the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, the altar is where the Sacrifice of the Mass is offered. Mass may sometimes be celebrated outside a sacred place, but never without an altar, or at least an altar stone.-Precedent:...
in 1880 and a pipe organ in 1900.
Architectural historians have divided the Precious Blood-related churches of western Ohio into multiple generations. Only a few buildings remain from the first generation, which consisted primarily of small wooden churches, and only St. John's Church in Fryburg remains essentially unchanged. Replacing these wooden buildings were the churches of the second generation, which were generally small brick buildings without tall spires. St. Anthony's simple brick walls and rectangular floorplan places it in the second generation; its large tower, atypical of second-generation churches, is the result of an expansion in 1900, which also included the enlargement of the sacristy
Sacristy
A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.The sacristy is usually located inside the church, but in some cases it is an annex or separate building...
and the addition of fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es on the ceiling. It is not the only church in the region that has been expanded vertically; the first-generation St. Augustine's Catholic Church in Minster now includes massive twin towers, which were added more than 25 years after the church was built.
Located near the church are a former rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
, built in 1900, and a former parish school, which is now used as a parish hall
Church hall
A church hall is a room or building associated with a church, general for community and charitable use . It is normally located near the church, typically in smaller and village communities. Activities in the hall are not necessarily religious, but are typically an important part of local community...
. Both buildings and one cemetery lie adjacent to the church, while an older cemetery is located near the site of the parish's original building, approximately ¼ mile north of the present church.
Recent history
An architectural survey performed in 1977 rated both the interior and the exterior of the church in good condition. Two years later, the church was recognized for its architecture and its high quality of preservation when it was added to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Thirty-three other buildings related to the Society of the Precious Blood, including twenty-six churches, were added to the Register at the same time. The church dominates the architecture of Padua, which remains a tiny community.
Today, St. Anthony's remains an active parish of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
. It is clustered with Holy Trinity parish in Coldwater
Coldwater, Ohio
Coldwater is a village in Mercer County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,482 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Coldwater is located at ....
and St. Mary parish in Philothea; the entire cluster is a part of the St. Marys Deanery.
Further reading
- Miller, James E., C.P.P.S.Missionaries of the Precious BloodThe Missionaries of the Precious Blood form a community of priests and brothers within the Latin Church, one of the 23 sui iuris churches which make up the universal Catholic Church. The Society was founded by Saint Gaspar del Bufalo in 1815...
"St. Anthony's Parish, Padua, More than 100 Years Old." The Daily Standard October 1950.