St. Stanislaus - Bishop & Martyr Church
Encyclopedia
St. Stanislaus - Bishop & Martyr Church is located at 123 Townsend Street, Buffalo, New York
on the city's east side
. The Church is the oldest Polish church
in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo
and holds the title of "Mother Church of Polonia
" for western New York
.
and the Society of Saint Stanislaus.
In 1904, the church's parish was among the largest in the U.S. with close to 20,000 parishioners and nearly two-thousand children were enrolled in the school. In 1908, the church steeples and bells were installed. The church features a 1893 Johnson & Son
pipe organ in the chior loft.
During the winter of 2000, a storm with severe winds resulted in the removal of the cross and cupola
on the left tower of St. Stanislaus. Restoration of the cupola was completed in July 2003 at a cost of $300,000. Of that cost, only one third was covered by insurance. As a result of this restoration, the left and right cupola are no longer matching in color.
In November of 2003 Bishop Edward M. Grosz was named only the 6th pastor of the historic parish. Because of dwindling attendance and parish population, the church was redesignated "a shrine to St. Stanislaus and all Polish martyrs" and a Polish cultural center on October 11, 2009. The Bishop also "linked" the parish with St. John Kanty's church.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
on the city's east side
East Side, Buffalo, New York
The Lower East Side was the Polish district of Buffalo, New York and now is predominantly African American. The Lower East Side is bordered by Michigan Avenue to the West, Genesee Street to the North, I-190 to the South, and the town of Cheektowaga to the East. It is the physically largest...
. The Church is the oldest Polish church
National parish
National parishes are Catholic parishes that serve particular ethnic communities. They are distinguished from the other type of parish, the territorial parish, which serve a geographic area of a diocese. National parishes have existed in Rome for centuries to meet the spiritual needs of the...
in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo
The Diocese of Buffalo is a Catholic diocese headquartered in Buffalo, New York, USA. The current Bishop is the Most Rev. Edward U. Kmiec.The Diocese of Buffalo was established 23 April 1847. It consists of Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Chautauqua, Wyoming, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties...
and holds the title of "Mother Church of Polonia
Polonia
The Polish diaspora refers to people of Polish origin who live outside Poland. The Polish diaspora is also known in modern Polish language as Polonia, which is the name for Poland in Latin and in many other Romance languages....
" for western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
.
History
The parish was established on Jun. 8, 1873 by Rev. Jan PitassJan Pitass
Rev. Jan Pitass was a Polish priest who was the founder and first pastor of the oldest Polish parish in the diocese of Buffalo, New York. He was a graduate of Niagara University before moving to Buffalo.-External links:*...
and the Society of Saint Stanislaus.
In 1904, the church's parish was among the largest in the U.S. with close to 20,000 parishioners and nearly two-thousand children were enrolled in the school. In 1908, the church steeples and bells were installed. The church features a 1893 Johnson & Son
Johnson Organs
The William A. Johnson Organ Company of Westfield, Massachusetts, which later became Johnson & Son Organ Company, was a highly respected firm which built 860 pipe organs throughout the United States and in Canada and Bermuda. The company operated from 1844 through 1898...
pipe organ in the chior loft.
During the winter of 2000, a storm with severe winds resulted in the removal of the cross and cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
on the left tower of St. Stanislaus. Restoration of the cupola was completed in July 2003 at a cost of $300,000. Of that cost, only one third was covered by insurance. As a result of this restoration, the left and right cupola are no longer matching in color.
In November of 2003 Bishop Edward M. Grosz was named only the 6th pastor of the historic parish. Because of dwindling attendance and parish population, the church was redesignated "a shrine to St. Stanislaus and all Polish martyrs" and a Polish cultural center on October 11, 2009. The Bishop also "linked" the parish with St. John Kanty's church.
See also
- Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
- East Side, Buffalo
- Polish Cathedral stylePolish Cathedral styleThe Polish Cathedral architectural style is a North American genre of Catholic church architecture found throughout the Great Lakes and Middle Atlantic regions as well as in parts of New England...
- St. Adalbert's BasilicaSt. Adalbert's BasilicaSaint Adalbert's Basilica, is a historic church located in the East Side area of Buffalo, New York. It is a prime example of the Polish Cathedral style of churches in both its opulence and grand scale. Saint Adalbert's was designated America's first basilica in 1907...
- Jozef MazurJozef MazurJozef C. Mazur was an Polish-American stained glass artist, painter and sculptor. His works can be found signed as Josef Mazur, Joseph Mazur, Joe Mazur, J. C. Mazur as well as a few others.-Life:...