Our Lady of the Nativity of Our Blessed Lady's Church (Bronx, New York)

Nativity of Our Blessed Lady Church
Nativity of Our Blessed Lady Church
General information
Town or city	Eastchester, Bronx, New York City
Country	United States of America
Client	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Design and construction
Architect	Don Shepherd, a designer. [1]

Last updated April 30, 2019

The Nativity of Our Blessed Lady is a Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 1510 East 233rd Street and the corner of Secor Avenue, Bronx, New York in the Eastchester neighborhood of the northern Bronx. The church was designed by Don Shepherd, a designer and not an architect. The AIA Guide to New York City described it as "a minor work but one which calls attention to itself because of its location and the rusted steel crucifix that dominates the corner of the site."^[1]

New York is a state in the Northeastern United States. New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States. With an estimated 19.54 million residents in 2018, it is the fourth most populous state. In order to distinguish the state from the city with the same name, it is sometimes referred to as New York State.

Eastchester is a working-class neighborhood in the northeast Bronx in New York City. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are the Bronx-Westchester County border to the north, the New England Thruway to the east, Baychester Avenue to the south, and the intersection of 233rd Street and Baychester Avenue to the west. Boston Road is the primary thoroughfare through Eastchester and Dyre Avenue is the main commercial street. Eastchester includes the sub-neighborhood of Edenwald.

The AIA Guide to New York City by Norval White, Elliot Willensky, and Fran Leadon is an extensive catalogue with descriptions, critique and photographs of significant and noteworthy architecture throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Originally published in 1967, the fifth edition, with new co-author Fran Leadon, was published in 2010.

History

The original church of this parish was erected in 1924 (just across the street from its current location) where the playground area of The Nativity of Our Blessed Lady School (3893 Dyre Avenue) is located.

The Nativity of Our Blessed Lady church's cornerstone is dated 1969. The grammar school opened in 1953 and has seen different orders of educators, including the Sisters of Mercy the Sisters of Charity, and Dominicans.

The Religious Sisters of Mercy (R.S.M.) are members of a religious institute of Catholic women founded in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland, by Catherine McAuley (1778–1841). As of 2018 the institute has about 6200 sisters worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations. They also started many education and health care facilities around the globe.

The Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul of New York, most often known simply as the Sisters of Charity of New York, is a religious congregation of sisters in the Catholic Church whose primary missions are education and nursing and who are dedicated in particular to the service of the poor.

While the original church was being constructed, masses for the community's primarily Italian, German, and Irish parishioners were conducted at Brienlinger's Hall,a popular party and dance hall, at the corner of Boston Post Road (Route 1) and Dyre Avenue. In the summer of 1923, a huge tent was erected on the corner of East 233rd and Secor Avenue, where the present Nativity church now stands, and Masses were held there. When the original church opened in 1924, Marina Cosentino made crocheted-border tablecloths for the altar. There were also movie nights and minstrel shows inside the original church during the 1920s.

The Boston Post Road was a system of mail-delivery routes between New York City and Boston, Massachusetts, that evolved into one of the first major highways in the United States.

The original Nativity church was destroyed by fire in 1958. During the fire, two or three men rushed into the church to climb up into the niche above the altar and rescue the beautiful wood-carved statue of the Blessed Mother and carry it out of the church before it burned. For the next twenty years it remained in a school janitorial closet, before being disposed of.

After the original church burned, Masses and church events were held in the school auditorium for a decade, with a makeshift altar on the auditorium's small stage and rows of folding chairs serving as pews. Large oscillating fans were brought into the auditorium during the summer months.

Masses continued there until the construction and opening of the new and present Nativity church in 1969, the interior of which features textured stucco-type walls and dark wood accents on the altar and confessionals, as well as contrasting red wood pews. A large Crucifix hangs on the back wall at the center of the altar, and a very contemporary, very large, even overpowering wood-sculpted risen Christ with arms extended to Heaven covers the altar's side wall by the organ and added piano. The Stations of the Cross hang as large wood-carved plaques, partially illuminated by ten skylights (in addition to the large skylight positioned directly above the altar's center table structure, divided into four sections by two substantial crossing beams), and more modern additions include carpeting on the altar, electronic candle bays, and a large painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe near the original tabernacle (a much smaller tabernacle now occupies the back of the altar, partially obscuring the large Crucifix there). The acoustics system is exceptional in its clarity and resonance.

The church's congregation now represents many ethnic groups, reflecting the residential population of the Eastchester area. October is observed as "The Month of the Rosary," during which a statue of the Blessed Mother is moved to a new home each Friday and stays one week for a "Rosary Visit."

In 2015, the Parish of the Nativity merged with that of Holy Rosary.^[2]

Related Research Articles

Holy Rosary Cathedral at 13th Avenue and Garnet Street in Regina, Saskatchewan, is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina.

The Minor Basilica of St. Lawrence the Deacon & Martyr is a minor basilica of the Roman Catholic Church in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, United States. The church was designed and built in 1905 by Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino along with his fellow architect R. S. Smith and the Roman Catholic community of Asheville. Pope John Paul II elevated the status of the church to minor basilica in 1993. It is a parish church, located within the Diocese of Charlotte. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the only basilica in western North Carolina. Its dome has a span of 58 by 82 feet and is reputed to be the largest, freestanding, elliptical dome in North America. Except for the foundation and brick walls, the architectural style is Catalan, with the main example being the stairs behind the altar. It is located in the Downtown Asheville Historic District.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe is a Latin Rite basilica located in Orlando, Florida at 8300 Vineland Avenue. It was built to service the large number of Catholic tourists who visit the attractions in the Greater Orlando area. While it is a 2,000-seat church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando and provides Mass for the faithful, it has also become a regional tourist attraction. In 2009, it was designated as the 63rd minor basilica in the United States. Since it is not a parish only the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist during Mass are celebrated. No weekly bulletins are distributed.

St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, at 22 Barclay Street at the corner of Church Street in the Financial District of Manhattan, New York City, was built in 1836-40 and was designed by John R. Haggerty and Thomas Thomas in the Greek Revival style, with six Ionic columns. The parish, part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, is the oldest Roman Catholic parish in New York State, and the building replaced an earlier one built in 1785-86. The original church was used for worship until 1834 when it was replaced by the present structure.

East 233rd Street is a major thoroughfare in the New York City borough of The Bronx. The road is 3 miles (4.8 km) long and stretches from U.S. Route 1 in the Eastchester section of the Bronx to the Major Deegan Expressway (I-87) in Woodlawn. The road changes names from East 233rd Street to Pinkley Avenue after the eastern terminus, at Boston Road. There is one interchange with a highway along the way, which is for the Bronx River Parkway. There are two subway stations along the road, one at Dyre Avenue, serving the 5 train, and one at White Plains Road, serving the 2 and 5 trains.

Rosary Cathedral (Toledo, Ohio) Church in Ohio, United States

Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located at 2535 Collingwood Boulevard in the Old West End of Toledo, Ohio. The cathedral is the mother church of the 122 parishes in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo. This cathedral is unique architecturally in that it was designed in the Spanish Plateresque style. It was designed with Toledo's Sister City, Toledo, Spain in mind. Finished in 1931, it was built in the spirit of the great European cathedrals of the Middle Ages.

Our Lady of Manaoag is a Roman Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated in Manaoag, Pangasinan, the Philippines.

Padre Serra Parish is a large Catholic church in Camarillo, California established in 1988 after the beatification of Father Junípero Serra. For its first seven years, Padre Serra's parish celebrated Mass in a room at St. John's Seminary. In July 1995, a modern 16,300-square foot church, without pews or kneelers, and with a centrally located altar, was opened. As of 1995, the parish had more than 5,000 members. In 2007, Padre Serra Church became the home parish of the first married Catholic priest in the Los Angeles Archdiocese.

The Our Lady of the Rosary Roman Catholic Church is located at 5930 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was originally built as St. Joseph's Episcopal Church - from 1893 to 1896 - and is a historic Romanesque Revival church complex. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 3, 1982.

The Our Lady of Victory Basilica is a Catholic parish church and national shrine in Lackawanna, New York. Due to the multiple charities of founder Father Nelson Baker, the shrine is a popular pilgrimage and visitor destination in Lackawanna. It is part of the Diocese of Buffalo.

Anthony J. DePace (1892–1977) was an American architect who designed numerous Roman Catholic churches throughout the Northeastern United States area during the mid to late 20th century.

The Church of St. Augustine was a Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. It was located at 1183 Franklin Avenue between East 167th Street and East 168th Street in the Morrisania neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City. The church was closed in 2011 and demolished in 2013.

The Queen of the Holy Rosary Memorial Shrine is a Catholic church in the Diocese of Peoria It is located at 529 Fourth Street in La Salle, Illinois and is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in memory of all living and deceased military veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces. It was deemed worthy to be elevated to a Diocesan Shrine on November 7, 2007 by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, and dissolved as a parish. He has granted a partial indulgence to those making a pious pilgrimage to the Shrine. The Shrine complex consists of the church, the rectory and a school building.

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Church is a Roman Catholic parish church located in Lagrangeville, Dutchess County, under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. It was established as a mission of St. Columba in Hopewell Junction in 1998 before being elevated to parish status in 2002. The church was built 2006-2008.

The Church of Our Lady of Victory is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, located at Throop Avenue and Macdonough Street, Brooklyn, New York City, New York. The parish was established in 1868. Due to a decrease in population at the local nearby parishes, Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio ordered for the church to be merged with Holy Rosary and St. Peter Claver, forming a new parish name of St. Martin DePorres Parish. The current Pastor is Rev.Fr. Alonzo Cox, youngest Pastor in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. He is also the current Diocesan Director for the Vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns. Our Lady of Victory is served musically by Rasaan Hakiem Bourke, parish director of music of St. Martin de Porres Parish. https://www.stmartindeporresparish.org/music-ministry/

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Catholic cathedral and parish church in Dodge City, Kansas, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Dodge City.

The Santo Rosario de Pasig Church, formerly Immaculate Conception Cathedral Parish, is a Roman Catholic church in Pasig, Philippines. The jurisdiction of the parish is as follows: Santolan (North), Marikina River (West), Maybunga San Miguel (South), Cainta, Rizal (East). The church enshrines the 19th century Virgin Mary, said to be different among others, for she has a moon underneath her feet.

Espiritu Santo Parish, now known as the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of Espiritu Santo, is a Roman Catholic parish belonging to the Archdiocese of Manila that is located along Tayuman Street corner Rizal Avenue, Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines. It was declared an Archdiocesan Shrine by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle on June 8, 2014, the Solemnity of the Pentecost. Rev. Fr. Wilmer R. Rosario, JCD is the present parish priest and rector of the church, succeeding Rev. Msgr. Albert G. Salonga, PC, who has been its parish priest from 1998 to 2015.

Our Lady Immaculate Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Chelmsford, Essex, England. It was founded in 1845, opened in 1847 and designed by Joseph John Scoles. It is situated on New London Road, next to Our Lady Immaculate Primary School, close to the junction with Anchor Street, in the city centre. It is served by the Premonstratensians from their only community in the UK, St. Philip's Priory.

References

1 2 Norval White and Elliot Willensky, AIA Guide to New York City , rev. ed., (New York: Collier Books, 1978), p.359.
↑ Timothy Cardinal Dolan. "Decree on the Merger of the Parish of the Holy Rosary, Bronx, NY and the Parish of Nativity of the Blessed Lady, Bronx, NY", November 2, 2014

Coordinates: 40°53′20″N73°49′57.5″W / 40.88889°N 73.832639°W / 40.88889; -73.832639

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[AIA-1] 1 2 Norval White and Elliot Willensky, AIA Guide to New York City , rev. ed., (New York: Collier Books, 1978), p.359.

[2] Timothy Cardinal Dolan. "Decree on the Merger of the Parish of the Holy Rosary, Bronx, NY and the Parish of Nativity of the Blessed Lady, Bronx, NY", November 2, 2014