St. Hedwig's Church () is a historic parish church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago located in

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. Constructed in the grand Polish Cathedral style, it is one of the many monumental Polish churches visible from the Kennedy Expressway. The church is located at 2226 North Hoyne Avenue.

History

Founded in 1888 by the Resurrectionist Order who administered St. Stanislaus Kostka, the first Polish parish in

. In the 1890s a group of parishioners who resented the dominance of the Resurrectionists culminating in the so-called “Pepper Riots”, where a crowd of 3,000 protesters broke into the foyer and assaulted the resident priests inside. When the police intervened, the protesters threw red pepper into their eyes. The end result was that shots were fired and dozens were injured, including one policeman who was struck by a hammer. The disgruntled anti-Resurrectionists broke off from the parish to form an independent church, which became All Saints Cathedral of the Polish National Catholic Church.

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

visited the parish as Bishop of Cracow in 1977, just one year before his election as pope.Katolik w Archidiecezji Chicago, vol 3, issue 11 p. 16. Jankowski, Stanislaw St. Hedwig's is still administered by the Resurrectionists, though it now has a large Latino and Filipino population. The surrounding neighborhood of Bucktown has in recent years become newly prosperous and gentrified. Mass is now celebrated in English, Polish and Spanish. On May 2, 1965, three men broke into the church. They stole $400 from the donation boxes and started a fire destroying the sacristy and side altar cause great damage. According to an article published by the ''

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'', the three culprits that were caught eventually pleaded guilty and later were sentenced to prison terms. A basement fire broke out on April 9, 2008, burning a 15 foot by 3 feet hole underneath the altar, leaving no injuries, but destroying the original statue of Our Lady of Manaoag brought to Chicago 17 years earlier. In July 2021, St. Hedwig Church and St. John Berchmans Church in Logan Square were united to form a new parish under the patronage of Blessed Carlo Acutis.

Architecture

The church building was completed at a cost of $160,000 in 1901 and designed by Adolphus Druiding who also drew up architectural plans for St. John Cantius. Like many of

's Polish Cathedrals, its

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

style recalls the glory days of the Polish Commonwealth in the 15th and 16th centuries. The interior of St. Hedwig's features a series of paintings by Thaddeus von Zukotynski as well as the work of John A. Mallin done for the Parish Jubilee in 1938. The

aedicula In religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion, an ''aedicula'' (: ''aediculae'') is a small shrine, and in classical architecture refers to a Niche (architecture), niche covered by a pediment or entablature supported by a pair of columns an ...

above the entry is echoed by a

pediment Pediments are a form of gable in classical architecture, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the cornice (an elaborated lintel), or entablature if supported by columns.Summerson, 130 In an ...

reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a Church (building), church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular a ...

behind the

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...

. Made of

brick A brick is a type of construction material used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a unit primarily composed of clay. But is now also used informally to denote building un ...

and Bedford limestone it has a seating capacity of 1500. Other artistic treasures in the church include the

stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

window A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent ma ...

s imported from

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

Church in architecture books

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References

External links

*
Congregation of the Resurrection's Website

- Official Website of the Carlo Acutis Association and cause for Sainthood.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Hedwig's Church (Chicago) Filipino shrines in Chicago Polish-American culture in Chicago Polish cathedral style architecture Christian organizations established in 1888 Resurrectionist Congregation Roman Catholic churches completed in 1901 Hedwig 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States 1888 establishments in Illinois

History

Architecture

Church in architecture books

See also

References

External links