Friday, May 25, 2012

St. Vincent Ferrer Church, New York City

When The Betrothed came back from England a few weeks ago, we spent a day wandering around New York  City. On our walk between The Frick Collection and meeting a college friend for cupcakes at Sprinkles, we peeked at a church at the corner of  Lexington Avenue and E 63rd Street. Janitors were sweeping up rose petals from an afternoon wedding procession.




St. Vincent Ferrer parish began in 1867, and its current building dates to 1918. Architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue designed the church, which is the most elaborate Gothic revival building I've seen since our field trip to the Newark Cathedral.

This reminds me of a medieval church I did a middle-school report on.

The sanctuary was just glorious. I've never seen seven lamps like that in a church that wasn't Anglo-Catholic. The altarpiece topped with Christ the King was carved in Belgium.
I wonder if the little dog/fox/wolf on top of the pew is a shoutout to the Dominicans
as God's dogs (Domini canes.)

The rood screen. 

Immaculate Conception shine


Side altar with tons of saints, plus Mary giving St. Dominic the rosary.

You can take a virtual tour of all the church's features and symbolism here. St. Vincent Ferrar is a peaceful oasis in a busy city. From the abundance of votive candles ($4 at the front desk, we bought one), you can tell many New Yorkers bring their intentions there. St. Vincent and St. Dominic, pray for us!

6 comments:

  1. That's so pretty! Thanks for the pictures!

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  2. The dog is for the Dominicans. They usually call it a hound. And they still pray the Divine Office there in the side (Friar's) Chapel. Also, did you catch the stained glass window of Artistotle? :)

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    1. Darn, I did not have time to check out all the windows. Thanks for solving the hound puzzle for me. (Hmm that sounds very Sherlockian.)

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  3. Actually, to be annoyingly precise about the cupcakes, they were from Sprinkles, not Crumbs :o)

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    1. Eeek, I meant to change that! Thanks for the reminder :-)

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