The restoration continues since the necessary St. : First Polish Church in Chicago Find Us ST. STANISLAUS KOSTKA repairs started in 2011. In 1867, thanks to the PARISH The Ambo was redesigned, it is not efforts and generosity of original to St. Stanislaus Kostka, thirty Polish families, the the SANCTUARY of THE DIVINE MERCY but was secured from a church first Polish parish in that had closed and refurbished to Chicago was founded. The combine with the sacred furnishing cornerstone to the current of the sanctuary. The Altar of building was laid in July 1, Sacrifice (below) was taken from 1877. the high altar of what was the lower church and rebuilt to match The church was designed the Altar of Repose. Both the by the architectural firm of Ambo and the Altar of Sacrifice Patrick C. Keeley of were a joint work of the artisan Brooklyn, NY. He also built Stefan Niedorezo, Tomasz and Holy Name Cathedral. Marlgorzata Sawczuk. The church is built in a Romanesque style with white brick and stone Self Guided Tour trimming. It is 200 feet long, 80 feet wide, and its tower and cupula rises 200 feet above street level. The jewel of this “old-world renaissance” church is the elaborate baroque styled altar where the Blessed Sacrament is reposed. “Along the frenetic Kennedy Expressway, in the heart of Chicago, The original cupolas were added to St. Stanislaus Kostka Church/ the towers in 1892. Unfortunately, the Sanctuary of The Divine Mercy, the south cupola was destroyed by St. Stanislaus Kostka/ the Sanctuary of The Divine stands as a lightning in 1964. The north cupola / sign of contradiction, was rebuilt in a simpler style in Mercy is centrally located and easily accessible from all 2002. A statue of St. Stanislaus parts of Chicago. The church is located just west of the a light to the world, Kostka carrying baby Jesus is at the Kennedy Expressway I94. Exit at Division St, travel one an oasis of life-giving water During the restoration in 2011, the original pews were top of the church. block west to Noble. The church is located 2 blocks north calling all of God’s people rebuilt, maintaining the original ends, but redesigning of Division Street on Noble. to find peace the interior benches. The open backs with no book By 1908 the church’s furnishing and by turning with trust holders adds to the spaciousness and beauty of the iconography were completed and in to The Divine Mercy.” nave, void of clutter. The stationary kneelers serve to that year electrical lighting was Fr. Anthony Buś, C.R. preserve sacred silence during the celebration of the installed. Sacred Mysteries. The oak doors to the entrance of the church are the ST. STANISLAUS KOSTKA PARISH work of Krzystof Kalata in the old work technique of the the SANCTUARY of THE DIVINE MERCY Polish Highlanders. 1327 N. Noble St. (at Evergreen Ave.) Rev. Anthony Buś, C.R., Pastor St. Stanislaus Kostka is the parish that moved an Sacred Space... expressway. She was set for demolition to make room ...in the Heart for the Kennedy Expressway in the 1950’s and in 2010 Parish Office of Chicago faulty trusses threatened the total collapse of the roof 1351 W. Evergreen Ave. which nearly led to the church’s demise yet again. Divine Providence averted the forces pushing against the life of Chicago, IL 60642 this parish. Hours: M-F 9 a.m. -Noon, 1:30 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. Telephone: 773-278-2470 As with the life of faith, the restoration of the edifice of the church is a work in progress. In gratitude for the Fax: 773-278-9550 For the first time in its history St. Stanislaus Kostka past and living the present, St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish E-mail: [email protected] Parish has an outdoor sign, listing the church’s infor- is ever conscious of the future need for historical R4/19 www.ststanschurch.org mation and services. There is also a driveway connect- connections. www.ststanschurch.org ing the parking lot to Nobel St. St. Stanislaus Kostka Church / the Sanctuary of The Divine Mercy … ...Sacred Space in the heart of Chicago

The barrel-vaulted ceiling running above the central Two shrines alongside the sanctuary of the church are aisle of the nave was included in the interior restora- shrines to the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary. tion of the parish in 2011 by Daprato Rigali Studios. They represent the two large immigrant communities Daprato Studios was the original artisan of the parish. to the parish – the founding of the parish by the Polish The refurbishing recaptures the original colors and immigration is represented by the icon of Our Lady of design of the ceiling. Czestochowa and the 1960 Hispanic immigration by the icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

To the right side of the church, The iconic monstrance, Our Lady of the Sign, Ark of Mercy was carved and The baroque styled high altar, The Altar of Repose, be- cause it holds the tabernacle where the Blessed Sacra- The Tiffany styled chandeliers and sanctuary lamps, sculpted from linden wood in the parish rectory’s attic ment is reposed, was installed in 1904. The restoration designed in St. Louis, Missouri, were installed in 1908. art studio by the Polish master artist, Stefan Niedorezo. Gold was gilded into the image by Malgorzata Sawczuk. of the Altar of Repose is a joint work begun by Tomasz The monstrance is an artistic rendition of images that and Malgorzata Sawczuk and is being completed by Jakub appear in the Book of Revelation. Blessed by Francis and Rose Niedorezo. Above the altar are images of saints Cardinal George in 2008, the monstrance is hailed as deeply ingrained in Polish history – from left to right: St. the world’s largest. Hedwig, St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr, St. Casimir, St. The stained glass window above the balcony overlooking John Cantius, St. Stanislaus Kostka, St. Andrew Bobola, the choir loft is an image of St. Cecilia, patroness of The image of The Divine Mercy comes from , Blessed Czeslaw, St. Hyacinth, and Blessed Bronislawa. musicians. The organ was Lithuania and is a replica of the original image dis- built by Johnson & Son played for veneration in the Church of the Holy Spirit in Organ Company of West- Vilnius. This was a gift to St. Stanislaus Kostka by Fr. field, Massachusetts in 1881 Seraphim Michalenko, MIC, Rector Emeritus of the Na- and rebuilt and enlarged to tional Shrine of The Divine Mercy and Vice Postulator it’s current state in 1927 by Emeritus for St. Faustina’s Cause of . Wicks Organ Company of The murals bordering the vaulted ceiling in the upper Highland, Illinois. The or- part of the nave tell a story depicting the life of the gan is comprised of 49 parish’s , St. Stanislaus Kostka. ranks of pipes numbering over 3,000 pipes, 4 divisions and 4 manuals (keyboards). To each side of the church, Opposite the iconic the stained glass windows, monstrance, alongside depicting the Fifteen Myster- the northern wall of the ies of the Holy Rosary, were nave is the statue of the designed and created by Venerable Mother Mary Professor Franz Zettler of the Theresa Dudzik. The Royal Bavarian Institute of statue was carved and Art in Munich, Germany. sculpted by the parish They were imported and artisan Stefan Niedorezo. installed in 1903. The image was blessed by Blasé Cardinal Cupich The oil painting above the sanctuary is named The during the 150th Jubilee Triumph of the Risen Lord. Commissioned in 1895, The Stations of the Cross or the painting is the work of Count Tadeusz Zukotynski, Via Dolorosa – the fourteen Mass on The Divine Mercy Sunday, April 21, one of Europe’s foremost religious artists. In the Spring images along the walls of the of 2019 it underwent a much needed restoration. nave were restored in 2009 2017. by Malgorzata Sawczuk.