About the Church of the Assumption

he Church of the Assumption was founded Tin 1856 by Bishop Joseph Cretin and served The newly arrived immigrants from Germany. Ground was broken for the first church on Aug. 15, 1856, the Feast of the Assumption, and the church sat Church just north of the present site. By 1871, the parish had outgrown the building, and work began on the new church. Its Roman- of the esque architecture—towering twin spires, massive stone presence, rounded arches and apse over the altar—were modeled after the Ludwigkirche in Assumption Munich. Assumption’s east tower holds four bells heard S T.PAUL,MINNESOTA in every corner of downtown St. Paul. The Angelus Bell was installed in the first church. Four bells, including the original from the first church, were installed when the present church was constructed. Before 1975, when the bells became electrically controlled, they were rung by pulling 200-foot ropes. Much of the church’s interior design and décor remains from the construction in the late 1800s. The statue of Mary in the center of the high altar comes from the first church. Tucked in the heart The Church of downtown St. Paul, Assumption sits close of the Assumption to the Dorothy Day Center and Catholic Welcomes You Charities, places that care for society’s over- S CHEDULE OF M ASSES looked. It was at the 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday Assumption that 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. Sunday Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis 7 a.m. and 12 p.m. Monday through Friday was born. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the church ran an orphanage, known today as St. C HURCH OF THE A SSUMPTION Joseph’s Home for Children. 51 West Seventh Street Today’s parishioners continue that tradition of St. Paul, MN 55102 service. 651.224.7536 As St. Paul grew, five daughter churches— Sacred Heart, St. Francis de Sales, St. Matthew’s, St. Agnes and St. Bernard’s—were spun off from the Assumption. N Selected sites of interest WE

8 1 The Shrine of St. Therese of the Little Flower

S 2 The Good Samaritan handwoven tapestry

9 11 3 Original confessional 6 7 4 The stations of the cross 4 10

5 12 5 The Immaculate Heart of Mary statue

6 The Blessed Mother’s altar

7 The statue of Jesus the Good Shepherd

8 The high altar

3 14 9 The mission cross

10 The baptismal font

11 St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph, and St. Lawrence

12 Statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

13 The organ 16 14 The Pieta 1 15 15 The Maria Hilf Shrine 19 17 16 St. Jude, the patron saint of desperate cases 2

17 Sts. Peter and Clemens Society tapestry 18

18 The Icon of the Dormition of Mary 13 19 The Reliquary

C HURCH OF THE A SSUMPTION