I have special love for sacred architecture and especially in Catholic churches. I don't know how to describe it. But a church is a special place for believers. Where you can be comforted, and where you can feel the presence of our Lord. Also church embodies "special meaning", unlike other type of buildings. (a lot of architects will try to kill me now) While I traveled in Europe, I sketched so many churches and analyzed their forms. I hope I continue doing that in the United States too and this blogs helps me motivated to do it. Churches even in New England region do not have history like churches in Rome or other parts of Europe. Relatively they are new compared to their predecessors in Europe. But one thing I loved about churches in Manhattan (at least those ones I had a chance to visit) was that they were full of believers. I shouldn't generalized it.. After all, there are churches in every corner of Rome and less people in Rome, compared to Manhattan. However, when I was used to seeing empty churches in Rome, I was so surprised to see churches packed with people even during daily Mass. Even when I helped selling tickets for a Bazaar in front of St. Francis at 7:30am (being all grumpy), there were people coming to daily Mass everyday!
I believe that churches become extra special when there are believers in them; in that way, churches in Manhattan can't be more special (at least those ones that haven't been sold!). I will slow but surely write about them...
Churches in Manhattan
- Cathedral of St. Patrick (50th St. and Fifth Ave.) - Established in 1858
- Church of the Annunciation (88 Convent Ave.) - Established in 1853; staffed by the Piarist Fathers.
- San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel (New York City) (378 Broome St.) - Established in 2005.
- All Saints Church (New York City) (129th St. at Madison Ave.) - Established in 1879; staffed by the Franciscan Friars.
- Corpus Christi Church (New York City) (529 W. 121st St.) - Established in 1906.
- Church of Notre Dame (New York City) (405 W. 114th St.) - Established in 1910; formerly staffed by the Fathers of Mercy (1910–1960).
- Holy Rosary Church (Manhattan) (119th St. at First Ave.) - Established in 1884; staffed by the Augustinian Friars since 1979.
- Church of Our Lady of Lourdes (W. 142nd St., between Amsterdam Ave. & Convent Ave.) - Established in 1901.
- Church of Our Lady of Esperanza (624 W. 156th St.) - Established in 1912.
- Our Lady of Good Counsel Church (Manhattan) (230 E. 90th St.) - Established in 1886.
- Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Bernard's Church (New York City) (328 W. 14th St.) - Established in 2003 as a result of a parish merger.
- Our Lady of the Holy Rosary's Church (New York City) (7 State St.) - Established in 1884 as a mission; 1887 as a parish. Home to the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
- Our Lady of Lourdes Church (New York City) (472 W. 142nd St.) - Established in 1901
- Church of Our Lady of Sorrows (New York City) (Pitt St. at Stanton St.) - Established in 1867; staffed by the Capuchin Friars. Formerly known as Church of Our Lady of Sorrows (New York City)
- Our Lady of Victory Church (Manhattan) (60 William St.) - Established in 1944; previously located at 23 William St. (1944–45)
- Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church (New York City) (91 Arden St., near Broadway) - Established in 1927
- Our Saviour Church (Manhattan) (59 Park Avenue at 38th St) - Established in 1955.
- SS. Cyril, Methodius, and Raphael's Church (New York City) (502 W. 41st St.) - Established in 1974 from the merger of St. Raphael and SS. Cyril & Methodius (New York City) . Staffed by the Franciscan Friars (1974–present).
- St. Agnes' Church (New York City) (141 E. 43rd St.) - Established in 1873.
- St. Aloysius Gonzaga's Church (New York City) (219 W. 132nd St.) - Established in 1899; staffed by the Jesuit Fathers.
- St. Andrew's Church (New York City) (20 Cardinal Hayes Pl.) - Established in 1842; staffed by the Blessed Sacrament Fathers.
- St. Ann's Church (Manhattan) (312 E. 110th St.)
- St. Anthony of Padua Church (Manhattan) (West Houston St. at Sullivan St.) - Established in 1866; staffed by the Franciscan Friars.
- St. Benedict the Moor's Church (New York City) (342 W. 53rd St.) - Established in 1883 to serve the African-American community of the city; staffed by Spanish friars of the Third Order of Saint Francis (T.O.R.) from 1953 to ???. Parish has been reduced to mission status, and is maintained by members of the new Lumen Christi congregation.
- St. Catherine of Genoa's Church (New York City) (506 W. 153rd St.) - Established in 1887.
- St. Catherine of Siena's Church (New York City) (411 E. 68th St.) - Established in 1897 as a mission; 1907 as a parish. Staffed by the Dominican Fathers.
- St. Cecilia's Church and Convent (New York City) (E. 106th St., between Park Ave. & Lexington Ave.) - Established in 1873; staffed by the Redemptorist Fathers (1939–present).
- St. Charles Borromeo's Church (New York City) (211 W. 141st St.) - Established in 1888.
- Chapel of the Resurrection (New York City) (276 W. 151st St.)
- Church of St. Elizabeth (New York City) (W. 187th St. at Wadsworth Ave.) - Established in 1869; formerly located on 187th St. at Broadway (1869–1929).
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church (New York City) (211 E. 83rd St.) - Established in 1887; formerly located on East Fourth St.
- St. Emeric's Church (New York City) (Avenue D, between 12th St. & 13th St.) - Established in 1949.
- St. Francis de Sales (135 East 96th Street)
- St. Francis of Assisi's Church (New York City) (135 W. 31st St.) - Established in 1844; staffed by the Franciscan Friars.
- St. Francis Xavier Church (Manhattan) [1] 45 W. 16th St. - Established in 1847; staffed by the Jesuit Fathers.
- Church of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (New York City) (564 Main St., Roosevelt Island) - Established in 1973.
- St. Gregory the Great's Church (Manhattan) (144 W. 90th St.) - Established in 1907.
- Church of St. Ignatius Loyola (New York City) (980 Park Ave.) - Established in 1851; staffed by the Jesuit Fathers since 1866. Known as St. Lawrence O'Toole Church (1851–1866).
- St. Jean Baptiste's Church (New York City) (76th St. at Lexington Ave.) - Established in 1882; staffed by the Fathers of the Blessed Sacrament since 1900. A French-Canadian National Parish until 1957.
- St. John the Baptist Church (Manhattan) (210 W. 31st St. at Seventh Ave.) - Established in 1840; staffed by the Capuchin Friars.
- St. John the Evangelist's Church (Manhattan) (East 55th St. at First Ave.) - Established in 1830
- St. Joseph of the Holy Family's Church (New York City) (125th St. at Morningside Ave.) Established in
- Church of St. Joseph (371 Sixth Avenue) - Established in 1829
- St. Jude's Church (New York City) (204th St. at Tenth Ave.) - Established in 1949.
- St. Lucy's Church (Manhattan) (344 E. 104th St.) - Established in 1900; staffed by the Sons of Divine Providence.
- Church of St. Malachy (49th St. at Eighth Ave.) - Established in 1902; known as the Actors' Chapel.
- St. Mark the Evangelist's Church (New York City) (West 138th St., near Lenox Ave.) - Established in 1907; staffed by the Holy Ghost Fathers (1912–present).
- St. Mary's Church (Manhattan) (Grand St. at Ridge St.) - Established in 1826.
- St. Michael's Church (Manhattan) (424 W. 34th St.)[2]
- St. Monica's Church (Manhattan) (413 E. 79th St.) - Established in 1879.
- St. Paul's Church (New York City) (113 E. 117th St.) - Established in 1834; staffed by the Institute of the Incarnate Word Fathers (1998–present).
- Church of St. Paul the Apostle (New York City) (Columbus Ave. between 60th and 59th St.) - Established in 1876. Mother Church of the Paulist Fathers.
- Church of St. Peter (Barclay St. at Church St.) - Established in 1786; first parish in the diocese.
- St. Joseph's Chapel (New York City) (385 South End Ave.) - Established in 1983.
- St. Rose of Lima's Church (Manhattan) (510 W. 165th St.) - Established in 1901.
- St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr's Church (New York City) (7th St. at First Ave.) - Established in 1872; stood at 318 Henry St. until 1900. Staffed by the Fathers of St. Paul the First Hermit.
- St. Stephen of Hungary Church (New York City) (East 82nd St.) - Established in 1927; staffed by Franciscan Friars since 1922. Previously located on 14th Street {1905-1927}
- Church of Our Lady of the Scapular-St. Stephen (142 E. 29th St.) - Established in 1990.
- St. Theresa's Church (New York City) (Rutgers St. at Henry St.) - Established in 1862.
- St. Thomas More's Church (New York City) (67 E. 89th St.) - Established in 1950.
- St. Veronica's Church (Manhattan) (149 Christopher St.) - Established in 1886.
- Church of St. Vincent Ferrer (66th St. at Lexington Ave.)
- Church of the Annunication, Convent Avenue
- Church of the Ascension, Roman Catholic (Manhattan) (221 W. 107th St.) - Established in 1895.
- Church of the Blessed Sacrament (Manhattan) (West 71st Street, just east of Broadway) - Established in 1887.
- Church of the Epiphany (Manhattan) (21st Street at Second Ave.) - Established in 1868.
- Church of the Good Shepherd (New York City) (608 Isham St.) - Established in 1911; formerly staffed by the Paulist Fathers. Currently staffed by the Capuchin Friars.
- Church of the Holy Agony (New York City) (98th St. at Third Ave.) - Established in 1930; formerly a mission of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Staffed by the Vincentian Fathers.
- Holy Cross Church (New York City) (329 W. 42nd Street, between 8th and 9th Aves.) - Established in 1852.
- Church of the Holy Family - The United Nations Parish - (315 East 47th Street, between 1st and 2nd Aves.) - Established in 1924.
- Holy Innocents' Church (New York City) (37th St. at Broadway) - Established in 1868.
- Holy Name of Jesus Roman Catholic Church (96th St. at Amsterdam Ave.) - Established in 1892; staffed by the Franciscan Friars since 1990. Previously located at Bloomingdale Rd. at 97th St. {1868-1891}.
- Holy Trinity Church (Manhattan) (West 82nd St., near Amsterdam Ave.) - Established in 1898.
- Church of the Incarnation, Roman Catholic (Manhattan) (East 14th St., near First Ave.) - Established in 1855.
- Church of the Incarnation (Manhattan) (175th St. at St. Nicholas Ave.) - Established in 1908.
- Church of the Most Precious Blood (113 Baxter St.) - Established in 1891; staffed by the Franciscan Friars.
- Church of the Nativity (Manhattan) (Second Ave. at Second St.) - Established in 1842; formerly staffed by the Jesuit Fathers.
- Chapel of the Resurrection (New York City) (276 W. 151st St.) - Established in 1907.
- Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (New York City) (457 W. 51st St.) - Established in 1876.
- Church of the Transfiguration, Roman Catholic (Manhattan) (29 Mott St.) - Established in 1827.
- St. Patrick's Old Cathedral (260-264 Mulberry St., between Prince St. and Houston St.) - Established in 1809
