Churches of the Side Streets
Although New York has a reputation for its epicurean tendencies, the churches that grace the side streets tell the story of a more pious city. When New York City was founded in 1624, its population was an amalgam of religions, though Protestantism was the most practiced faith. Since then, over 7000 churches have been built to serve the millions of people that inhabit the city.
Though many people are familiar with the largest and most distinguished churches – beginning with the iconic St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a veritable presence covering a full square block between 50th and 51st street, with entrances on both sides – I have enjoyed discovering smaller, hidden gems along New York’s side streets. Stepping inside any of them is a calming, meditative experience that produces a warm sense of nostalgia for many childhood church-goers, including myself.
From the 3rd street’s charming Most Holy Redeemer to the looming Croatian Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius on 41st, the churches on the side streets vary in size, denomination, and even parish nationalities. St. Stanislaus, on 7th Street, is a church adorned with plush red velvet and gold, as well as monuments celebrating the legacy of Pope John Paul II and honoring the lives of Polish-Americans who perished during 9/11. It serves New York’s Polish-Catholic population, offering Polish-language services and cultural enrichment activities.
The beautiful stained-glass windows and the smell of frankincense that lingers in the air after a service at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin remind me of my school’s Lessons and Carols service – a happy memory. The intricate woodwork of the pulpit takes me back to the Sunday homilies and the hundreds of chapel talks I listened to within the stone walls. Although I do not think of myself as a religious person, I have always had a fondness for wandering into churches and sitting down in the empty pews. It is a blissfully quiet experience that can be refreshing in a world permanently permeated by the sounds of car horns honking, phones buzzing, and people talking. Grace Church is another spot that seems far removed from the hectic reality of Manhattan. Featuring gothic architecture and an island of lush grass in the middle of a sea of concrete, it is both visually and spiritually refreshing.
Even though churches provide solace to their parish, many of them have not been able to keep their doors open. Instead, churches have been bought up by real estate developers or worse, demolished by the city. We have decided to honor the churches that have fallen and those that continue to provide a haven to visitors by combing the side streets for those most loved and most often overlooked.
The following churches are among the most beautiful in the city and are open to all for a moment of quiet reflection and admiration.
