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prints and cards available

St. Francis de Sales Oratory
St. Francis de Sales Oratory
Watercolor, Pen and Ink
13.5 x 10.5
2022

St. Francis de Sales Oratory
South St. Louis, MO.
https://www.institute-christ-king.org/stlouis-home

Saint Francis de Sales church, built at the turn of the last century, is known to locals as the "Cathedral of South St. Louis" because of its elegantly-designed exterior and over 300-foot long spire. The church building is in an imposing Gothic revival style. The High Altar alone is more than 50 feet high and forms a unique throne for Christ the King, present in the ornate Tabernacle under the species of the consecrated host. This church is the ideal setting for the sacred solemn liturgy, and its adjacent buildings seem to be made for the needs of our continuously growing community.

This church is the only church in the St. Louis area of German Gothic architecture and is based on the design of the Ulm Minster located in Ulm, Germany, the tallest church in the world. Saint Francis de Sales has been an anchor in its neighborhood since the founding of the parish after the end of the Civil War in 1867. The campus includes the church, a rectory, convent, and two school buildings. The church is on the National Registry of Historic Places.

St. Louis, the Rome of the West, has long been known as a focal point of genuine Catholic life in this country. Steadfast faithfulness to Holy Mother Church and the Roman Pontiff, filial devotion toward Our Lady, and a deep Eucharistic piety are the characteristics of this city.