Art Throughout the Detroit Area: Old Churches

Driving through Detroit you pass many old historic churches. With all the hardships happening in Detroit the fact that these churches are still standing is remarkable. These churches are like diamonds in the rough. The details put into them is amazing, displaying architecture that/like something you would only see in Europe. They show that despite the ruins there is still beauty and history in Detroit.

Some well known historic churches in Detroit are Old St. Mary's Church, Historic Trinity, Ste. Anne de Detroit Church, Mariners Church, Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church, Most Holy Redeemer Church, Central United Methodist Church, St. Paul Catholic Church, Kirk in the Hills, and St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church.

My family and two other families that we know, decided that we wanted to explore the history and beauty the Detroit churches have to offer, so we made it our goal to visit and attend mass at every catholic church in downtown Detroit. Although, we've visited many of the churches, we are still far from reaching our goal. Some of the churches that we've visited so far are Holy Family, Most Holy Redeemer, Sacred Heart, Ste. Anne de Detroit, Sweetest Heart of Mary, Mariners Church, and Old St. Mary's Church.

Holy Family was established in 1908 to serve the Sicilian population in Detroit. The church is full of gold statues and intricate details. The ceiling of the church is painted with Saints and scenes of the Holy Family, it is magnificent.

Most Holy Redeemer was built in 1921 by Donaldson and Meier. It is of late Victorian and Romanesque style. This church was once estimated as the largest Roman Catholic Parish in North America.

Sacred Heart is 137 years old and is primarily a black catholic church. This church offers a traditional service as well as a gospel service. My family and the other two families we journeyed with decided to attend the gospel service. This was my first time going to a gospel mass and I wasn't too sure what to expect. Although we were the only white people there, everyone was very nice and welcoming. During the mass when the pastor asked to offer signs of peace the parishioners got out of their pews and went around the room making sure they greeted and embraced everyone. The music that was played was just how you would imagine it to be, very lively and entertaining. I enjoyed this experience and hope to attend another gospel mass in the future.

Ste. Anne de Detroit Church was founded in 1701, and is the second oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic church in the United States. It wasn't actually built until 1887, by architects Léon Conquard and Alert E. French. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places. I attended a service at this church and loved the look of it. This church has the oldest stained glass display in the city of Detroit and is a must see if you haven't been to it already.

Sweetest Heart of Mary is my favorite church I've visited so far. This church was built in 1893. It was created by Spier and Rohns and is of Gothic Revival and Polish Cathedral style. It is one of the largest and most impressive Gothic Revival Cathedral Churches in the Midwest. I love the bold design of this church and how it just stands out from its surroundings. It really catches your eye with its grand architecture.

Mariners Church was built in 1849 and is open to everyone no matter the religion. It was originally established to serve mariners and still holds annual memorial services to those lost at sea. It was mentioned in Gordon Lightfoot's song, The Wreckage of the Edmund Fitzgerald. It has the Gothic Revival style and was created by Calvin Otis and Hugh Moffat.

Old St. Mary's Church was built by parishioner Peter Dederichs and was completed in 1885. The design is a combination of Pisan Romanesque and Venetian Renaissance styles. This church is a Roman Catholic Church and is open to everyone. I have attended a mass here and can say that the beauty really takes your breath away.

Most Holy Redeemer