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Holy Family/St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church

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1921–1923 exterior shell and finished basement, Maginnis and Walsh; 1928–c. 1936 interior, Maginnis and Walsh. 24 Hartford St.

Impressive in its powerful massing and hilltop site, Holy Family/St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church (the 1995 merger of two parishes) represents Maginnis and Walsh's skillful handling of twentieth-century Gothic Revival. The virtually undecorated cut stone exterior emphasizes the boldness of the simple geometric morphology of the building. The nave, five bays in length with clerestory, is a sculptural space complemented by effects of the stained glass windows; there are subtle pastel shades in the larger nave windows, contrasting with small narrative scenes in more vibrant and jewel-like blues, reds, and greens in the nave and chancel. The interior processional effect, culminating visually in the altar and retable, effectively complements the architectural envelope. Angelo Lualdi carved the original interior furnishings.

Writing Credits

Author: 
Keith N. Morgan
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Data

What's Nearby

Rosa Parks Day Care Center (Health Unit No. 5, George R. White Fund)
M. Harriet McCormick Performing Arts Center (Strand Theater)
Dorchester North Burying Ground
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
Shirley-Eustis House

Citation

Keith N. Morgan, "Holy Family/St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church", [Boston, Massachusetts], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/MA-01-DR12.

Print Source

Cover: Buildings of Massachusetts

Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston, Keith N. Morgan, with Richard M. Candee, Naomi Miller, Roger G. Reed, and contributors. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009, 258-258.

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