Saint Francis Xavier College Church - St. Louis, Missouri
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 38° 38.224 W 090° 13.979
15S E 740840 N 4280135
Catholic church located on the campus of Saint Louis University.
Waymark Code: WM30V1
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 01/21/2008
Views: 71
From Missouri - A Guide to the "Show Me" State - St. Louis section:
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER'S CHURCH, the church of St. Louis
University, SW, corner Grand and Lindell Blvds., is of English Gothic design
executed in St. Louis limestone trimmed with Bedford stone. It was planned
by Henry Switzer, and dedicated in 1898. The stained-glass windows, by Emil Frei
of St. Louis, are consonant with the design of the church. In the south
vestibule is a figure in Italian marble of the Blessed Virgin, carved by Charles
Gerts in 1853. Beneath it, a marble tablet records the deliverance of the
students and faculty of the university from the cholera plague of 1849.
According to tradition the students promised the Virgin a silver crown for her
statue if she would protect tehm from the plaque. Although over 4,000
resident of St. Louis died from the disease, the students were unharmed, and
true to their word, they purchased the crown, which is now preserved in the
library of the university
In the lower chapel of the church is the altar of the former
church at old Kaskaskia, Illinois; it contains a consecrated stone said to have
been used by Father Marquette for saying mass. The bells in the tower were
cast at Seville, Spain, in 1789. The were brought to New Orleans by a
Lutheran group and from there, about 80 years ago, were removed to St. Louis by
the Jesuits. They were placed in the tower in 1914.
The College Church as it is referred to, continues to serve as a
Jesuit run parish in the St. Louis Archdiocese on the campus of St. Louis
University. The church is a popular location for weddings often with three
weddings on each Saturday.