County of church: St. Louis Independent City
Location of church: Ann Ave. and Gravois Ave. (Historic Route 66), St. Louis
Style of church: Russian-Byzantine
Parish Rector Christopher Phillips
Phone: (314) 544-5632
"CITY BLOCK 1337
13. 1837 Gravois; also known as 1901 Ann
St. Michael The Archangel Russian Orthodox Church
1901 Ann
St. Louis, MO 63104"
NRHP Nomination Form
"St. Michael the Archangel Russian Orthodox Church, 1928 (Photo #79)
With its exotic profile and prominent location at 1901 Ann visible from
Highway 55 ~ St. Michael's is a familiar sight to many St. Louisans. Built with funds
donated by many denominations to help a local Russian Orthodox congregation secure
a permanent home, the church is built of brown brick incised with an X pattern and
features domes of traditional Russian-Byzantine architecture. The central, white
stuccoed hemispherical dome is surrounded by four smaller onion domes rising from
small drums. All five are surmounted with Russian Orthodox crosses. Round arched
opaque stained-glass windows illuminate the three apses. A tile-roofed tower over
the narthex has arched and shuttered openings, a simple Catherine-wheel window,
decorative brick corbeling, and a brick arch over the entrance. It is capped with
an onion dome and cross. The modified cross-dome, hall-church plan is typical of
this style of architecture. The interior of the church is richly decorated." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
The map of the McKinley-Fox District
"Usual Scheduled Services
Saturday Evenings: Vespers is Served at 5:00 PM
Sunday Mornings: The Third and Sixth Hour are read at 9:00 AM, During the Lenten and Paschal Season the Mattins Canon is sung at 8:45 AM. Divine Liturgy is at 9:30 AM.
The Liturgy of the Presactified Gifts is served at 6:30 PM on the Wednesdays of Great Lent
Great Vespers is served at 6:30 PM on the eve of Great Feasts with the Typical Service served at 6:30 AM on the Morning of the Feast: ~ From the church web site
Site was closed and gate to the lawn was closed and locked. Located on the Historic Route 66 at the beginnings of the neighborhoods of South St. Louis.
These southern neighborhoods are still strongly influenced by Eastern immigrants, many of whom still live in the area.
This unusual little church has roots in the immigrant populations that built St. Louis's south side. The 1917 revolution in Russia cut off immigrant congregations from the mother church, and this congregation subsequently struggled to find a home. The modestly-scaled domed building was dedicated in 1929 after a year of fundraising.
The dome shapes continue on the interior. Rounded ceilings, rough plaster finishes, earth toned paints and similarly-hued stained glass give the sanctuary a mysterious and even cave-like atmosphere, an intimate otherworldly retreat. Though lacking the intricate ornament which adorns many historic churches, it is a unique space whose beauty derives from purified volumes and light.
Another view and text at St. Louis Historic Destinations Examiner
Cornerstone text:
ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
1928
РУССКАЯ ПРАВОСЛАВНАЯ
СВ, АРХИСТРАТИГА МИХАИЛА
ЦЕРКОВЬ