San Francesco Di Paola Catholic Church - Texas Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Both the historical marker and the corner stone for the San Francisco Di Paola Catholic Church indicate this church was completed and dedicated in 1927. At that time, the church was considered some distance away from what was then the downtown center of San Antonio. Today, in 2023, there is easily a million more people within the boundary of the city limits and this church is considered as part of the inside circle considered to be the downtown area as bounded by the various interstate highways circling San Antonio.

The Italian community in San Antonio in the 1920s approached the Catholic church's local officials asking for a church in the area of the Catholic Italian's neighborhoods in San Antonio. This lead to the formation of this church and building the existing buildings. The chapel was completed in 1927 with the Columbus Hall being built next to the church in 1928. The Italian American community is still an active within San Antonio.


Link of The Historical Marker Database about this TX historical marker:
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Link to The San Francesco Di Paola Catholic Church history page:
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Marker Number: 4539 Marker Text: In 1926, at the request of the city's Italian Catholics, Dioscesan officials invited the Rev. Saverio Vecchio to preach a mission. As a result, the congregation of San Francesco Di Paola was organized. Designed by Richard Vander Stratten and built by Luigi L. Guido and Vincenzo Falbo, this Romanesque structure with decorative stone detailing, round-arched stained glass windows, and spire was dedicated on May 1, 1927, by Arch-Bishop A. J. Drossaerts. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1992

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Date Logged Log   09/23/2023 WayBetterFinder visited it