Santo Christo Church - Fall River MA
Posted by: 
nomadwillie
N 41° 41.954 W 071° 09.771
19T E 320031 N 4618643
Established in 1892, Santo Christo is the mother church of the ethnic Portuguese parishes in the Fall River area. The present day church was built in 1924.
Waymark Code: WMFBDX
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 09/24/2012
Views: 2
Fall River in the 1870s was quickly becoming one of the most industrialized cities in the country. Many Portuguese families from New Bedford came to this city in search of work in the cotton mills. While the prospects of employment were abundant, these families experienced a loss of opportunity to practice their Catholic faith as a community. For ten years, they were virtually without spiritual guidance, except for religion in their homes. In order to receive the sacraments, people had to travel to St John the Baptist Church in New Bedford, the first Portuguese parish in North America. This trip would take almost an entire day. In addition, transportation to New Bedford was costly.
On March 10, 1874, the first meeting was held to establish a Portuguese mission in Fall River. This dream was not fulfilled until two years later. The first Roman Catholic mission to tend to the needs of the Portuguese community in Fall River was founded on March 10, 1876, by the Reverend Antonio M. Freitas, a native of the island of São Jorge in the Azores.
On May 4, 1889, the Portuguese community purchased the Baptist Temple that was located on the corner of Columbia and Canal Streets. In late autumn of that year, the church building was inaugurated with a Solemn High Mass – the Mission of St Anthony was revived. The mission served the entire Portuguese Catholic community of Fall River.
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