Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (East Boston)
Encyclopedia
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a church and parish
located in the neighborhood of East Boston in Boston
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The church was built in 1905 and was a focal point of the local Italian-American community until it was ordered shut down by the Archdiocese of Boston in the autumn of 2004.
On October 10, 2004, as the final Mass
was being celebrated at the church, parishioners claimed that a statue of the Virgin Mary fell to the ground from its perch in front of the altar
. Some proclaimed that this was a sign from God
.
At first, Mount Carmel was occupied by parishioners day and night, marking the longest such occupation in the history
of the Roman Catholic Church
in America
.
Today, after attempts to appeal the decision through US courts and the Vatican
have unsuccessfully run their course, the waning of enthusiasm and aging of the occupiers has left the church empty except for Sunday Mass and occasional prayer services.
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
located in the neighborhood of East Boston in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The church was built in 1905 and was a focal point of the local Italian-American community until it was ordered shut down by the Archdiocese of Boston in the autumn of 2004.
On October 10, 2004, as the final Mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
was being celebrated at the church, parishioners claimed that a statue of the Virgin Mary fell to the ground from its perch in front of the altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
. Some proclaimed that this was a sign from God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
.
At first, Mount Carmel was occupied by parishioners day and night, marking the longest such occupation in the history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Today, after attempts to appeal the decision through US courts and the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
have unsuccessfully run their course, the waning of enthusiasm and aging of the occupiers has left the church empty except for Sunday Mass and occasional prayer services.