SS. Cyril and Methodius in Lemont
Encyclopedia
SS. Cyril and Methodius in Lemont - historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
, located in Lemont, Illinois
.
It is a prime example of the so-called 'Polish Cathedral style
' of churches in both its opulence and grand scale. It is along with the Hindu
Temple
of Greater Chicago
, one of two monumental religious edifices that dominates the Lemont skyline.
are noted in the Lemont area as early as 1860 working in the local quarries. SS. Cyril and Methodius
parish was founded in 1884 as a Polish parish. The surrounding area was called Jasna Góra, in reverence to the shrine of the Black Madonna
in Poland. The parish offers mass in both Polish and English and is currently home to 1,965 families.
, and sons, who are most well known for their design of the magnificent St. Josaphat Basilica in Milwaukee as well as the now closed parish of St. Salomea in Roseland. The Romanesque
style edifice was completed in 1929, replacing a former church that burned down in 1928. Some of the church's highlights are the beautiful original rose window
, the new entryway, and the church's steeple
which is the highest elevation in all of Cook County, Illinois
.
nobility, who became priests in Constantinople
. They evangelized to the Slavic peoples
, translated the liturgy into Slavonic
and made numerous converts. They are also credited with devising and spreading the Glagolitic alphabet
, which was used for Slavonic manuscripts before the development of the Cyrillic
, the alphabet derived from Glagolitic, that, with small modifications, is still used in a number of Slavic languages
. Both brothers were canonized
in The Eastern Orthodox Church as "equal-to-apostles
". In the Roman Catholic Church
they are also jointly revered as Apostles to the Slavs and their cult was further glorified in 1980 when Pope John Paul II
declared them the patron saints of Europe.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an Archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries...
, located in Lemont, Illinois
Lemont, Illinois
Lemont is a village located in Cook, DuPage, and Will Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, and is roughly southwest of Chicago. The population was 16,625 at the 2007 Special Census.-History:...
.
It is a prime example of the so-called 'Polish Cathedral style
Polish Cathedral style
The Polish Cathedral architectural style is a North American genre of Catholic church architecture found throughout the Great Lakes and Middle Atlantic regions as well as in parts of New England...
' of churches in both its opulence and grand scale. It is along with the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
of Greater Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, one of two monumental religious edifices that dominates the Lemont skyline.
History
PolesPoles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
are noted in the Lemont area as early as 1860 working in the local quarries. SS. Cyril and Methodius
Saints Cyril and Methodius
Saints Cyril and Methodius were two Byzantine Greek brothers born in Thessaloniki in the 9th century. They became missionaries of Christianity among the Slavic peoples of Bulgaria, Great Moravia and Pannonia. Through their work they influenced the cultural development of all Slavs, for which they...
parish was founded in 1884 as a Polish parish. The surrounding area was called Jasna Góra, in reverence to the shrine of the Black Madonna
Black Madonna
A Black Madonna or Black Virgin is a statue or painting of the Virgin Mary in which the Virgin Mary is black. The term was especially applied to those created in Europe in the medieval period or earlier...
in Poland. The parish offers mass in both Polish and English and is currently home to 1,965 families.
Architecture
The church was designed by Erhard BrielmaierErhard Brielmaier
Erhard Brielmaier , was a renowned and prominent architect within United States and Canada from late 19th century through the 20th century. Erhard Brielmaier designed and built more churches and hospitals than any other architect. -History:Brielmaier was born at Neufra near Rottweil, Wuerttemberg...
, and sons, who are most well known for their design of the magnificent St. Josaphat Basilica in Milwaukee as well as the now closed parish of St. Salomea in Roseland. The Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style edifice was completed in 1929, replacing a former church that burned down in 1928. Some of the church's highlights are the beautiful original rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
, the new entryway, and the church's steeple
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
which is the highest elevation in all of Cook County, Illinois
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
.
Patron saints
Cyril and Methodius were brothers born of MacedonianMacedonia (Greece)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...
nobility, who became priests in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. They evangelized to the Slavic peoples
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
, translated the liturgy into Slavonic
Old Church Slavonic
Old Church Slavonic or Old Church Slavic was the first literary Slavic language, first developed by the 9th century Byzantine Greek missionaries Saints Cyril and Methodius who were credited with standardizing the language and using it for translating the Bible and other Ancient Greek...
and made numerous converts. They are also credited with devising and spreading the Glagolitic alphabet
Glagolitic alphabet
The Glagolitic alphabet , also known as Glagolitsa, is the oldest known Slavic alphabet. The name was not coined until many centuries after its creation, and comes from the Old Slavic glagolъ "utterance" . The verb glagoliti means "to speak"...
, which was used for Slavonic manuscripts before the development of the Cyrillic
Cyrillic alphabet
The Cyrillic script or azbuka is an alphabetic writing system developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 10th century AD at the Preslav Literary School...
, the alphabet derived from Glagolitic, that, with small modifications, is still used in a number of Slavic languages
Slavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
. Both brothers were canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
in The Eastern Orthodox Church as "equal-to-apostles
Equal-to-apostles
An equal-to-the-apostles is a special title given to some canonized saints in Eastern Orthodoxy. It is also used by Eastern Rite Catholic Churches that are in communion with Rome...
". In 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...
they are also jointly revered as Apostles to the Slavs and their cult was further glorified in 1980 when Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
declared them the patron saints of Europe.
See also
- Polish Cathedral stylePolish Cathedral styleThe Polish Cathedral architectural style is a North American genre of Catholic church architecture found throughout the Great Lakes and Middle Atlantic regions as well as in parts of New England...
churches of Chicago - Polish Americans
- Roman Catholicism in PolandRoman Catholicism in PolandEver since Poland officially adopted Latin Christianity in 966, the Catholic Church has played an important religious, cultural and political role in the country....