Walking Tour Of Historic Saint Boniface Church Welcome to St. Boniface Church. Founded in 1836, we are the oldest extant Catholic Church in Louisville. The original church stood on the site of the parking lot and school. In 1898, St. Boniface got permission to build the present, larger church building. This walking tour will help to point out the many historic items that were transferred from the old church. We hope you will find this interesting. As you enter the vestibule, you see three brass light fixtures. These and the three above the front steps of the church are from the original church and, if you look closely, you can still see the gas key used to light the fixture. When installed, all lights were gas because no electricity was available. On the left wall, you see the large crucifix bought in 1924 and on the right, the pew rent board. At that time, the church took up no collections and was supported by pew rent - with the most expensive rent being at the front of the church. Entering the center doors of the vestibule, the first thing you see is the marble baptismal font. Made in Italy in 1918, it is a memorial for a priest's first Mass. The glass sculpture which serves as the bowl was made by the son of a parishioner and was a generous gift. To your right, you see the statue of St. Theresa of the Little Flower. On the outside east wall is the statue of the Sorrowful Mother bought by Father Lucas in 1875 and made in Munich. Also lining the east and west walls are the 14 Stations of the Cross. They were added in 1910 and made by the Louisville firm of Lausberg and Macke. The windows are among the most beautiful stained glass in Louisville. They were made in Munich in 1898 and 1899, especially for St. Boniface, by the Royal Bavarian Art Institute. The windows from the rear east side going toward the altar are: Saints Margaret and Colette Saints Louis and Elizabeth Saints Henry and Antoinette Our Lady of Lourdes From the west side, going toward the rear of the church, are: Sacred Heart and Saint Mary Margaret Saints Nicholas and Otto Saint Dominic Saints Peter Baptist and Francis Solanus The large east transept window depicts Jesus and the children in the center and Saints Rose of Lima and Clare in the smaller windows. The large west transept window depicts Saint Francis receiving the Portiuncula Indulgence in the center and Saints George and John the Baptist in the smaller windows. Standing under the window on the west side you see the statute of St. Anne, and by the doors, the statue of St. Rita, given in 1922. Moving up the center aisle, you can see the statues in the transepts; on the east, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and on the west, St. Anthony of Padua. Both were bought in 1875 and made in Munich. From the center aisle, at the foot of the communion steps, you see three altars made for the church in 1898 and 1899 by the Lausbuerg and Macke firm. On the west side altar is a statue of St. Joseph in the center, flanked by St. Francis of Assisi and St. Paschal of Baylon. On the east side altar is the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary flanked by St. Aloysius and St. Philomena. On the main altar are the statues of Saints Peter and Paul and at the top, St. Boniface. The statues of St. Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saints Peter and Paul were made in Munich in 1857 and brought over from the old church. Also, in the sanctuary are the angels and candelabra, the latter marked with dozens of bees on the brass stands. The candelabra and angels date from about 1860 and there are photographs of them in the original church when they held candles. They were later lit by gas, then electricity. The present altar, chairs and ambo were made by Weberding Co. in 1998. To the left of the sanctuary is the Friar's Chapel. This was used by the Franciscan Friars for almost 100 years to pray their office. Today it is used for small Masses, weddings and various events. The choir stalls were handmade in Louisville and are held together by wooden dowels. The seats fold up so the friars could rest and support themselves on the side of the stalls. Three oil-on-canvas paintings on the wall were above the side altars in the original church. Two of them, St. Anthony and the Blessed Mother, are signed and dated 1865. To the right of the sanctuary is the sacristy. The magnificent cabinets were made by G. Bittner of Louisville in 1899. From the sanctuary, you will notice the organ gallery. The great pipe organ is the second or third largest in the Louisville Archdiocese. About half the pipes are from the 1890 August Prante organ with one set from the 1854 John Koehnke organ. The organ was divided in 1919 in front of the window to let light and air into the choir. The organ was repaired and enlarged in 1977 by the Miller Pipe Organ Co. Audible but not visible are the four bells in the west tower. They were purchased in 1865 by Father Anselm for the original church and re-hung in the tower in 1900. We hope you have enjoyed the tour and will join us for Liturgy on Sunday. For more information on the church, services or our many outreach programs, please call 584-4279 or e-mail: stb_newoniface@insightbb.com. Website: www.stb_newonifacechurch.com. Interesting facts The interior length of the church is 154 feet; the width, 65 feet; and the height, 55 feet. The tower rises 185 feet to the cross. The High Altar was given by the St. Ann Lady's Society and cost $4,000 in 1900. Today it would cost ???????? The organ cost about $8,000 in 1890. Its replacement value today is about $450,000. In 1900, it took 1,100 bulbs to light the church. Today we use about 150. The entire cost of the church and furnishings was $75,000 in 1900. It is irreplaceable.