There is always a surprise around every corner in New York City. Eglise de St Jean Baptiste is one of them. Located at 202 East 77th Street, this church, which should have been designated a cathedral, is absolutely magnificent. A New York City landmark, it is considered to be one of the country’s most beautiful churches and is included in the National Registry of Historic Buildings. It’s built in the Italian renaissance style.
The parish was established in 1882 to serve the area’s French Canadian immigrant population of the area. At that time 11% of New Yorkers had French ancestry and it remained the French-Canadian National Parish until 1957.
Entering the very humble main doors, you just cant imagine what awaits you. My reaction was “WOW”. I was awed by its beauty and magnificence. I actually had goose bumps the entire time I was in there. Such an unexpected surprise.
The church is one of the few Catholic churches in New York City with a dome, and only one of two – the other being ST Patrick’s Cathedral – with stained glass windows from the glass studios of Chartres.
this church is staffed by the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, an Order of men founded in Paris in 1856 by St. Peter Julian Eymard.
This church contains another relic, that of saint Anne
NATIONAL SHRINE OF ST ANNE
