Bertram Goodhue's 1914-18 Church of St. Vincent Ferrer - 869 Lexington Av.

 

photograph by Jim Henderson

On November 10, 1867, the Dominican Fathers (described as the "fathers of the white-robed order," by The Evening World), laid the cornerstone for a brick chapel and school at the northeast corner of Lexington Avenue and 65th Street.  It was the first of three buildings on (or near) the site for the parish of St. Vincent Ferrer.

In 1912, the congregation received renderings for its third structure.  Most of the Gothic Revival designs included soaring spires and were reportedly rejected as being, "approximately a miniature of St. Patrick's Cathedral."  The commission was given to Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue--his first substantial ecclesiastical work after the recent dissolution of Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson.

The existing building sat north of the priory, which was built on the site of the original chapel in 1879.  The church was demolished in 1914.  (The congregation moved into a temporary structure on East 67th Street--a situation that would last for four years.)  Goodhue's plan--a Latin Cross configuration in the Gothic style--closely adhered to Dominican traditions, especially in the exterior iconography.

Four years after ground was broken, on April 29, 1918, The Sun reported that the dedication of "the beautiful new Church of St. Vincent Ferrer" would be held on May 5.  Calling the edifice "magnificent," the article said, "Before the very last touches have been put to it, the church will have cost about $1,500,000.  The windows are the largest in any church in the United States."  (The figure would translate to $30.3 million in 2025.)

The dedication ceremony of what The Sun called "probably the largest parish church in America" was impressive.  It was celebrated by Cardinal John Murphy Farley and assisted by Archbishop Bonzano, Apostolic Delegate to the United States, and other dignitaries.  The article said, "An orchestra of forty-five pieces from the New York Symphony Orchestra, a men's choir of twenty voices and a vested choir of sixty-five boys sang at both services."  Additionally, tenor Giovanni Martinelli and baritone Mario Laurenti from the Metropolitan Opera were soloists.

Goodhue had created an architectural masterpiece faced in rough-cut granite and trimmed in limestone.  The 1927 Handbook to Catholic Historical New York City would call the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, "The finest example of modern Gothic architecture in the city."  Architecture and Building said, "Lovers of the beautiful, the artistic and the old, owe a great debt to the Dominican Fathers attached to the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, of New York, as well as to Mr. Goodhue, the architect."  The major sculptural decoration was the work of Lee O. Lawrie, described by Architecture and Building as "one of America's greatest ecclesiastical sculptors."

Architecture and Building, July 1919, (copyright expired)

The magazine noted, "the most interesting feature of this church building is the attention which has been paid in the design, ornamentation and decoration thereof, as well as in the use of symbols, to the traditions peculiar to the Dominican Order."  In the tympanum of the entrance was a carving of St. Vincent Ferrer.  Architecture and Building explained, "This image...will be flanked by his symbols, consisting of the dog and devil's head, and St. Francis, founder of the Franciscans with his symbols, the Lamb and the Wolf."  The arch directly above was full of symbolism.  "The arch label ends with two figures representing the Old and New Dispensations.  St. Veronica, holding the Veil with the imprint of Christ's face thereon represented the New, and a partially veiled head represents the Old," said the article.

Highly unusual was the Crucifix, or Rood, "very boldly chiselled [sic]," according to the article, that dominated the center of the arch.  It remains one of the few exterior depictions of the Crucifixion in an American Catholic church today.  Goodhue had designed the great west rose window so that all the subjects in the stained glass were right side up.  

Carved into the octagonal turrets were figures of Art, Science and Philosophy "in the persons of members of the Dominican Order, with whom these particular branches of learning are identified," explained O. H. Murray, of Bertram G. Goodhue Associates.

Architecture and Building, July 1919, (copyright expired)

The interior was cathedral-like.  To the sides were chapels--the Lady Chapel, the Chapels of St. Joseph and St. Patrick, the Chapel of the Sacred Heart; and the Dominican Friars' Chapel.  O. H. Murray explained that the St. Joseph and St. Patrick chapels were "closed off from the aisle by beautiful examples of wrought-iron grilles and gates."

This Spanish Gothic screen was executed by master metalworker Samuel Yellin.  The International Studio, November 1921 (copyright expired)

Interestingly, the dedication ceremony was not the first large event to take place in the newly completed church.  Just over a month earlier, on March 30, 1918, the funeral for Martin John Sheridan, "famous athlete and policeman," as described by The Sun, had been held here.  The newspaper said, "though the church is a large one it was barely large enough to hold the host of friends who had turned out to pay their last tribute to the hero of many a hard fought battle won."  Among those who packed the sanctuary that afternoon were, "women and children, including policemen and firemen, Judges and one former Governor of New York State--men of all walks of life."

Born in Ireland in 1881, Sheridan had participated in the 1904 and the 1908 Olympic Games, winning three gold medals in the discus throw.  He served with the New York City Police Department from 1902 until his death on March 27, 1918 when he succumbed to the Spanish Influenza the day before his 37th birthday.  

photograph by Bestbudbrian

A three-day celebration of St. Vincent Ferrer in 1919 terminated in a solemn pontifical high mass on April 6, celebrated by Archbishop Patrick J. Hayes.  The New-York Tribune reported, "The occasion attracted more people than the new Gothic church would hold."  The article said, "The solemnity of the mass was especially impressive to the worshippers who crowded into the nave and chancel of the church, built after the mediaeval design of the old monastic order."

Another impressive funeral was that of Thomas M. Farley, former Sheriff of New York County and Tammany leader, which was held here on April 7, 1934.   The New York Times reported, "More than 2,500 friends, relatives and Tammany Hall colleagues" attended the service.  Despite the rainy weather, thousands more crowded the avenue outside.

On September 22, 1935, a statue of Blessed Martin de Porres, beatified by Pope Gregory XVI in 1837, was unveiled here.  A movement was underway at the time for his canonization.  In an interesting example of the inherent racism of the times, the headline in The New York Times read, "Statue Is Unveiled For Catholic Negro."

The reredos and the Great East Window.  photograph by Bestbudbrian

The Church of St. Vincent Ferrer was, of course, routinely the scene of impressive funerals and weddings.  One that, perhaps, stood out was the marriage of socialite Barbara Cecile Hoge and Prince Ivan Peter Obolensky on February 4, 1950.  The bride, said The New York Times, was "a descendant of William Hoge, who came to this country from Scotland early in the seventeenth century [and] of Alexander Hoge, Gen. James Hoge, prominent Virginians; Gov. Hoge Tyler of that state and John Otis, brother of James Otis, Revolutionary patriot."

The groom, said the article, was "a brother of Prince Alexander Obolensky, is a nephew of Princess Alexis Obolensky, Prince Vladimir Troubetzkoy, Prince Nicholas Troubetzkoy and Countess Nicholas Lansdorff."  Prince Sergei Obolensky, Prince Alexis Obolensky, and Prince Kyril Galitzine were among the wedding party.

photograph by Jim Henderson

More than a century after Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue deemed it his best work in the ecclesiastical field, the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer remains one of Manhattan's most striking and important Gothic style structures.