See inside of St. Vincent's and Meet Brother Tony
St. Vincent's is one of downtown's oldest and most iconic Catholic churches. Brother Tony explains how it has changed over the years as well as impacted the community.
St. Vincent de Paul Church stands at a 45-degree angle on the corner of Figueroa Street and Adams Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles. Its cathedral doors face the intersection, inviting passersby to come inside and experience its beauty. The church is distinguishable from great distances by its 151-foot bell tower and colorfully tiled 130-foot dome that rise majestically into the blue Southern California sky.
The Catholic church was built in the mid 1920s, but its parish celebrates its 125th anniversary on Jan. 25, 2012. St. Vincent's is the third oldest parish in Los Angeles. Its coinciding kindergarten through eighth grade school turned 100 years old this year.
After moving from its original location in what is now the jewelry district in downtown Los Angeles, the parish began on the northwest corner of Washington and Grand, not far from its current location. As the population of Los Angeles grew rapidly at the turn of the century, the need for a larger sanctuary became evident. In the early 1920s, oil industrialist Edward L. Doheny and his wife financed the building of the current church. The pair frequented the town of Taxco, Mexico, during the Doheny company's oil explorations and the two became enamored with the Santa Prisca church located there. The Dohenys, noted philanthropists, agreed to finance the building of the new church near their home in Chester Place, now part of Mount St. Mary's College, if it could be built to resemble Santa Prisca. St. Vincent's is refined and enhanced in many ways compared to Santa Prisca, but retained much of its architectural Baroque and Churriguera design elements.
The church is laid out as a Latin cross, as is typical for cathedrals, with a seating capacity of 1,200. The church is built with reinforced concrete designed to withstand heavy winds or earthquakes. The Dohenys also created an endowment that helps with the maintenance of the building to this day.
The interior of the church is decorated with ornate Italian Renaissance details that reflect additional inspiration from Mexico and Spain. Strong Marian themes are present throughout the altars and shrines. The magnificent domed polychrome ceiling with gold leaf accents is adorned with Christian symbols and images of the four Evangelists created by John Smeraldi, a Vatican-trained artist.
The elaborate high altar is the focal point of the interior. Also known as a reredo, the ornate Churriguresque altar is made of carved, gold-plated and polychromed wood. The main panel depicts the crucifixion of Jesus with the Virgin Mary, St. John and Mary Magdalen at his feet. The other panels depict a multitude of saints, fathers of the church and apostles.
The sumptuous stained glass windows allow beautiful light into the sanctuary and add to the reverent ambiance of the space. The windows depict numerous holy events, from images of Christ's life and his miracles, to stories of the Gospel and saints. There are also images of the life of the patron saint of the church, St. Vincent de Paul, Apostle of Charity.
The pulpit, behind which the priest gives sermons and Bible readings are done, is located on the left hand side of the church when facing the altar. An intricate bronze staircase leads to the pulpit. It is carved from a piece of Morocco red flame marble. Over the pulpit is a wood canopy carved from French walnut.
The intricacies of the decorative details and symbolism of the adornments are numerous throughout the church. The grandeur adds to the overall mystical beauty of the space that leaves anyone, regardless of religious affiliation, captivated with awe.
Today, the church has two main pastors who oversee upwards of 15 services per week, plus confessional hours. Mass is held both in English and Spanish at varying times. The church is often filled to capacity during the Sunday services held in Spanish. Traditional hymns accompanied by a main 2,750 pipe organ and a much smaller Echo organ are used in the services. Nontraditional music also is incorporated into services, including a live mariachi band on some Sundays.
Due to its size, historic significance and beauty inside and out, St. Vincent's is often the site of special events. Surrounded by palm trees, the front steps of the church are a popular spot for wedding and quinceañeras photos. Over the years, the church has attracted Hollywood as well, and is frequently the location for movie filming.
The site: