Sentimental Church Record Sunday: St. Michael Catholic Church, Old Town, Chicago - Interior

While visiting my son in Chicago in August 2017, I was able to easily walk from the daylight basement apartment where we were staying in Lincoln Park to another Catholic church, St. Michael in Old Town.  I made a couple trips there over the week we were visiting.  So far I have written about the exterior and some of its details, as well as a family connection at the rectory doors.  Today I'll write about the interior in general.  Here's the dome just above the main altar (click on images to make them larger):

Here are photos looking down the main aisle of the church, toward the altar....

St. Michael's Church, 3 Sep 2014 / Sean Birmingham / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

...and toward the main door.

St. Michael's Church, 3 Sep 2014 / Sean Birmingham / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Here are some details of the painting in the dome above the main altar.  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find out exactly who the artist was.  Records indicate interior decoration was done in 1883 by Karl Lambert of New York City (although a National Register nomination says it was 1881 and Karl Lambrecht), and in 1921 by A. Weinert of Milwaukee.  Between 1950-53, the church was redecorated. I don't think it was the prolific John Anton Mallin, as this church is not listed in his records.

I'm not quite sure why there is a Star of David symbol in the church.

The dove represents the Holy Spirit.

In the center of the church is another domed area with representations of the four Gospel writers, St. Matthew (a winged man), St. Mark (a winged lion), St. Luke (an ox or bull with wings), and St. John (an eagle), the Four Evangelists.

Next week:  the altars!

© Amanda Pape - 2018 - click here to e-mail me.