St. Louis’ own St. Francis de Sales Oratory (2653 Ohio) was voted America’s Most Beautiful Church in blog Art & Liturgy’s 2017 “Church Madness National Churchpionship.”
Church Madness by Granda Liturgical Arts, based in Madrid, Spain, pitted 64 American churches against each other nationwide in East, West, Midwest, and South brackets. The final matchup was between St. Francis de Sales Oratory and the St. James Church of the Archdiocese of Louisville, churches separated by 270 miles. Ultimately, St. Francis de Sales Oratory won out, taking the “churchpionship” with 51.75 percent—more than 9,000—votes. Throughout the country, 17,860 voters participated.
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For the church’s clergy, that’s a surprise victory, especially considering the church has been undergoing slow but steady renovations over the past 12 years.
“From the outside, it looks pretty neglected,” says the Rev. Canon Michael Wiener. “But inside it’s very pristine. It’s a lot of work, and we constantly restore and repair, but it’s really amazing.”
Once called “Cathedral of South St. Louis,” the Gothic revival building that opened in 1907 features a 300-foot spire; large, pointed arched windows with an array of stained glass; decorative columns; ornate trim; and a 130-foot-long aisle that’s one of the longest in St. Louis. St. Francis de Sales Oratory is known for its traditional Catholic liturgy and is the second largest church in St. Louis—a city was once called “the Rome of the West.”
Most of the 64 churches in the bracket were nominated by Art & Liturgy readers. But Patrick Murray, Projects Consultant for Granda Liturgical Arts and author of the blog Art & Liturgy, also did his own research to find churches in cities that weren’t represented.
“Anybody who sees the photos of St. Francis de Sales, or many of the other contestants, can see that it’s gorgeous,” Murray says. “The art, craftsmanship, the aesthetic harmony speak for themselves. I’m told that the photos don’t do justice to the church, and I’m excited to see that for myself the next time I’m in St. Louis.”
In July 2005, Archbishop Rev. Raymond Burke entrusted the renovation of the church building and campus to the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. Currently, the Institute is raising funds to restore the building’s roof, stained-glass windows, and spire.
St. Francis de Sales Oratory is located at 2653 Ohio. Go to traditionfortomorrow.com/a-tour for a 360-degree virtual tour. To see the full Church Madness bracket, visit artandliturgy.com.
