St. Mary's Listicles- Eden, Hannah, Mayson

Over the fall semester Hannah, Mayson and I visited and researched St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. We found very many interesting things about this church that allows it to be original and differ from other churches around Charleston. Below you will find some of the most interesting characteristics of the church.

1. The Artistically Beautiful Interior

Above is the ceiling inside the church.

-If you take a look on the inside of St. Mary’s, it is almost entirely covered in 23 beautiful paintings from the walls to the ceilings. Upon entering, above the unique marble altar in gold text are the words, “Hail full of grace the Lord is with thee.” The most eye catching element to the church’s magnificent interior, are the paintings on the ceiling. Sitting in the pews during a service, one can look up at the gorgeously detailed art and almost feel like they are in The Vatican. 

2. The Unborn Memorial

Above is the grave of the Unborn child. 

-Found in the cemetery of St. Mary’s is a modern foot-stone, as stated on the grave, erected “in memory of the unborn.” Amongst the many older, more intricate graves, this foot-stone is not hard to find. It stands out as it is maintained with flowers.










3. Little Annie
-When strolling through the cemetery of St. Mary’s, it is crucial to pay respects to the grave of Annie Amelia, who died at just 6 months old. The statue of a resting young lamb at the top of her headstone symbolizes innocence and youth. At the bottom right corner of her grave, one can find the signature of the artist, W.T. White.

The grave of Little Annie.

4. Stained Glass Windows

Stained glass window in the church.

-Taking a look back at the stunning inside of St. Mary’s, it is hard not to ignore the beautifully intricate stained glass windows along the sides of the church. All windows of the church portray biblical scenes, created by the famous Mayer Glassworks in Munich. When visiting the church during the day, the art within the windows almost seem to come to life as the sun shines through.

Stained glass windows in the church.

5. The Grave of Rémy Mignot

Grave of Rémy Mignot

-The epitaphs in the cemetery are very interesting to read, especially that of Rémy Mignot. His epitaph is interesting because it is one of the only ones that is written in French. It reads "Il mournt se reposant dans La misericorde de son Sauveur, el echangea, Comme nous D'espersnt. Les Peines de celle vie, Qui surpasse tout ce que nous pouvons Imaginer.” This translates to “He rested in the mercy of his Savior, and exchanged it, as we do. The pains of that life, which surpasses all that we can imagine.” Rémy was one of a few dozen French people buried here.






6. Indoor Floor Burials
-When walking up the center aisle of the church you end up at two plaques on the floor. These plaques are two grave markers for The Reverend Claudian B. Northrop and Very Reverend Richard S. Baker. On the floor at the front of the left and right aisles in the church are two more grave markers. They both also have headstones outside in the graveyard along with the rest of the people buried there.

The two graves at the front of the church.

7. Saint Peter's Six Toes

The painting of Saint Peter.

-One very important painting in the church is the painting of Saint Peter located on the balcony. If you glance at the painting you would not think twice about it, but this painting is very different from the rest. This painting depicts Saint Peter as having six toes, which is not something you see often. This painting is one of the important attractions that bring people to visit the church.

A close up view of Saint Peter's six toes. 

8. Vigil Candles

Above is the Vigil candles on the right side of the altar. 

-On either side of the altar in St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church there are Vigil candles. In Catholicism, people of the Christian faith, usually members of the congregation, would go to their respective church and light a candle in memory of in prayer for a specific person or cause.







9. Rebuilding of the Church

The exterior of the new church.

-The present day building for Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church was finished in 1839 after they outgrew the first building and the previous building was a victim of the Charleston Fire in 1838. The current church reflects classic Roman architecture, specifically Ionic Order, which was a common style in Greek temples.

The view of the church from the balcony in the rear of the church. 

10. Interior Detailing
The interior of Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church has paintings that date all the way back to 1814, one in particular was from the earlier brick church. This painting is located in the center of the altar and is very popular and known at the painting of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, the painting was burned in the fire of 1838, but was able to be restored by its original Charleston artist, John S. Cogdell, after the fire. 

The altar of the church.

Here is our team picture at the church!