by donald dusinberre imartsyfartsy@gmail.com
This Saturday, I got the opportunity to go on a Historic Church Tour of churches in Downtown Jacksonville. Starting at the new Main Library, our tour guides offered us a map and a list of nine churches to visit, most of which stand just a few blocks from each other, giving the area the unofficial title of “the Cathedral District.”
The tour was loosely conducted to allow each visitor to spend as much or little time as they wanted at any location, with trolleys stopping periodically at every church. I took to the East Loop of the Church Tour on foot, getting to know these stately buildings as real places of worship for the first time.
I always assumed that most of the churches in the downtown area served more of a civic, historical capacity than as a working house of God. I imagined that perhaps God had moved out to the suburbs and let us use the churches as museums or storage.
You see, the churches in Downtown Jacksonville were originally built to serve the folks who lived in the neighborhoods around them. Before the Great Fire of 1901, Downtown Jacksonville had many more residential homes, but the communities destroyed were never replaced. Consequently, many of the Downtown churches no longer host neighborhood families, but they still hold services and operate with a congregation who specifically chooses their church.
What surprised me was the vibrancy that these old buildings still retain. Not only is each of them meticulously cared for, their staff members were all very knowledgeable of their church’s history. The best part: it was just like learning about the remarkable history of famous churches in Europe, except they’re right here in town and the stories don’t go as far back in time.
First Presbyterian Church: Located just 4 blocks from the banks of the St. Johns River, the First Presbyterian Church lured me with the delightful sound of the carillon bells playing Christmas melodies. This church was built in the Gothic revival style, complete with arched doors, dark wood, and more than 25 stained glass windows filled with light.
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church: The second-oldest church in the Diocese of St. Augustine, this building contains 30 stained-glass windows by the Franz Mayer Stained Glass Company, based in Munich, Germany. The windows are currently undergoing full restoration. As I entered, I could hear classic madrigal voices echoing off the impossibly high ceilings. As with many Downtown churches, the current structure was built in 1910, following the Great Fire of 1901. There were two previous structures, one of which was burned by Federal Troops during the Civil War.
St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral: Complete with gargoyles and massive walls of stained glass, this cathedral is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture. The sanctuary greeted us with the sound of its pipe organ, which enhanced the gravity one feels when they step into a solemn room of worship. At its core, Gothic architecture is as much about symbolism as it is functionality, and it is truly fascinating to experience an example that causes you to wonder what every detail means.
Historic Mt. Zion AME Church: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this Romanesque Revival structure was built in 1906 and features the city’s only manually pumped leather-bellowed pipe organ. After more than 40 years of silence, the pipe organ is being restored and should be operational within a year. This church was the most alive. I entered the sanctuary to hear everyone singing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!”
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