Past and present parishioners of Our Lady of Reconciliation de la Salette attended a special mass at the church in Eldon Street on Sunday 19th September 2004, which celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the parish.
The parish of Our Lady of Reconciliation de la Salette was originally established in 1854. It is a daughter parish of St Anthony�s, Scotland Road, and was originally dedicated to St Helen, mother of Constantine and discover of the True Cross. The first church was a converted warehouse in Blackstock Street.
The first Parish Priest was Fr. Vandepitte, a Belgian priest. He built the present church (in Eldon Street) which opened on the 15th August 1860. The church is in �Pugin Gothic� style3 designed by Edward Pugin the son of the famous architect Augustus Welby Pugin. By permission of the Holy See the parish was dedicated to Our Lady of Reconciliation de la Salette. One of the great features of the church are the Altar Rails. These are of Belgian Oak, beautifully and intricately carved. This commemorate the men of the parish who died in the 1914-1919 war. Their names appear on two plaques either side of the altar rails.
Above you will see the great Crucifix with the figures of Our Lady and St John on either side. And higher still you will see the stained glass windows with images of the saints.
On the left you will see the Lady Altar. It is a gift of the Luthuanian community, along with the first copy of the famous miraculous picture of Our Lady of Vilna � afterwards called Our Lady of Kaunas.
On the right is the Altar of St Joseph with scenes in marble of the nativity and the death of St Joseph.
The church is 84 feet high from the floor to the top of the inner roof and 120 feet high to the top of the outer roof. High in the west wall of the church is a large Rose Window.
Appendix to the above from:
Elona Vaisnys
Vice president for Community Development
Lithuanian American Community
Dear Mr. Formby,
What an interesting quest for the past!
I visited your website and will be able to assist immediately with a little correction:
"On the left you will see the Lady Altar. It is a gift of the Lithuanian community, along with the first copy of the famous miraculous picture of Our Lady of Vilna - afterwards called Our Lady of Kaunas."
That picture was never known as Our Lady of Kaunas, because the picture is located (to this day) in Vilnius (Vilna), capital of Lithuania, and is called in Lithuanian "Ausros vartu Marija" or "Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn".
The "gate of dawn" is a real gate through a thick 16th century defence wall surrounding the city. A chapel was built in 1671 on top of this last remaining part of the ancient fortification. It is a very precious place for Lithuanians.
See: www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/SPRINGausros.htm Page
See: www.vilnius.lt/new/gidas.php?open=30&root=1&sub_cat=161
The picture of the Madonna is behind the picture window.
Also see: www.worldisround.com/articles/13979/photo9.html
We will try to find someone who might be able to help with your quest for information about the Lithuanian community that settled in Liverpool in the 1870'ies.
Best wishes,
Elona Vaisnys
Vice President for Community Development
Lithuanian American Community
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Last Updated May 2007
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