St. Agatha – St. James Church

St. Agatha–St. James Church (formerly St. James Church) is a Roman Catholic church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The original parish was established in 1850 as the Church of St. James the Greater, the first Catholic parish in Philadelphia County west of the Schuylkill River. Ground was purchased at 38th and Chestnut Streets and within two years a church building was erected. Construction of the current building, designed by Philadelphia architect Edwin Forrest Durang, began on October 16, 1881 and was completed on the same day in 1887.

St. Agatha-St. James Catholic Church
Religion
AffiliationRoman Catholic Church
LeadershipFather Carlos Keen
Year consecrated1887
StatusActive
Location
Location38th and Chestnut Streets,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Geographic coordinates39.954836°N 75.198142°W / 39.954836; -75.198142
Architecture
Architect(s)Edwin Forrest Durang
Groundbreaking1881
Completed1887
Specifications
Capacity650
Height (max)75'
Website

The church underwent additions in 1930, which included electric lights, and another complete renovation in 2003.

Nearby St. Agatha's Church (at 38th and Spring Garden Streets in Powelton Village) was closed in 1976, and its parish was merged into that of the former St. James Church, which was then renamed St. Agatha–St. James.[1]

The current pastor is Father Carlos Keen.

Education

The designated parish grade schools of the church are St. Francis de Sales School and St. Ignatius School.[2] Previously Our Mother of Sorrows was designated as one of the grade schools serving the parish.[3] Our Mother of Sorrows and St. Ignatius of Loyola have since merged into a single school operated by Independence Mission Schools, operated independently of the archdiocese.[4]

References
  1. "Conversion Experience", by Gene Austin, Inquirer Real Estate Writer.
  2. "St. Agatha-St. James". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
  3. "St. AGATHA-St. JAMES". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. 1997-03-01. Archived from the original on 1997-03-01. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
  4. "History". Our Mother of Sorrows/St. Ignatius of Loyola. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
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