Church of the Immaculate Conception, New Orleans 1857 & 1929

When one enters the church, one is met with the enormous height of the Nave; this is in reference to just-about every other church in New Orleans. The chandeliers of fine bronze are of both Moorish and Byzantine styles.

My church in New Orleans. Immaculate Conception church, locally known as Jesuit church. Was original built in 1857 in the Moorish and Byzantine styles with Venetian Gothic influence. I moved to New Orleans in my early teens and remember walking into this church. I was amazed as it was so different from other Historic Catholic church's and so beautiful and detailed. It was built during one of my favorite periods the 1850's. During the early 20th century the church suffered great damage due to skyscrapers being built all around it. The church was so well loved that it was taken apart and reconstructed back the way it was in the 1850's on a much stronger foundation during the 1920's. I was baptized in this beautiful church in my mid 20's. As you look at the photo's the church has a great deal of antebellum cast-iron all made in Baltimore, MD in the 1850's another city I lived in. The pews, confessionals & columns are cast-iron

Fr. John Cambiaso, who was responsible for the plans and construction of the original church, came to New Orleans as an official representative of the Superior for the Province of Lyons. Fr. Cambiaso was born in Lyons to a noble family and received his early education at the Jesuit College in Lyons. At 19 he entered the Society of Jesus, then became a teacher and taught in colleges around the world. While living in Spain, Fr. Cambiaso became a great admirer of Moorish architecture. He therefore designed this church in the same graceful style.



The Moorish Kingdoms, which are of the Moslem religion, and the Arab people, took over much of Spain in 711. The re-conquest of Spain by the Christians started in 718, but it wasn't until 1491 that the Christians were victorious over the Moorish Kingdoms. Because the Moorish Kingdoms were in control of Spain for nearly seven hundred years, their culture and architecture were a part of Spain and her people. Notice the Islamic design in the domes and architecture of the church.



This lot on which the church is built still bore traces of what the city once was when the city was first founded; a water-covered cypress swamp. It was the natural habitat of alligators, herons and muskrats. It had to be drained inch-by-inch, foot-by-foot. The foundation that Fr. Cambiaso built was a double row of large red cedar planks, over which was laid a layer of oyster shells embedded in strong mortar and reinforced with iron bars. Over it was built a wall five to seven feet wide built with fire-bricks and indestructible mortar. Unfortunately the foundations were too narrow and not of the snow-shoe construction required in soft soil. When the church edifice began to rise and the third story was reached, substantial changes had to be made in its construction in order to reduce the weight. Therefore the upper story of the church was built of picked cypress wood lined with strong wrought iron bars, and the roof and side elevations were covered with copper laid on iron rods.



Fr. Cambiaso’s church lasted for 71 years. In 1928 the original church was deemed structurally unsafe because of the building of the Pere Marquette Building adjacent to the church. At this time a plot of land was purchased on Carrollton Avenue on which was built the Jesuit College, now known as Jesuit High School.

The construction of the Pere Marquette Building took a toll on Immaculate Conception Church -- shaking the foundation of the Church so that half of the columns in the rear moved forward a full inch, the wall on the uptown side lifted one inch, the tile floor in the rear lifted by an inch and the marble split in several places. The windows also were jammed shut. An architect was consulted and still more movement was measured within the structure. The old church withstood the pile driving for the Pere Marquette building, as well as the extra 500 piles for the garage that was built behind the church. However, the blasting of dynamite half a block away for the Canal Bank Building finally rendered the church useless.



Fr. Cambiaso’s church had to be taken down brick by brick. A diary was kept on the activities of dismantling which mentions the removal of the pews, the bare altar, and the historic organ. But the most heartfelt entry, filled with the greatest sorrow, was the removal of the statue of Our Lady which stood in the niche high above the main altar. It was written, “The historic statue of Our Immaculate Mother that has stood for over half a century in the resplendent niche above the golden altar is taken down today, July 26, 1928. The workmen laid it on a little truck and rolled it to a storage place next door. The scene was very sad and looked like a depressing funeral. I pray that our glorious Queen of Earth and Heaven may soon rise again and be placed on a throne more beautiful than the one from which she has just been removed, owing to dire necessity”. Demolition was completed at the end of September of 1928, and new construction began on October 26, 1928.



At the point at which the initial pile was driven, a hole was bored, into which a statue of Christ the King was placed. The hole was plugged and covered with an iron cap to prevent injury to the statue. The second pile has a statue of the Immaculate Conception. The third of St. Joseph, the fourth has St. Louis the patron of the Archdiocese and the fifth is of St. Ignatius.



The cornerstone was laid on May 16, 1929. The magnificent bronze doors were placed in position on February 4, 1930. Our Lady of Immaculate Conception was placed back in her niche on February 6, 1930. The altar was replaced, the organ reconstructed and the pews put back in position by February 17, 1930.

Mass was said in the new Immaculate Conception Church on March 2, 1930. There was a solemn dedication of the church by Archbishop Shaw.

Carved Marble Holy Water Fonts

The four angels holding the bowls of Holy Water were installed in 1933. Their facial features were modeled after the family members of Father Facundus G. Carbajal, S.J., who was pastor at the time.

St.Patrick

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. At the age of 16 he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in a monastery. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity. St. Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity.

St.Patrick

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. At the age of 16 he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in a monastery. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity. St. Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity.

Holy Water Fonts

The four angels holding the bowls of Holy Water were installed in 1933. Their facial features were modeled after the family members of Father Facundus G. Carbajal, S.J., who was pastor at the time.

Holy Water Fonts

The four angels holding the bowls of Holy Water were installed in 1933. Their facial features were modeled after the family members of Father Facundus G. Carbajal, S.J., who was pastor at the time.

When one enters the church, one is met with the enormous height of the Nave; this is in reference to just-about every other church in New Orleans. The chandeliers of fine bronze are of both Moorish and Byzantine styles.

St. Peter and St. Anthony

St. Anthony’s statue guards the poor box. This box often reflects the good fortune of racetrack devotees. St. Anthony also, is the saint to whom we pray in order to find lost articles.
St. Peter is made of bronze and is a smaller replica of the statue in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The statue’s foot is worn down because of the devotions of many who wish to touch it. The same is true of the statue in Rome.

The Main Altar

This altar was built in 1867 of gilded bronze and won first prize in the Paris Exposition of 1867. The altar was designed by James Freret of New Orleans, but was constructed in Lyons, France. There are more than 600 pieces to this altar. The Moorish domes on top of the altar as well as the miter-shaped arches all harmonize perfectly with the architecture of the entire building.

 The 24 karat gold-plated altar was handmade in Lyons, France. The central focal point of the church is "Mary's Niche", a solid-marble statue of the Blessed Virgin standing in front of a gilded, lit background. At the same level are found four other statues of saints.

The Main Altar

This altar was built in 1867 of gilded bronze and won first prize in the Paris Exposition of 1867. The altar was designed by James Freret of New Orleans, but was constructed in Lyons, France. There are more than 600 pieces to this altar. The Moorish domes on top of the altar as well as the miter-shaped arches all harmonize perfectly with the architecture of the entire building.

Altar of Sacrifice

A very recent addition is the smaller altar on which Mass is offered. The hand-carved design on the front of this smaller altar suggests the elements of the Holy Sacrifice: wheat, bread, grapes, and wine – all symbols of the Eucharist.

Note The horseshoe arch, also called the Moorish arch and the Keyhole arch, is the emblematic arch of Islamic architecture.

Columns

The columns have the same geometric shapes as the bronze doors. The bottom half of the columns have eight angels. One is of the Archangel Michael. Michael is one of the principal angels; his name, which means “Who is like God” was the war-cry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against the enemy.


The other seven are guardian angels of the Church, which represent the seven Churches of Asia according to St. John in the Book of Revelation.

1850's Moorish/Byzantine style confessionals made in Baltimore, Maryland.

Mosaic Shrines

The two mosaic shrines, which were made in Italy in 1930 at a cost of $5,000 each, are of our Heavenly Queen, Mary. One recalls the devotion to Mary under the title of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The Perpetual Help story is the story of a picture of Mary and her Divine Son, our Redeemer, and of the devotion to them which developed around it. Jesus is seen as preoccupied even from his youngest days with the price he would one day pay in his Passion for our salvation, and Mary is seen as his compassionate Mother. The second is of Our Lady of Prompt Succor (Our Lady of Immediate Aid, Our Lady of Instant Help). On two separate occasions prayerful appeal were made to Mary under the title of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, and both were granted. The first was to save the Ursuline Convent from a fire in 1788. The second was to beg for an American victory over the British during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.

Mosaic Shrines

The two mosaic shrines, which were made in Italy in 1930 at a cost of $5,000 each, are of our Heavenly Queen, Mary. One recalls the devotion to Mary under the title of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The Perpetual Help story is the story of a picture of Mary and her Divine Son, our Redeemer, and of the devotion to them which developed around it. Jesus is seen as preoccupied even from his youngest days with the price he would one day pay in his Passion for our salvation, and Mary is seen as his compassionate Mother. The second is of Our Lady of Prompt Succor (Our Lady of Immediate Aid, Our Lady of Instant Help). On two separate occasions prayerful appeal were made to Mary under the title of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, and both were granted. The first was to save the Ursuline Convent from a fire in 1788. The second was to beg for an American victory over the British during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.

Baptismal Fountain