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St. Patrick's Catholic Church

Introduction

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One of two Catholic churches in Meridian (the other is St. Joseph's), St. Patrick's Church is historically significant for its Gothic Revival architecture. It was built in 1886 and designed by German immigrant Alfred. J.R.E. Zucker, who was living in Vicksburg at the time. The brick church features a four-story square tower with a round-arched balustrade at the top, lancet windows with stained glass, and corner buttresses. The church is a contributing property of the Meridian Multiple Resource Area, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

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St. Patrick's Catholic Church was built in 1886. It is an excellent example of Gothic Revival architecture.

Stairs, Door, Mid-size car, Sedan

Backstory and Context

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Meridian's Catholic history dates back to 1853 when missionaries, who were among the first to settle in the area, arrived from Paulding County. The first Catholic church was built at this location in 1866. Two years later, the church's pastor, Father Louis Vally, arrived and became a leader in the community. Among his accomplishments were organizing the town's first fire fighter brigade and helping establish a convent in 1877. During the Yellow Fever Epidemic he cared for the sick and buried those who died. He also led the effort to built St. Patrick's Church in 1886. He is buried on the grounds just outside of the church; his grave is the only one in the city not located in a cemetery. Next to the church is the parish school, which was established in 1873. The present school building was constructed in the 1960s.

Sources

Cook, Jody. "S. Patrick's Catholic Church." State of Mississippi Historic Sites Survey. February 1979. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/f0fdde18-fe91-416b-861c-9d2dd57b4bd3.

Owens, Cheryl. "Worship Site Profile: St. Patrick Catholic Church." The Meridian Star. January 27, 2017. https://www.meridianstar.com/news/local_news/worship-site-profile-st-patrick-catholic-church/article_9919ce6c-4771-5877-9b0f-da96b63e133e.html.

"School History." St. Patrick's Catholic School. Accessed January 14, 2020. https://www.stpatrickcatholicschool.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=302215&type=d&pREC_ID=698263.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St._Patrick%27s_Church_3.jpg

Additional Information