Saint Mary's, Star of the Sea Church

Known for the light atop its spire, which serves as an official navigational aid for vessels in the Port of Baltimore, Saint Mary's, Star of the Sea Church is a Catholic church built in 1871 by the Irish immigrant community. It honors the Virgin Mary, whose one of many titles is the "star of the sea" ("stella maris" in Latin), which emerged in the Middle Ages as a "guiding star" and a protector of sailors. Saint Mary's is located in a residential area of the Federal Hill neighborhood.

By the 1860s, the Irish immigrant population in Baltimore had grown significantly and was continuing to expand thanks to the plentiful work offered by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and local ship builders. As a result, it was apparent that a new church was needed to accommodate them. The pastor at what is now Our Lady of Good Counsel, Father Peter McCoy, bought the property on which the church now stands in 1868. This area of Baltimore in the 1860s was largely undeveloped and one could easily view the city from Fort McHenry. McCoy built a 50x20 foot rectory and church services were held in the basement. Construction of the present church began in 1869 and was completed two years later. The congregation financed the project through street fairs, carnivals, strawberry festivals and harvest homes.

The light at the top of the spire was first lit by candles and mirrors; it was later electrified. The stained glass windows were made in Munich, Germany and were installed in the mid-1890s. The church's Cassavant organ was installed in the 1920s. The school opened in 1877 and was replaced by a new building in 1914 at Battery Avenue and Gittings Street. It eventually merged with two schools in 1972. Saint Mary's merged with two other parishes in 2002 to form the Catholic Community of South Baltimore.

Egan, Casey. "The surprising Irish origins of Baltimore, Maryland." Irish Central. June 13, 2016. https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/the-surprising-irish-origins-of-baltimore-maryland.

"History." Catholic Community of South Baltimore. Accessed February 9, 2023. https://www.southbaltcatholic.org/st-mary-star-of-the-sea

"Saint Mary's, Star of the Sea Church." Federal Hill Online. Accessed February 9, 2023. http://www.federalhillonline.com/tourstop06.htm.