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St. Florian Church		 13145 S. Houston Avenue
Chicago, Illinois     60633		 Phone: (773) 646-4877
FAX: (773) 646-5965

Views from around St. Florian Church, both past and present.

St. Florian Our Patron Saint.

Florian von Lorch was born around 250 A.D. and was martyred for his faith around 304 A.D. He lived around the town of Enns near the River Enns which is in present day Austria. He converted to Christianity when it was still a minority religion. It is said that as a youth, Florian was able to put out a fire in a house through the power of his prayers alone. It is also said that he saved an entire city from flames with only a single bucket of water. Because of these events Florian has been the patron saint of firemen and chimney sweeps since the twelfth century.

St. Florian is regarded as a patron of Poland, as well as Linz, and Upper Austria. He also holds patronage of firemen, brewers, coopers, chimney-sweeps, and soap-boilers. He is invoked against bad harvests, battles, fire, flood, and storm. He is also the patron of those in danger from water and flood, and of drowning.

The Original St. Florian Church was a wooden structure located on the north east corner of 132nd Street and Houston Avenue. The building was still around in the 1960s however in 1927, a new church was built further north on Houston Avenue and the old church found other uses. The old church no longer exists today.

 

St. Florian
Church

In 1927, a new church/school was built. The Church occupies the first floor with School rooms located on the top floor.

To the Right in the Photo you will also see Konsowski Hall (the original school) and to the far right, St. Florian Rectory.

St. Florian Church was one of the first handicapped accessible Churches built in Chicago,as her front door is level with the sidewalk.

 

A New Church is built. Dedication of the New St. Florian Church, the first Catholic Church in the United States (according to an old Ripley's Beleive it or Not publication) to have its entrance level with the street.

According to the 25th Anniversary Album of St. Florian Church, The procession left the Rectory promptly at 3 PM accompanied by ringing of the Church bell. The cross was being carried in the procession’s front, followed by altar boys in red and white gowns. Behind them, there followed little girls dressed all in white with white lilies in their hands and a long row of altar boys with clergymen. This photo from our archives shows the procession as it leaves the then new church.

 

Blessed Mother Shrine

Located near the site of the Original St. Florian Church, the Blessed Mother Shrine was erected shortly before our 75th Anniversary.

Since originally being dedicated, the shrine is now surrounded by evergreens, a sign of Christ's everlasting love.

To Our Blessed Mother
We fly to your protection, most holy Mother of God; please listen to our petitions and needs, and deliver us from all dangers, ever glorious and blessed Virgin Mary.


Mary, our model and mother, by your obedience and patience you have taught us how to be true children of God. Please help us by your powerful assistance to overcome all our weaknesses, and to fulfill perfectly our tasks in life.


By your compassionate aid may we ever stand in spirit with you beneath the cross of Christ so that we may also rejoice with you in your divine Son's triumphant victory over sin and death.


In your maternal kindness help us to be faithful to prayers in the company of God's Church as you were one with the Apostles in the upper room as you waited for the promised Spirit of Pentecost.


With your gracious assistance may we be near you in the glory of Christ's kingdom come to sing with you and all the faithful the eternal praise of God.

Amen.

First Communion, 1906. The above picture, comes from the St. Florian archives located in present day Konsowski Hall. St. Florian church was dedicated on Oct, 2, 1905. That following Spring, this photo was taken to marking the inaugural First Communion Celebration of the new church in1906.

 
 

The Stained Glass Windows

Last year, the Stained glass windows at St. Florian were removed for renovation. The large windows most often seen in the church have been beautifully transformed to like new.

The smaller windows located in the choir loft are currently being restored. The windows date back to when the combination church/school was built in 1927. The stained glass renovation is one of three major projects that are part of St. Florian's Millennium Campaign

 

 

St. Florian's Infant Jesus

The devotion to the Holy Child Jesus has been a tradition of the Catholic Church for a very long time. This devotion is a veneration of our Lord's sacred Infancy.

Many saints had a strong devotion to the Divine Child, Most notably St. Therese of the Child Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, and St. Teresa of Avila.

For more information see:

Infant Jesus of Prague

History of the IJP