Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, roman catholic church building
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a Roman Catholic church in the Westside neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, built from stone and marble with two tall spires rising over 200 feet (about 60 meters). The interior seats around 1,200 people and is lit by stained glass windows made by artisans from Munich and St. Louis.
The church was founded in 1892 by Polish immigrants who wanted their own parish, with the first Mass held that August. The larger building standing today was completed between 1907 and 1910, and in 1998 Pope John Paul II granted it the title of minor basilica.
The name of the basilica comes from the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which Polish immigrants carried with them from their homeland and passed down through generations. Masses are still celebrated in both Polish and English, and the church remains a gathering point for the local Polish-American community.
The church sits on Park Avenue in the Westside neighborhood and is easy to spot from a distance thanks to its tall spires. Visitors are welcome to explore the interior outside of service times, and modest dress is expected inside.
One of the stained glass windows shows Saint Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan friar who died at Auschwitz in 1941 and was later canonized by Pope John Paul II. The large pipe organ was built in 1927 by the Skinner company and arrived here after another church closed, and it is still played during services today.
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