Old St. Teresa Catholic Church, Catholic church in downtown Albany, United States.
Old St. Teresa Catholic Church is a brick church on Residence Avenue in downtown Albany, Georgia, and the oldest church building in the city. Construction began in 1859 on land given by Colonel Nelson Tift, the founder of Albany, using handmade bricks from a plantation near Newton, Georgia. The building was dedicated on November 19, 1882, under the patronage of St. Teresa of Ávila.
Construction started in 1859 on land donated by Colonel Nelson Tift, and during the Civil War the unfinished building served as a hospital for soldiers. This dual purpose shows how the building adapted to the community's needs during wartime.
The name Old St. Teresa distinguishes it from the larger parish church dedicated in 1958; the downtown building was kept as a second church. Mass is still held there every Wednesday at noon, and the building is dedicated to St. Teresa of Ávila.
The building sits in an easily accessible downtown location and can be viewed from the outside. Visitors should check ahead about access hours and rules since it remains an active place of worship.
The building was used as a hospital for wounded Confederate soldiers while still unfinished during the Civil War. After the war it was dedicated on November 19, 1882, by William Hickley Gross, then Bishop of Savannah, under the patronage of St. Teresa of Ávila. A Mass is still held there every Wednesday at noon.
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