I mentioned last week that covering South Philadelphia would probably kill me. A reasonable person, therefore, would try to limit their exposure to the area. What do I do instead? I go back for a second straight week of torment. It’s not entirely my fault—I couldn’t find much else to fit my criteria for this week, so I thought I could get by with another trip into the lion’s den.
Now, I’m positively sure that South Philly will kill me…if I’m forced to see more churches like St. Nicholas of Tolentine.
St. Nicholas is probably the ultimate example of the most hated St. Cyprian Effect: good exteriors, bad interiors. We’ve encountered no other church that has such a disparity between the inside and the outside. You see, the outside is kind of cool. Not great, but cool—a dark Italian Renaissance-y design highlighted by an oxidized copper trip and steeple. Factor in the 1916 construction date, and you can see why I initially fell for this church.
Inside, though, we get….a thoroughly modern design. No crazy sculptures, no amazing paint or brickwork, no sense of grandeur. Instead, there’s dark wood paneling and funky futuristic windows. All it needs is some shag carpeting to complete the effect. Talk about a punch to the gut.
Certainly, this is not the product of 1916 architects. I did some digging and learned that in the 1960s, a zealous pastor by the name of Angelo Allegrini concocted and carried out a total remodeling of the upper and lower churches. No exact reason is given, aside from a desire that, “apart from being beautiful and devotional, the faithful would find them comfortable in both summer and winter.”
You have to admire Father’s Allegrini’s passion, if not his taste. The Project finds this neither very devotional nor beautiful. Sure, it’s possible St. Nicholas wasn’t very nice to begin with. I’ll make that caveat, because I don’t yet have old pictures of the place. But modern architecture has no place here, especially when it masquerades as a treasure of old.
I’m really starting to dislike South Philly.
Size Rating: 6 out of 10
Ornamentation Rating: 5 out of 10
Overall Design Rating: 5 out of 10 crosses
