Our History

 

 

 

St. Jerome Parish has a history of serving immigrants beginning in the second half of the 19th Century with emigration heavily rooted from Ireland, Germany and Italy.  In the 1950’s, groups from the Caribbean, in particular Puerto Rico, followed and in recent years, emigration from Mexico and South America has dominated.

 

The area in 1869, in which St. Jerome’s opened its doors, where the Bronx begins, with a temporary storefront church at the corner of Mott Haven Canal and 138th Street. This new church made it possible for the faithful of the South Bronx to attend mass and participate in church services and activities in their own neighborhood, instead of having to travel up to the Fordham section of the Bronx or into Manhattan. With the passing of time, the boundaries of St. Jerome Parish narrowed to the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx as other smaller parishes were opened to meet the growing number of Catholic households.

 

In 1871, the current school, rectory and convent were built on Alexander Avenue between 137th and 138th Streets. Initially, the new school building served as both the church and elementary school for girls and boys.

 

In 1900, the current church was completed on the corner of Alexander Avenue and 138th Street.


The Church

 

Since 1900 the Church of St. Jerome amazes visitors by its size and materials used in the construction of this sacred place, namely, marble, granite, bronze and oak.

The combination of arched, columns and vaulted ceilings creates a breathtaking visual impact that is very appealing to the eye. Craftsmanship and an eye for detail are quite evident when one looks at the altars, statues, the Stations of the Cross and other furnishings.

A massive reproduction of the Last Supper adorns part of the dome which soars over sixty feet above the sanctuary floor.

Magnificent stain glass windows also enhance the beauty of St. Jerome’s Church. These windows only flood the interior with light, but they also serve a catechetical purpose, by reminding the faithful of Jesus’ words and deeds. In the words of the parish history, written to commemorate the parish’s fiftieth anniversary: “They are intended to lift minds from earthly cares to Heavenly thoughts.”


Some Facts About Saint Jeromes

St. Jerome’s Parish is the sixth oldest parish in the Bronx. The oldest is St. Raymond’s Church in Parkchester.

The oldest parish in the South Bronx is the parish of St. Agustine on Franlin Ave.

In the period 1890-1910, fourteen parishes were established in the South Bronx. It ws in the middle of this period (1900) that St. Jerome’s church was built.

Saint Jerome’s Church was built in the style in which many churches in Italy were built during the time of the Renaissance.

The Church of St. Jerome was consecrated on May 31st, 1917 by Cardinal Farley. The twelve candles and crosses around the church are signs of a consecrated church.

The Last Supper scene above the main altar was painted on canvas. After having been lifted to the ceiling, the painted canvas was nailed to the ceiling. In the painting, each standing figure measures 7 feet.

The Stations of the Cross are copies of the Stations of the Cross in the Cathedral Church of Milan, Italy.

The marble in the church is carara marble.

The main altar is dedicated to the Souls in Purgatory. It weighs 18 tons.

The Stain Glass windows were not in the original edifice. They were added in the period 1909-1917.

The reason that both the Feeding of the Multitude and the Raising of the Son of the Widow of Naim were chosen as the subjects of the large stain glass windows is that both depict the giving of life: life to the dead son and life to a hungry multitude.

Each of the two major stain glass windows weighs 5 tons.

The stain glass windows were executed by J. Morgan and Sons, a New York firm. Other examples of their work can be found in St. Agnes Church on East 43 Street, Ascension Church on West 107 Street, St. Frances de Sales on East 96 Street, and Holy Rosary Church on East 119 Street.

The stain glass window in the sanctuary on the right is of Melchizedek, King of Salem, who appears and then disappears in the book of Genesis. He appears to be “eternal” because he appears “to have neither beginning nor ed.” On the left is the stain glass window of Aaron brother of Moses. In Hebrews 7, the author compares the inadequacy of the priesthood according to Aaron with the efficacy of the priesthood according to Melchizedek, i.e.; the eternal priesthood of Jesus in which, by the way, we all share through Baptism.