Landmark Art, Architecture & Worship: 90 Years and Going

St Casimir Church Celebrates 90th Year – Sun May 5, 2019

From the moment Fr Anthony Majewski began conceiving a third Church for Kaisertown’s PolAm community, St Casimir’s became unique. A Notre Dame University grad with a Master’s in Theology (rare those days among priests), he set out to discover the most famous churches of the Mediterranean basin. He knew well this body of water eye-witnessed the Birth and Resurrection of Jesus. It cradled Christianity. There he went for origins and inspiration.

For this reason, it took three blueprint plans to capture something original not only for Buffalo, but for America. Working closely with the creative genius and local architect Chester Oakley (pic below); Fr Majewski did not want to construct another neo-gothic, nor baroque revival church common on Buffalo’s East side. These far-sighted men agreed something yet unknown at the time to Roaring 20s Roman Catholics, would, in the words of the Pastor, “inspire people to look beyond, to look above the things of this earth.”

Hence, the first US Byzantine-style parish church was born in Buffalo. National media hailed it as matchlessness, naming Buffalo: “America’s City of Churches.”  Since 1926, others have followed these dreamers lead, the greatest of them built the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.

What are the unique architectural features of Byzantine brilliance found at St Casimir’s?  Eastern sacred sites boast of many domes. A 24-window clerestory supports a Great Dome, depicting God, the Creator of a global church. Lesser domes cap devotional chapels: such as the western-facing, Polish-originated, 1929, Częstochowa Icon Shrine; the Baptistry; and the eastward facing, world’s-first, Domestic Church Shrine (Family Vine Memorial, 2015) and the Divine Mercy Chapel. The Vine Chapel and Shrine are the work of 4 generations of Buffalo's Świątek Family Studios. These  two latter chapels feature separate ensembles of pews creating a worship space for First Friday Masses and Eucharistic Adoration. Similar domes and chapels are found at DC’s National Shrine.

Additional domes rise over towers marked with interior faux-galleries; representing the four corners of the earth. These support the Major Dome Globe. 

Oakley’s personal signature consists of wood-carved, polychromed, art-deco angels; indoor and outdoor earth-tone brick; terracotta, dome tilework and extensive faith symbols.  PolAm architect Joseph Fronczak of WNY installed these characteristic touches.

Other features common to ancient 4-6^th century Mediterreanean Basilicas are sanctuary apses rising high above a baldacchino-capped altar, patron saint image, and facing choir stalls set aside for liturgical ministers. This Coronation Apse, presents the world-class vision of the PolAm artist Marian Rzeźnik, molding ancient Christianity with modern Renaissance.

Henry Świątek of Buffalo’s Świątek Studios, has traced Rzeźnik’s style to the 16^th century School of Raffaello Sanzio of Disputa fame. Rzeźnik followed Sanzio’s painting and style, at Buffalo’s Corpus Christi, and the “Polish Disputa” of St Casimir Church in Cleveland, OH. Majewski’s choice of this globally intuitive artist, over more ethnic-inspired contemporaries, points to his unique take on farther-reaching, global art and architecture forms for Kaisertown. 

Upon entering St Casimir’s in Buffalo, the Coronation apse lifts one’s eyes heavenward. Admittance  western doors or Gates of Heaven into God's Home on earth reveals the destiny of the Baptized: the Heavenly Household: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Herein lies a coronation event: the Father crowns His Daughter, the Son His Mother, and the Spirit His Spouse. The Blessed Trinity proclaims Mary, Queen and First Lady of Heaven.  Witnessing this event, the Church’s own patron lays aside his princely crown and with an angelic orchestra chants on, from his apotheosis, or final height of glory.

Today, this Kaisertown church attracts young twenty-somethings not only into the sacred Heaven and Earth building, but also to celebrate “beautiful, reverent, and inspiring liturgies,” as Bishop Malone noted during Sunday’s 90^th Anniversary coram episcopo Mass. He challenged all present to lead young people here, to what they truly seek, and “they’ll get hooked.”

In the last 2 plus years, the bishop’s words are already ringing true.  Younger families have sought fully Catholic, five-sense, celebrations with quality pipe-organ music provided by music director, Emma Dus.  Thus, St Casimir’s welcomed their son, Dr Thomas Witakowski, and fellow Casimirites of the 120 year Chopin Singing Society, to lead the 90th Anniversary Mass.  

This series examined the distinctive history, singular architecture and art, modern-day heritage and outreach evangelization mission of Buffalo’s only free-standing church. St Casimir’s celebrates today’s Gospel challenges daily: working and praying for the good of others.