Monday, October 28, 2013

St. Paul's Chapel


  • Episcopal chapel
  • oldest church in Manhattan 
  • finished being built in 1776
  • chapel of ease
  • under authority of Trinity Church
  • survived the New York fire of 1776
  • Washington worshiped and attended services here
  • original painting of the Great Seal of the United States hanging inside


15 comments:

  1. Do you know why the original painting of the Great Seal of the Unites States was chosen to be hung here? Are there any important links between St. Pauls Chapel and the great seal of the US?

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    1. I'm not exactly sure why, but it was hung over Washington's original pew which may be significant because of his services during the war.

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  2. Is it still a functioning church; do people still worship here?

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    1. Yes, services are still held here along with some lectures and they provide a shelter for the homeless. It is also a popular tourist attraction because of the memorial banners that were kept from 9/11.

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  3. Is there a specific reason as to why Washington attended this specific church?

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    1. Because that is where his ceremony was and it was an Anglican church. Also, attending it meant that it was now an American establishment

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    2. And I believe he belonged to the Anglican (later Episcopal - after the Revolution) Church ...

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  4. Although this church did not burn in the great fire in 1776, did the fire have any affect on the Church?

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    1. Since Trinity church burnt down, more people were coming to St. Paul's. Other than that I don't think there was much of an affect on the church. There was nothing damaged either

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  5. Before Washington took control of the chapel, was it under the control of the Loyalists?

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. I believe it was under control of the loyalists because the land it was built on was granted by Queen Anne of Great Britain.

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    3. But she granted the land years before the Revolution, so this fact cannot be relevant to loyalists.

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  6. And what exactly is a "chapel of ease"?

    These are all good questions, folks - keep 'em coming!

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    1. It was a chapel to provide easier access for those who thought other chapels were too far and an inconvenience

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