St. Ferdinand Shrine in Dire Need of Repairs;

Campaign Underway

Old St. Ferdinand Shrine, a religious and historic jewel of Old Town Florissant, is in need of some major work and a “Save the Shrine” campaign will kick off Sept. 1 to raise much-needed funds for repairs and upgrades.

According to Shrine reps, their repair needs are many and beyond the volunteer support that is available.

Their immediate needs are masonry repair with cleaning, moisture sealing, and some tuck pointing of all the brick buildings. The following are also repairs that need to be addressed as soon as possible:

• Painting and repair of the Rectory porch (both floors) and the Convent porch
• Major window work with some sash replacement; painting and puttying all others
• New handicap ramp
• Repair and paint church doors
• Address moisture control problems associated with sump pump plumbing
• Plaster repairs and painting of interior walls
• Repair of the church ceiling

The estimated cost for all these repairs (minus the ceiling replacement) is a minimum of $250,000. Friends of Old St. Ferdinand are working to develop a plan for the repair of the ceiling and the cost involved. To be a part of the mailing list to receive additional info, or to donate contact:

oldstferdinandshrine@gmail.com or call (314) 837-2110 during the office hours of Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon. .

Old St. Ferdinand Shrine and Historical Site is owned, preserved, maintained, and protected by Friends of Old St. Ferdinand, Inc., a non-profit organization founded in 1959. The Shrine, with its wings, forms a group of buildings of unusual historical and architectural importance. It is the oldest Catholic Church west of the Mississippi in the upper Louisiana Purchase Territory.

A replica of the original log church, built in 1790, is also on display in the rectory as is a collection of items from the early days of the village of St. Ferdinand, including silver religious items from the 1700s.

While the oldest part of the church was built in 1821. The bell tower and steeple were added in 1883. They are painted a moss green, a shade extensive research indicates was the original color. Relics of St. Valentine, thought to be a gift of the King of France to Bishop Louis DuBourg, are in a wax replica of St. Valentine below the altar. Exceptionally beautiful stained glass windows datr from the 1800s flank the main part of the church.

The ceiling of the church is an unusual arch design uncovered when a dropped ceiling was removed during a restoration following a fire in 1966. Because of this unusual arch, the acoustics allow normal conversation to be heard in the rear of the church. Stencils on the ceiling were copied from the original design found when tin and canvas coverings were removed.

Paintings on three 1960 wood panels on either side of the altar are thought to be from the school of Reuben. During the 1966 restoration, 17 coats of varnish were removed revealing pieces of Spanish moss in an early layer leading experts to theorize the pictures came from Europe and may have been brought up the Mississippi from New Orleans by Father DeSmet or Bishop Louis DuBourg.

The crystal chandeliers hanging in the sanctuary were made by Landesman Galleries and were installed during the 1966 restoration.

All of the buildings have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a cultural inventory of our nation’s irreplaceable resources, and form St. Ferdinand’s Shrine Historic District.

The date the first settlers came to the rich, fertile Valley of Florissant is unknown, but it is one of the oldest settlements in the state of Missouri. Some historians believe it was settled around the same time as St. Louis. The first civil government was formed in 1786 by Francois Dunegant, who served was the civil and military commandant. Spanish archives in Havana reveal there were 40 people and 7 plantations in Florissant at the time of the 1787 census. The village called “Fleurissant” by its French settlers and “St. Ferdinand” by its Spanish rulers was a typical French village with its commons and common fields.

The first church, built of logs under the supervision of Hyacenthe Deshetres, was erected on the southeast quarter of the block bounded by rue St. Charles, rue St. Ferdinand, rue St. Louis, and rue St. Denis under a grant Spain. The local commandant, Francois Dunegant announced the grant. Dunegant was appointed by Alejandro O’Reily, the Spanish General in New Orleans. On February 19th, 1821, Father de la Croix laid the cornerstone for the new brick structure which was to replace the little log church (destroyed by fire in 1836).

The cornerstone itself was a gift from Mother Rose Phillipine Duchesne, and in deference to her, the church was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus under the invocation of St. Ferdinand and St. John Regis. St. Rose Phillipine Duchesne, one of Missouri’s foremost pioneer women, was canonized on July 3rd, 1988. She had lived in the convent from 1819 – 1827 and again from 1834 – 1840. It was here she not only stabilized the area, but established the first school in Florissant.

More Shrine background

Old St. Ferdinand Shrine, with its wings, forms a group of buildings of unusual historical and architectural importance. It is the oldest Catholic Church west of the Mississippi in the upper Louisiana Purchase Territory.

A replica of the original log church, built in 1790, is also on display in the rectory as is a collection of items from the early days of the village of St. Ferdinand, including silver religious items from the 1700s.

While the oldest part of the church was built in 1821. The bell tower and steeple were added in 1883. They are painted a moss green, a shade extensive research indicates was the original color.

Church Altar

Relics of St. Valentine, thought to be a gift of the King of France to Bishop Louis DuBourg, are in a wax replica of St. Valentine below the altar.

Exceptionally beautiful stained glass windows dating from the 1800s flank the main part of the church.

The ceiling of the church is an unusual arch design uncovered when a dropped ceiling was removed during a restoration following a fire in 1966. Because of this unusual arch, the acoustics allow normal conversation to be heard in the rear of the church. Stencils on the ceiling were copied from the original design found when tin and canvas coverings were removed.

Paintings on three 1960 wood panels on either side of the altar are thought to be from the school of Reuben. During the 1966 restoration, 17 coats of varnish were removed revealing pieces of Spanish moss in an early layer leading experts to theorize the pictures came from Europe and may have been brought up the Mississippi from New Orleans by Father DeSmet or Bishop Louis DuBourg.

The crystal chandeliers hanging in the sanctuary were made by Landesman Galleries and were installed during the 1966 restoration.

All of the buildings have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a cultural inventory of our nation’s irreplaceable resources, and form St. Ferdinand’s Shrine Historic District.

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