{"id":16349,"date":"2016-09-30T10:29:56","date_gmt":"2016-09-30T16:29:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.flovalleynews.com\/?p=16349"},"modified":"2016-09-30T10:29:56","modified_gmt":"2016-09-30T16:29:56","slug":"st-ferdinand-shrine-needs-renovations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=16349","title":{"rendered":"St. Ferdinand Shrine Needs Renovations"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2018<\/strong>Save the Shrine\u2019 Campaign Begins For Restoration and Preservation<\/strong><\/h1>\n

\"shrine-postcard\"<\/a>The Friends of Old St. Ferdinand, a non-profit organization dedicated to caring for the historic St. Ferdinand Shrine in Florissant, is now in its second month of a campaign to raise funds to restore and preserve several buildings on the grounds of the shrine.<\/p>\n

The \u201cSave the Shrine\u201d campaign began in Sept. with a goal of raising $400,000. That is the minimal cost estimated by Shrine supporters to repair Old St. Ferdinand Church and adjoining buildings, including the convent and rectory, as well as the historic school house.<\/p>\n

The St. Ferdinand convent was constructed in 1819 for Mother Philippine Duchesne, who later was canonized by the Roman Catholic Church as St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (one of the parishes in the St. Louis Archdiocese in Florissant is named in her honor). In 1821 a new church was built on the grounds to replace the original log church that had stood since 1789, three years after the Village of St. Ferdinand (now Florissant) was founded by the Spanish Governor of the Louisiana Territory.<\/p>\n

A rectory was added in 1840 and the two floors of the schoolhouse were built in 1887-88. Floods, lighting strikes, and erosion over time have led to some deterioration of the buildings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Historic Old St. Ferdinand Shrine church and convent both are older than the Old Cathedral in St. Louis,\u201d said Florissant Mayor Thomas P. Schneider. \u201cThe convent pre-dates Missouri\u2019s statehood in 1821 and may be the oldest building still standing in the Louisiana Purchase territory. I arranged for Ameren UE to illuminate the buildings to protect them and to reflect our rich history.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor nearly two centuries Old St. Ferdinand has served the Spanish, German, French, and Irish communities that have made Florissant one of the biggest and most historic cities in Missouri,\u201d added Mayor Schneider. \u201cWe hope that residents in Florissant and greater St. Louis will respond with donations to maintain one of the area\u2019s most important historical institutions for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 1958 the Friends of Old St. Ferdinand organization was founded to preserve the buildings and grounds at historic St. Ferdinand Shrine, which were significantly<\/p>\n

damaged by a lightning strike in 1966. Substantial repairs were made at that time, but now renovations are once again needed.<\/p>\n

Immediate needs include:<\/p>\n