While the pulpit section of the
Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Orthodox Church is adorned with murals and icons of Mary, parishioners may notice that there is no such imagery on the beautiful stained glass windows. More careful inspection reveals that while there are no graven images in the glass, Stars of David and scrolls can be seen. As the ancestors of the current members came from eastern Europe and the Czarist Russian Empire, so did the building's original congregation. The gothic edifice was built as a synagogue in 1909 by Allentown's Jews. The Orthodox Jewish congregation, Sons Of Israel, utilized the structure for 50 years, before it was repurposed by the current American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox congregation.
The stained glass windows are surely among the most beautiful in Allentown. The synagogue turned church is located on the northeast corner of 6th and Tilghman Streets in Allentown. The area, Allentown's 10th Ward, has a strong neighborhood group. The exterior photograph of the church is from
their facebook page. The large round window shown above is behind the balcony, in the back of the church. Inside, the congregation faces east, toward Jerusalem.
reprinted from March of 2016
I have driven past this big church a thousand times and had no idea it had been a temple. I will check it out closer on my next time by.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
I never knew that either..
ReplyDeleteI was there the day they placed the gold tops on the building. Underneath the crosses are stone stars of David.
ReplyDeleteWhen the building was converted from a temple to a church, a crane placed the gold crosses on top of the towers. Underneath the gold top are stone stars of David.
ReplyDelete