The Project returns to familiar haunts: Germantown, the site of so many of our past successes. (As I noted here.) This week we tackle the last missing piece of the G-Town puzzle: St. Francis of Assisi, which sits at the southernmost tip of the neighborhood, overlooking Wayne Junction station and the barrens of Nicetown-Tioga and beyond.
Upper v. Lower Church: I hadn’t really planned on doing this church so soon, but I wanted to sneak it in before the cold weather forced masses to move downstairs until May.
(I later discovered that St. Francis actually has a meeting hall, not a lower church, so the schedule adjustment wasn't needed. Unless, of course, they do actually try to hold mass down there. I doubt it, but you know what? The Project has seen stranger things.)
The Francis Triangle: You may remember that St. Francis of Assisi is one of the three members of the Francis Triangle, joined by Cedar Park's St. Francis de Sales and Spring Garden’s St. Francis Xavier. I am still working intently to solve the triangle's meaning; stay tuned for further developments.
Francis of Assisi is not quite in the same league as de Sales, but that’s really not a knock against it. Few churches are in de Sales’ league. Francis of Assisi is still a lovely parish, and ranks solidly in the upper echelon of Philly churches. It’s got the great size we come to expect from our religious architecture. But aside from the soaring vaults and arches, it also boasts a really unique, tri-layered design. The bottom layer is done in a Mahogany-style wood paneling; the middle section is done in a light, almost crème-colored stone; and the top layer, including the roof, is done in a combination of plaster and stone. The top two layers particularly affect an Egyptian-style feel, both in the blue and gold guildwork and in the light-colored stone. It’s a strange effect, particularly given the wood paneling at the bottom, but it works better than you might think.
I should also mention the altar area, which is done almost entirely in wood paneling. Once again, you’d think the rec-room finish would detract, but…it just works somehow.
Size Rating: 9 out of 10
Ornamentation Rating: 9 out of 10
Overall Design Rating: 9 out of 10 crosses
