The Project just can’t stay away from North Philly. Maybe it’s because the northern regions of the city are the most interesting. Maybe it’s because they’re the most historic. Maybe it’s because they have the best church stock.
Or maybe it’s because I’m really lazy, and they’re the easiest areas to traverse. Yeah, I think that’s it.
Whatever the cause, this week we head to the Poplar section of North Philly to check out St. Malachy. Malachy, you might remember, is one of the lone intact survivors of the infamous North Philadelphia Swath of Destruction. And no, please don’t ask me why Malachy was spared and other parishes were swept under. My only guess is that its proximity to / location in the Yorktown section of the city—long a solid, respectable Black enclave—helped keep it afloat.
Regardless of the causes…Malachy is here, the Project is here, so how about we do some churching? Ok, great. Malachy is a pretty good church. The building is done in a vaguely Baroque style, with a flat, muraled roof and circular arches galore. There’s a lot to like here—some excellent paintwork, a decent marble altar, and stained glass windows that rival the excellent Most Blessed Sacrament. Yeah, they’re that good.
However, Malachy suffers because the design is very dark. The dominant color scheme consists of a lot of blacks, browns and golds. That combination may have its advantages, but it makes for a décor that is too muted. There’s a lot of beauty here, but it doesn’t jump out at you with passion and vibrancy. It also doesn’t help that the murals have all dulled and darkened with age. Likewise, the exterior is quite dark, and, frankly, not very attractive.
If I had my pick of North Philly parishes to save, this probably wouldn’t have been one of them. Still, the Project will take what it can get. Malachy may not be upper-echelon material, but it’s good enough that I don’t feel like I wasted my time.
Size Rating: 7 out of 10
Ornamentation Rating: 8 out of 10
Overall Design Rating: 7.5 out of 10 crosses
