Yes, an oasis! Just when I thought I was doomed, along comes St. Timothy, daring to defy the elements by holding mass in the upper church. Take that, Mother Nature—you’re no match for our elegance!
Anyhow, St. Timothy is the second in our “tweener series” of churches. In case you forgot, it means that it’s old enough to be made out of stone and fairly large, but new enough not to be particularly ornate. That’s certainly the case here. There’s nothing fancy outside, save for a rather large tower which, to be honest, isn't even that fancy.
Inside, the church isn’t quite what you’d expect. Part of the problem is that it doesn't have a cruciform shape. Many Catholic churches have this design, in which the building is literally shaped like a giant cross, containing the long part, or nave, and the transverse part, or transept, which intersects the nave in front of the altar. Not all churches do this, but the cruciform shape is in many ways the standard design for older structures. St. Timothy, however, doesn’t do it—it’s a straight rectangle through and through, which doesn’t look quite right. It doesn’t help that the ceiling, despite a high roof, is capped pretty low and is almost flat, which isn’t particularly appealing. Also, it’s done in a weird combination of tiles that bears a remarkable resemblance to a school cafeteria, gymnasium or locker room. Or maybe one of the old-school buildings at the Philadelphia Zoo. Either way, I’m not a fan.
However, I should note that the church does boast large (and pretty) stained glass windows, with each one featuring a different Saint. They’re really the highlight here.
LISTEN FOR IT: The ye-olde-English inspired responsorial psalm, which was so good it had me grooving in my seat. No joke.
Size Rating: 7 out of 10
Ornamentation Rating: 6 out of 10
Overall Design Rating: 6.5 out of 10 crosses.
