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frame=yesframe-align=centerframe-height=250type=pointtitle=Church of St. Mary the Virgin (Manhattan)}}| built = 1894-95| architect = Napoleon LeBrun & Sons, Pierre Le Brun, architect-in-chargeGothic Revival architecture>French Gothic| added = April 16, 19902009a}}| image_size =| designated_other2_name = New York City Landmark| designated_other2_date = December 19, 1989| designated_other2_abbr = NYCL| designated_other2_link = New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission| designated_other2_color = #FFE978| designated_other2_number= 1562}}The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin is an Episcopal Anglo-Catholic church in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, which is part of the Episcopal Diocese of New York of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. The church complex is located in the heart of Times Square at 133-145 West 46th Street, with other buildings of the complex at 136-144 West 47th Street,Savage, Charles; Pierson, Marjorie (ed.) "Free Church of Saint-Mary-the-Virgin Designation Report" New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (December 19, 1989) between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. It is colloquially known as "Smoky Mary's" because of the amount of incense used in the services.Completed in 1895, the church has been called "one of the finest Gothic-inspired designs of New York's late 19th century". It was designated a New York City landmark in 1989NYCLAND, 96, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. In 2022, it reported 300 members, average attendance of 112, and $600,375 in plate and pledge income.WEB, Explore Parochial Trends,weblink 2023-09-21, Episcopal Church, en,

History

Original church

File:1880s Old St Marys.jpg|alt=The first Saint Mary's at 228 West 45th Street|thumb|The first Saint Mary's at 228 West 45th Street, the site of the leftThe Society of the Free Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in the New York City was incorporated on December 3, 1868. Thomas McKee Brown wanted to build a church in New York City dedicated to expressing the full witness of Catholic thought in ritual and teaching within the Episcopal Church. A year after his ordination, Brown brought his plan to the Bishop of New York, Horatio Potter, who suggested that a church was needed near Longacre Square – which was renamed Times Square in 1905 – on the west side of what is now Midtown. John Jacob Astor gave three lots on West 45th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, "stipulating that the Church should be free, and positively orthodox in management and working."On April 6, 1868, the cornerstone was laid for the first church, located at 228 West 45th Street, which is today the site of the Booth Theatre. The rector and trustees named the church for the Blessed Virgin Mary. The first church was designed by William T. Hallett, and was dedicated on December 8, 1870, the Feast of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Potter was unable to officiate at the service, but his place was taken by Horatio Southgate, the Episcopal Church's former missionary bishop to the Ottoman Empire.After the Episcopalians left the church on West 45th Street, it became the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer and then Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist.FROMATOZ, 228,

New church

(File:The Lady Chapel at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin.jpg|left|thumb|The Lady Chapel at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin)By 1890, the congregation had outgrown the church on West 45th Street. In 1892, the late Miss Sara L. Cooke, a member of the parish, left the church a legacy which eventually amounted to $700,000, in addition to real estate. Brown and the other trustees decided to use this legacy to fund a new church on an eight-lot parcel running through from 46th to 47th Streets. The new complex was to include a rectory at the 47th Street end of the lot, a clergy house for curates and assistants and a mission house for the sisters. The style would be French Gothic of the 13th and 14th centuries, with a church seating 800 people.Erecting this building was a challenge to the architectural firm of Napoleon LeBrun & Sons, with Pierre LeBrun as the lead designer, because of its size and the location. The LeBrun firm had experience working with steel framing, which is buried within the walls, making it the first church in the world built on a concealed steel skeleton,AIA5, 300, "redefining the conventional methods of church construction." The facade of the church is clad in limestone, while the other buildings in the complex are brick-faced.The cornerstone for the new church was laid on December 8, 1894, and the church was dedicated in 1895. The completed church was {{convert|60|ft|m}} wide and {{convert|180|ft|m}} long, and the nave was {{convert|80|ft|m}} from floor to ceiling and {{convert|46|ft|m}} wide. The chancel, at the north end of the building, was {{convert|48|ft|m}} deep, terminating with the marble high altar moved from the former church. Complementing LeBrun's design were many sculptural decorations by J. Massey Rhind.

Today

Today, Saint Mary's is known for its solemn liturgies and choral and organ music. Solemn High Mass and Solemn Evensong and Benediction are celebrated on Sundays, and Mass is offered daily. Because of the copious use of incense, the church is sometimes referred to as "Smoky Mary's". In 1996-97, the interior of the church was restored by J. Lawrence Jones & Associates, resulting in vivid colors, including cobalt blue vaulting with gold stars.File:The Nave of the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin.jpg|NaveFile:Statue of Our Lady at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, carved by Johannes Kirchmayer in 1920.jpg|Statue of Our LadyFile:The Reverend Stephen S. Gerth, Rector of The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, leading a Corpus Christ Processional through Times Square.jpg|Corpus Christi processional in Times SquareFile:Clergy and Acolytes at the High Altar of the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin. The Altar was made for the original church in 1870 and moved to the church's current location in 1895.jpg|Clergy and acolytes at the high altarFile:The Most Reverend Frank T. Griswold, 25th Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church USA, preaching at Saint Mary's.jpg|The Most Reverend Frank T. Griswold preaching at Saint Mary'sFile:Church of St. Mary the Virgin (Manhattan)1.JPG|Rear of the church on 47th StreetFile:Church of St. Mary the Virgin (Manhattan)2.JPG|View towards the high altarFile:SMtV NYC Entrance.jpg|Statue of the Blessed Virgin at the entranceFile:Church of St. Mary the Virgin (Manhattan) 1905.webm|A clip of Panorama from the Times Building, New York 1905, Church of St. Mary the Virgin near Times Square

Music

File:Dr. David Hurd, Organist and Music Director at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin.jpg|thumb|rightThe choir of the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin is a professional ensemble that sings music for the liturgy. At each Solemn Mass, the plainchant is sung in the original Latin. The choir's repertoire of Masses and motets stretches from the Middle Ages to works by living composers.A number of musicians have served as organist and music director at the parish, among them McNeil Robinson, Kyler Brown, Christopher Babcock, Robert McCormick, James Kennerley, and Simon Whalley. The current organist and music director is David Hurd.(File:SMtV NYC organ loft.jpg|thumb|Organ Loft)(File:SMtV NYC Chancel Console.jpg|thumb|Organ console in the chancel with pipework from the 1896 Jardine Organ)

See also

• List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets
• High church
• Oxford Movement
• Donald L. Garfield
• Grieg Taber
• Granville M. Williams SSJE rector 1930-1939

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category|Church of St. Mary the Virgin (Manhattan)}}

• {{Owebweblink}}
• New York Architecture Images Midtown - St Mary the Virgin - 12 images plus a short history
• Historical documents on the parish from Project Canterbury

{{Times Square}}{{Midtown North, Manhattan}}{{New York City Historic Sites|state=collapsed}}{{National Register of Historic Places in New York|state=collapsed}}{{Authority control}}