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~ ~ ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CHURCH ~ ~
HYANNIS, MASSACHUSETTS
St. Francis Xavier Church was built in 1874 and was located on Barnstable Road in Hyannis. It was located almost four blocks away from the present church and originally called St. Patrick Church. That church was moved to its present location at 347 South Street around 1903.
Because of the growing number of Cape Verdeans in the area, and the desire to avoid the impression that it was an "Irish only" parish, the church's name was changed.
In honor of the great Jesuit missionary who planted the seed of the Faith through India and the Far East, and won innumerable souls for Christ and His Church, the church was renamed St. Francis Xavier.
The main altar was given in memory of
Lt. Joseph Kennedy
the son of
Ambassador Joseph P.
and
Rose F. Kennedy.
Joseph's plane crashed over the English Channel in 1944, during the Second World War. At the left side of the crucifix is an image of St. George, representing England and on the right is St. Joan of Arc, representing France. Directly above the crucifix are Navy wings.
If you turn toward the door on South Street, you will see our new pipe organ in the choir loft.
The main section of the church (the nave) was originally as wide as the distance between the columns within the church, but was widened when the church was moved.
The columns were added to the facade of the church some time after 1903.
Theeast wingwas added to the church in 1946. Thewest wingwas added in 1953, giving the church a seating capacity of 960. With the major renovation of 1998-99, the seating capacity was increased to 1200. During this renovation, the three shrines were added to the church; the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph and St. Francis Xavier Shrines.The stained glass windows in the nave depict ten of the Twelve Apostles. The missing Apostles are Simon the Zealot and Bartholomew.
The second pew from the front in the east wing is where President and Mrs. Kennedy sat when they attended Sunday Mass while staying at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannisport. Members of the Secret Service, as well as other members of the Kennedy family, would sit in the first and third pews.
As you walk through the front doors into St. Francis Xavier Church from South Street, you view the Kennedy Altarat the end of the the central aisle of the church.
The President and Mrs. Kennedy were not married at St. Francis Xavier. They were married at St. Mary in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1953.
When you walk through the ornate front doors of St. Francis you will be in the foyer, then enter the church proper.
~ Administrative Offices: 21 Cross Street ~
Tel 508.775.0818 Fax - 508.771.5940
There are two cry rooms just before you Exit the church via the west wing. The room to the right also houses a Reconciliation Room.
The last Kennedy family wedding to take place at St. Francis was that of Maria Shriver, and now-Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, on April 26, 1986.
Maria is the dauther of R. Sargent and Eunice Kennedy-Shriver.
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