The Church of Saint Ignatius Loyola

The Church of Saint Ignatius Loyola is a beautiful basilica-style church on 86th and Park Avenue in New York City. The church was founded as the Church of Saint Lawrence O-Toole in 1851. The first building was built in 1854 on East 84th Street. In 1866, the administration passed to the Society of Jesus. The church’s present foundation was built in 1884-1886. At that time a Gothic design was planned but later changed an Italian Renaissance-style basilica as designed by architects Schickel and Ditmars. Construction on the current church started in 1895 and was completed in 1900. The church was dedicated in December 1898.

Jacqueline Kennedy was baptized at the church in 1929, and was confirmed there as a teenager. Her funeral was held at the church in May 1994. Singer Aalivah, who died in a plane crash, had her funeral at the church in 2001.

The 86th street block is the site of a complex that includes Wallace Hall, which is the parish beneath the church, the rectory, the grade school of Saint Ignatius’s School, and the high school of Loyola School. In addition, another Jesuit high school Regis High School is nearby.

I obtained information on the church from the Saint ignaius Loyola website and Wikipedia.

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