About Saint Ann Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina:
The many features of Saint Ann Catholic Church all inspire worship. Many of them are listed below.
The Narthex:
The Narthex is adorned with three special pieces of art.
A replica of the Divine Mercy image found in Krakow, Poland, to remind us once again of the great mercy of God that is to be found in His presence. There is also an authentic 19th c. Russian icon of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple by Saints Joachim and Ann that was purchased in Estonia by Father Reid in 2010.
The Infant Jesus of Prague replica statue depicts the child Jesus holding a globus cruciger (cross-bearing orb) representing Christ’s dominion over the world. The original wax-coated wooden statue is located in the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Prague, Czech Republic, and the Barefoot Carmelite Sisters of that church regularly change the statue’s costly, embroidered vestments, donated by benefactors. The original work is believed to have belonged to St. Teresa of Avila.
At the top of the apse are mosaics representing the 4 Evangelists: St. Mathew (represented by an angel), St. Mark (represented by a lion), St. Luke (represented by an ox) and St. John (represented by an eagle). These mosaics were created by the same artist who completed the altar and baptismal font mosaics.
The Nave:
The central part of the church, the ceiling of the nave is painted blue to symbolize the heavens. Because the church is dedicated to St. Ann, the Mother of Mary, the parish has a Marian character. Blue is the color associated with our Lady; it also symbolizes heavenly love. In the center coffer is the Auspice, which places our church under the guidance of Mary. The interlocking “A” and “M” stand for “Ave Maria”, and the vining and flowers remind us that our Lady’s womb was fruitful even though she was a virgin. The 40 beads that encircle the symbol represent the 40 weeks Mary spent in the womb of St. Ann.
The Sanctuary: The altar rail is made of oak and was designed and created by Stephen Kuhn, who grew up in St. Ann’s Parish. The flooring in the Sanctuary is Jerusalem Marble and comes from a quarry in the south of Israel. It is a noticeably nicer material than the terrazzo found in the nave.
The Choir Loft:
Choirs have traditionally sung in choir lofts in order to maximize a church’s natural acoustics. This helps to create a heavenly effect with liturgical music, as if it is being sung by angels. And, it avoids the choir being a distraction to the Mass. It is noteworthy that this church has a choir loft when so many newer ones do not.
The round stained glass window in the choir loft is of St. Cecilia, the patroness of music.
The Chapel:
The Chapel is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception. The Marian painting above the tabernacle features all of the traditional iconography of the Immaculate Conception: Mary is clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars (Rev. 12), and she has satan (holding the fruit of temptation) under her feet (Gen 3:15). She is surrounded by a choir of angels who venerate her for this unique gift God has bestowed upon her. The painting was painted by Louis Guidetti, an artist from Winston-Salem, who studied in Florence, Italy, for 6 years.
Visiting Saint Ann Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina:
Address: 3635 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28209
Tel: +1 (704) 523-4641
email: stanncharlotte@rcdoc.org
Click here for the official website of Saint Ann Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Be sure to read their “Theological Tour” on their “About US” page. It is probably the best description of a church building and its various components…and their significance…..that we have ever read on a church’s website.