Leo Catholic Church

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Since it was built in 1915, St. Leo Catholic Church’s noble Romanesque structure has been a cornerstone of religious and cultural life in South Columbus. St Leo’s features distinctive architecture and artwork, including a bell tower, hand-carved statues, marble floors, stained glass windows, bas relief depictions of the Stations of the Cross, and a beautiful high altar with Italian marble baldachin. Its ethnic German heritage is evidenced by its magnificent restored interior and its recently restored “German Romantic” pipe organ. Much of the restoration work was managed by the St. Leo Preservation Society, which continues to manage projects that restore the church for the community.
In 1904, less than two years after the parish of St. Leo was formally dedicated, the church opened a free parochial school, where 150 students were greeted by 3 Sisters from the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity of Stella Niagra. The Sisters commuted to school from the St. Vincent Orphanage (now St. Vincent Children’s Center) located on Columbus’ east side. The Sisters’ travel as described in a 1996 letter to the “People of St. Leo’s Parish” states “...The Sisters’ chronicles tell us that various parishioners transported Sisters Lina, Mercedes, and Alice to school in every manner of horse-drawn conveyance, of which was a wagon often used as a hearse because it was closed against the elements.”
In time, a Convent was built and its original brick structure is now at the core of the present Convent, which has undergone several renovations to create home-like accommodations for the Sisters. For 68 years, St. Leo Catholic Church was the city’s only free parish school.

Location

221 Hanford St, Columbus, OH 43206, USA, Columbus, Ohio, 43206
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