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Saint Thomas church typifies the Romanesque style: massive, lofty, cruciform, with rounded arches, recessed entries, and a wooden ceiling.
Saint Thomas parishioners gather to worship God in one of the most beautiful churches in the Diocese of Covington. Its Romanesque design echoes that of many early churches, whose model was the Roman basilica, or public assembly hall. In the classic basilica, a rectangular room (nave) led to a semicircle (apse) at the front. Because the Christian liturgy required more space near the sanctuary, the nave was extended right and left (transept), creating a cross-shaped floor plan.
Saint Thomas church typifies the Romanesque style: massive, lofty, cruci- form, with rounded arches, recessed entries (portals), and a wooden ceiling. Its solidity is lightened by the choice of warm-hued stone: gray and tan Indiana Bedford limestone outside and creamy Saint Meinrad sandstone within. The clean, even austere, lines set off well the rich yet uncluttered decorative detail executed in carved stone, bronze, gilded wood, and marble. Those who designed and built it between 1937 and 1940 had put the Depression behind them and looked to the future with faith and confidence.
Exterior of the church
Well set back from busy Fort Thomas Avenue, Saint Thomas church immediately draws the eye with its tall bell tower (campanile) that bears an 11-foot bronze Celtic cross. On the face of the building are numerous signs and symbols of our Catholic faith. Look from the pinnacle downward and you will see Our Lady and Saint John attending Jesus crucified; the Greek letters chi and rho for Christ; our patron Thomas the Apostle, clutching the spear of his martyrdom; the many hued rose window's stone tracery; and a series of carved, recessed arches framing the main entry's bronze-fitted double doors.
Above the doors, Christ welcomes us, holding His cross and offering His blessing, flanked by the Greek letters alpha and omega, which — as the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet — signify that God is the beginning and end of all things. "I am Alpha and Omega, says the Lord
God, who is, who was, and who is to come" (Rev. 1:8).
Carved along the outermost arch of the main portal are the symbols of the 12 apostles. From the lower left we see: keys for Peter; saw, Simon; sword, Jude; fish, Philip; purses, Matthew; knife, Bartholomew. From bottom right: shell, James the Greater; spear and cross, Thomas; X cross, Andrew; cup and serpent, John; spear and book, James the Less; boat, the intrepid voyager Paul. An inner arch is carved with the cross, anchor, and heart denoting, respectively, the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Trefoils for the Trinity and ornate scroll- work further embellish the main entryway.
The side entries along East Villa Place likewise bear symbols. Above the side door to the front vestibule (narthex) birds of paradise, representing eternal life, face the cross. The campanile entry repeats the alpha and omega, along with a cross encircled. Circles, which have no beginning or end, symbolize eternity; their flawless symmetry also suggests perfection.
Drawing back the tall wooden doors within the vestibule reveals a vast interior. In front, the high altar of brown Tennessee marble dominates. Atop its marble canopy (baldachino) stands a tall figure: Christ the King. At His feet the Holy Spirit hovers as a dove above two birds of paradise. Attending angels face outward at either side of the canopy, within which Christ's emblems glow on the dome's golden background. Concentric circles (for eternity, perfec- tion) contain the Greek letters chi-rho (for Christ) in cruciform shape, with alpha and omega dependent. The encircling victor's wreath conveys the triumph of His resurrection. The altar it- self has a large medallion showing the pelican, who was said to give her own blood to revive her young, thus becoming a symbol of the Eucharist. The altar is reached by climbing three steps; threes always remind us of the Trinity.
Apse Dome
High above the sanctuary on the half-dome of the apse we behold the Triune God. The Father, whom six- winged seraphim adore (Isaiah 6:2), extends His hand in benediction above the Holy Spirit, a soaring dove. Christ Jesus, holding chalice and host, repeats the benediction. Early photographs show details lost in a 1969 restoration, including flowers, symbols, and encircling Christ these words: "The bread that I will give is My Flesh for the life of the world" (John 6:51).
Flanking Jesus are 12 men and women, saints whose lives and works have furthered devotions to Christ and the Eucharist.
From the far left:
Juliana of Cornillon (d. 1247), an Augustinian nun, largely responsible for the founding of the feast of Corpus Christi;
the Roman acolyte and martyr Tarcisius (d. circa 250), patron of First Communicants;
the great theologian Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274), author of Eucharistic songs and prayers;
Mark the evangelist, with his gospel account of the Last Supper;
John, whose gospel records the promise, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has life ev- erlasting" (6:55);
Peter, head of the first Eucharistic communities.
Continuing along the dome to the right, past Jesus the Great High Priest,
Paul, who urged the worthy reception of Communion (I Corinthians 11:26-30);
Matthew and Luke, holding their gospel accounts of the Last Supper;
Norbert (d. 1134), defender of the Real Presence against heresy;
Margaret Mary (d. 1690), nun, visionary, and institutor of devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus;
Paschal Bay Ion (d. 1592), a lay Franciscan, patron of Eucharistic Con resses.
These paintings were a gift of Monsignor Herbert Hillenmeyer.
Side Altars
The side altars echo details of the high altar and of the exterior portals. We see brown marble in flat planes with flanking angels; recessed rounded arches; carved scrollwork. The sanctuary's terrazzo floor is a Romanesque carpet of polished marbles, where encircled triangles symbolize trinity, unity, and eternity. Before all three altars runs a marble railing of Celtic crosses inside circles (for eternity) and squares (for the earth). The newly refitted bronze sanctuary gates bear birds of paradise and grapevines, denoting the eternal Eucharistic cov- enant. Also recently restored is the bronze lectern on the marble pulpit; its winged eagle traditionally represents the uplifting inspiration of the gospels.
Looking up, just below the roof beams, we see golden inscriptions ringing the nave. Their elongated Italian Gothic lettering is in English, and the church we stand in is their theme:
"Holy is Thy temple" (Psalm 64:5); "From the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation; for my name is great among the Gentiles saith the Lord of Hosts" (Malachi 1:11);
"The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him" (Habakkuk 2:20).
On the high rafters eight small monograms interspersed with floral designs are painted in gold. Each monogram has its own beam, and the series of eight repeats down the full length of the nave. From the apse to the rear they are, in order:
1. ihs (ihs = iota eta sigma); the first three letters of Jesus (Ihsus) in Greek.
2. X (chi) and P (rho): first two letters of Christ (Christos) in Greek. PX can also mean peace (pax) in Latin.
3. X and P intertwined: again, chi- rho for Christ.
4. P on a cruciform X with N superimposed: chi-rho for Christ; N for victory (nika) in Greek; meaning Christ's victory over the cross.
5. I (iota) with X (chi); the Greek initials for Jesus and for Christ.
6. Latin cross with A encircled: al- pha starts the Greek alphabet, as God is the origin of everything; circles mean eternity and perfection.
7. Latin cross with omega con cludes the Greek alphabet, as God is the end of all things.
8. Latin cross with AMQ: alpha, mu, omega are the first, middle, and last letters of the Greek alphabet, so signify the breadth of eternity or immortality: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to- day, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).
Text taken from the Saint Thomas Parish Centenial and Jubilee books.
26 East Villa Place + Fort Thomas, Kentucky 41075