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| First St. Mary Church, 1907 | St. Mary Church, 2002 | Interior of St. Mary, 2002 |
St. Mary, Aleppo Township
St. Mary was founded as a German parish in 1853 to serve the small population of Catholics in the area. The first Mass in the area was probably celebrated in 1848 in a private home. In 1853, the pastor of St. Mary, Allegheny City (now Pittsburgh's North Side) began work on a church. The completed structure was dedicated on August 15, 1854. At the time, the congregation totaled eight families.
For the first 16 years of its existence, a priest visited the church once a month. From 1870 to 1890, the church was visited twice a month. Beginning in 1890, the church was visited once a week. During this time period, the church was a mission of St. Mary, North Side; St. James, Sewickley and Holy Ghost College (now Duquesne University). Beginning in 1893, the parish became a mission of Sacred Heart, Emsworth. Sometime before the turn of the century, the parish was no longer considered a German parish and became a territorial parish.
The church was remodeled in 1887. By the end of the century, it became obvious that the growing congregation would need a new, larger church. In 1897, the foundation for the new church was laid. For the next few years, construction continued slowly. Not until July 15, 1906, was the cornerstone laid. The completed church was dedicated on May 5, 1907.
In 1969, St. Mary became an independent parish with the appointment of a resident pastor. The church built in 1907 continues to serve the congregation today.
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| First St. Mary Church, 1907 | St. Mary Church, 2002 | Interior of St. Mary, 2002 |
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