• Tuesday-What'sUP October 25 - 01:44 am

Tucked away on the corner of 8th and Oak streets, is St. Paul the Apostle Church. Mike Rudzki snapped a photo of the sandstone spires reaching up to the sky as they announce where this historic building is located in the metropolis of Calumet. Built between 1903 and 1908 by Slovenian Catholics, this historic church resembles that of cathedrals you might see in Europe during the Middle Ages. The inside is decorated with stained glass windows, while beautiful paintings surround the ornate altar. Mike's second shot shows a portion of the altar and a sampling of some of the artwork around this pretty church. A bit of trivia about the origin of the folks who worked so hard to build this house of worship...Bishop Baraga, the famous Snowshoe Priest, is possibly the most famous American Slovenian, having come from the same small Slavic country just east of Venice, in the 1800s.

This is breath taking. Do you konw if the church is open to the public?

Beautiful!

CONGRATULATIONs my sugar cousin KENNETH HOLSTER - birthday today!!

Behold the beauty of fine architecture, a delight for the senses.

This was the church my grandparents belonged to many, many years ago. When I attended church with them as a little girl I was in awe of the beauty of the paintings on the ceiling and the stained glass windows. And yes, I believe it is opened to the public, as a couple of years ago the doors were opened, and I went in to see the same beautiful painitngs and stained glass windows from years gone by. Also, when I passed by the beginning of this month, there are new doors on the church which blend in beautifully with the rest of the outside.

I can't believe the beauty of this old church! When I was going to Catholic school in Joliet, Illinois, I went to St. Paul The Apostle, is that ironic or what?

I remember my Grandfather attending mass daily at this beautiful Church. Walking to and from, in all kinds of weather. Dressed in a white shirt, top coller buttoned, black pants,vest,suit coat and highly polished shoes. Always "neat as a pin." A copper miner all his years at "red jacket", as fine a man as you could ever meet. Loved him dearly...........

It's beautiful! I must say that it may even rival St. Joseph's in Lake Linden. I've actually been there, but I was younger and then a church was a church.

Beautiful church among the many in the Copper Country.. Just 4 days ago there was a discussion of Jacobsville sandstone and this is surely a great view of it being put to use.

Breathtaking!

Langoman, thank you for sharing your memory of your Grandfather - I can picture him walking down the sidewalk. :)

I visited this church in August. There was a lovely couple there explaining everything for us. It was truly breathtaking and a beautiful look at a piece of living history. I enjoy the contrast from the contemporary churches of our age. They just don't build them like that any more....

When we moved to Calumet we lived on Tenth Street, just a few blocks down from this church. As a youngster, I always used the steeples of this church as a kind of landmark. No matter how far I wondered from home, I would always look for the steeples and I could find my way back again. Although I'm not Catholic, I used to think of this church as being a guide for me, just of a different kind! Thanks for bringing back the nice memory for me this morning.

At one time that Church actually was a Flea Market in the summer. I stopped in more than once and bought a few items too!

Lovely church! There is just so much to see and do in the UP....never ceases to amaze me.

Joanne.
thanks for sharing your memories of the church.
I thought it was a neat story how you used the steeple's to find your way home. what a great childhood memory of such a beautiful church.

One of the stained glass windows in the church is what we refer to as the “Gazvoda” window. I’m not sure on the history of the window but I believe it was donated and I believe there is also another family’s name on the window as well as Gazvoda.

There were four Gazvoda brothers that came over from Novo Mesto, Slovenia in the late 1800’s because the oldest brother got the family farm and there was no work in Slovenia. One was my great grandfather. The Gazvoda descendants have a reunion every three years and occasionally it is in the Copper Country. We have a photo from one of these times of all of us standing on the steps of this church.

Over the years I've become increasingly aware of the
Slovenian culture in the Copper Country. It never
popped up as a topic of conversation in my Finnish
American family. What beautiful tributes today--
thank you, Langoman for your vivid portrait of your
beloved grandfather and also to Joanne for sharing her
landmark. Everyone needs a way to find their way back
home.

Be sure to check out the Keweenaw Heritage Center web site https://pasty.com/heritage/

I took these photos a few years ago

Moved to Georgia from Mohawk a couple of weeks ago and missing the Keweenaw bad!....

Thank you for the beautiful pictures of the church.

I hear you, Jeff!

Don't forget that there is also St. Ann's church in Calumet, near the copper shop. I believe it is St. Ann's that used to be a flea market and is now used as a heritage center.

clinton drake (Clint):
"...St. Ann's church in Calumet"

St. Ann's That's St. Anne's
As shown in the link in YooperGal (Daryl)'s post above.

My brother Dave and his wife Barb visited Slovenia in September. They spent some days walking the hills and admiring the beautiful towns. Good food, friendly people, and usually there was someone in every restaurant to interpret the menu into English. He recommended it as an escape from the crowded tourist areas in northern Italy. Skiing is grand also. His photos made me want to spend a week there riding the rails and walking.

this is a beautiful church and I have attended mass several times. The church in Lake Linden is equally as gorgeous, maybe a little more so. It was cleaned up and renovated a few years ago and it is breathtaking.

Thank you for the spelling correction, I don't know how I managed that one.

These chuches mentioned today are beautiful. I'm glad to see that the churches are looking like they did many years ago. I never did like the "modern" look they had in the 70's.

St. Paul's in Calumet will soon be cleaned up and renovated inside too - the parish is in the middle of a major capital campaign, having already redone the roof and the spires and repainted the wood cornice, etc. outside, and installed an elevator. Next comes the interior, which will be cleaned/restored/repainted, floors redone, etc. If I may be allowed a shameless plug for a good cause (and if anyone is still reading this thread) - any and all contributions are welcome!

Where do we send them Keweenawdude?

fantastic looking churches both beautiful in their own rite. i remain walter p

The mailing address for St Paul the Apostle in Calumet is 301 8th St, Calumet MI 49913. Thanks for your interest, Kosk! (and others)

You'll be hearing from me Keweenawdude. Thanks for the address.

I remember attending Mass in that church not so long ago...... or so it seems