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This book provides a full color tour of St. John Cantius Church of Chicago. See the awe-inspiring sacred art and the thrilling architecture of one of Chicago’s most important churches.

Hoc loco habitat fortune, hic quiescit cor.
In this place abides happiness, here the heart finds peace.

For over 100 years this church has been a place of happiness as well as a place where the hearts of so many faithful have found peace. The beauty of the church building inspires one to raise mind and heart to God. The austere stone facade with the inscription Ad majorem Dei gloriam, sets the tone that not only this structure, but everything we do is done for the greater glory of God.

The warmth of the interior, while massive, invites the visitor into a church reminiscent of churches in Europe, most especially Poland. The give and take of the contrasts of light from the stained glass windows on the wood altars, balustrades, and floor truly give one a sense of peace.

But a church is more than the art and architecture it contains. The structure is brought to life through the Church’s theology which is carried out in the sacred ceremonies of the Mass, the Sacraments,
a variety of devotions, and Her sacred music ranging from Plainchant or Gregorian chant to the classical works of Mozart, Haydn, and Schubert.

All of these are united, as in a symphony, with the art, architecture, and the light contrasted against the dark wood. It is with great pleasure that we present this booklet of the art and architecture of St. John Cantius.

Over the past twenty years much has been done to restore the beauty of this church. The structure itself speaks of the majesty of God and the Divine worship which occurs daily. Over the past twenty years we have been able to restore the stained glass windows each telling a story of our Faith in the medium of glass.

The wood floor in the nave and sanctuary complement the wood altars and the medallions in the floor are a miniature in our catechism of the life of Christ: from His birth to His glorious Resurrection. The painting of St. John Cantius, our patron, brought back to its original splendor, brings our attention to this humble priest of the Middle Ages.

The main bell tower boasts four bells which announce the time, feast days, weddings, and funerals. Two carillons provide the surrounding neighborhood with melodies from sacred chant to devotional hymns.

In restoring the sacred, we have also been able to commission liturgical works of art from sacred vesture, to sacred vessels, from a replica of the Wit Stwosz altar in St. Mary’s Church in Cracow, to crowns for our Blessed Lady, a Centennial Chalice and the Millennium Monstrance.