The original design for our church was taken from Christ Church in Oxford, England,a

12th Century structure. One difference between Christ Church and St. Vincent Martyr

is the French influence resulting in four gargoyles adorning the outside of the tower.

The original builder of the Church, John M. Corbett, accomplished the task at a cost

of less than $100,000. The majority of the financing was provided by Ernest and

Octavie Beaupland, the two surviving members of the Boisaubin family. The church

was designed by Jeremiah O’Rourke, the architect who designed the Sacred Heart

Cathedral in Newark, NJ. The church is built of Indiana limestone and is early English

in period with Norman influences. Absolutely no steel was used in the original

building, only brick, stone and mortar. Standing at the altar area, we notice the altar

situated directly under the tower. The tower, just short of 100 feet to the cross on top

of the pinnacle and 75 feet high inside, houses a series of plain windows. Sixteen

shields visibly portray the symbols of the passion of Christ, the death of Christ, and

the traditional insignia of the Mother of God and Vincent the Deacon.

Four large graceful angels stand in silent adoration in each corner of the tower over

the altar. There are four visible faces carved into the capitals of the tower columns

surrounding the altar and supporting the arches and tower structure. The four depict

Christ crowned with thorns, the Sorrowful Mother of God, a cherub angel, and a

monk in garb sometimes thought to be the image of our patron.

The Church has undergone many transformations. During the 1976 renovation it was

noted that the original church did not contain a choir loft and later renovations added

this feature. The 1976 renovation removed the loft in order to keep with the Church’s

original simplicity and grace. This change made it possible to view the three graceful

gothic arches above the nave of the Church.

The current Church reflects the new lighting updated at the turn of the century and

painting which reflects the earliest use of color in our Church. The focal point of

St. Vincent Martyr Church is the altar and sanctuary which are prominently placed

under the tower. The altar is white venato marble, arabascato type with a honed or

semi-gloss finish, which was completed in Italy by Gasparri Studios and designed by

Anthony Genovese. The altar carries the style and the strength of the four massive

support columns surrounding the altar.

The features of the Church reflect the heritage of our early parishioners. Flanking the

colorful Ascension window on the left are St. Genevieve, the patroness of Paris and

St. Martin, Bishop of Tours and on the right the two delicate windows of Joan of Arc

and St. Louis IX, King of France. These four windows are in memory of the French

émigrés who established our parish. The marble work in the Church reflects the Italian

settlers who arrived later to Madison and St. Vincent Martyr Parish.

Located to the right of the altar is the Blessed Sacrament Repository. The tabernacle,

designed by Benoit Gilsoul, represents long, vertical stalks of wheat with a surging

force of the Blood of Christ rising from the bottom. Cast in bronze, the tabernacle is

30 inches wide and its doors are 3 inches thick. Surrounding the tabernacle are parts

of our previous altar standing 16 feet high, beginning with the cross, the hand

sculptured marble crown, the columns and base all reconstructed by Gasparri Studios.

The altar was originally adorned with Celtic crosses from the clonmacknoise and

monastervoise period representing our Irish immigrants.