• Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

  • Saint Mary of Victories

    Catholic Church

    Reverent  Faithful  Welcoming 

    Since 1843

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About St. Mary of Victories

Historic Saint Mary of Victories Catholic Church, just south of the Gateway Arch, is a splendid and unique part of the heritage of old Saint Louis.

Founded in 1843 for German immigrants, it became the city's Hungarian Catholic Church and cultural center in 1956. Its acclaimed architecture, beautiful old paintings, ornate statuary and noted historical personalities have earned it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of the few consecrated churches in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and has a magnificent high altar with hundreds of sacred relics.

Saint Mary’s accordingly offers a classically reverent style of worship in proclaiming the joy of Christ's Gospel to locals and tourists alike. The 11 a.m. Sunday Mass is mainly in English, with a touch of Hungarian in Scripture and song.

Read the Whole Story...  

Reflections From Our Saints...

  • SMOV - Infant of Prague
  • St. Therese of Liseaux
  • St. Elizabeth of Hungary
  • SMOV - Cabrini
  • SMOV - Anthony (1)
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History

St. Mary of Victories has played an important role in the development of St. Louis... Read More
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Architecture

St. Mary of Victories is an excellent example of pre-Civil War architecture in St. Louis... Read More
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Hungarian Parish

St. Mary of Victories has been the official home of the Hungarian Catholics in St. Louis since 1957... Read More
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Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos once preached at St. Mary of Victories... Read More
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Latin Novus Ordo Mass

St. Mary of Victories is the only place in St. Louis that celebrates the Modern Rite, ad orientem, with Gregorian Chant... Read More
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Liturgy Schedule

Mass Times

11:00 AM Sunday - Third Sunday ONLY

Ordinary Form Mass, Traditional Music, Some Latin
Hungarian Lunch After Mass - Usually $10

Confessions:  Sundays at 10:30 am
Tours Conducted Sundays after Mass

The Facilties are Not Open Other Sundays Of the Month (No Lunch)

 THERE IS NO DAILY MASS AT SMV CHAPEL

Latin Ordinary Form Mass with Gregorian Chant - One Saturday Per Month

See Web Page or Facebook Group (or Call) for Details

                                                                                                           

Note:  the 7 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday Masses have been discontinued.  

2 August 2020, 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Introit (Year A): Sitientes, begin on F (as sol)

Offertory: And now O Father, p. 281, begin on G

Communion: Panem de caelo, begin on E♭ (as fa)

Recessional: All hail the power of Jesus' name, p. 225, begin on C 

Mass XI, PBC p. 58. Credo III, PBC p. 77

 

(Year A) The Introit has two phrases:

  1. Sitientes venite ad aquas dicit Dominus

  2. et qui non habetis pretium venite bibite cum laetitia.

We have this short text from the Prophet Isaiah in Year A because it is found in today’s first reading. It is a popular and much loved scripture text that many composers have set to music. In the EF, it is used on the Saturday after the 4th Sunday of Lent, the day before Passiontide begins, whence we have such a somber Mode 2 Gregorian melody for such a joyous text. The high point of the melody is over non (habetis), putting emphasis on our inability to earn or buy access to the living water, Jesus himself. Unlike the high value our society places on earning rewards through our own efforts, the waters of salvation and the rewards of eternal redemption are a gift freely given us by the Lord himself who invites us to drink. We should accept His gift and drink with joy!

 

The Communion antiphon has two phrases, but not divided as we might expect:

  1. Panem de caelo dedisti nobis, Domine, habentem omne delectamentum

  2. et omnem saporem suavitatis

From its use at Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, we expect the first verse to be split in two. But here the composer follows the text from the Book of Wisdom closely. The melody reminds us that the Lord is who has given us the Holy Eucharist. It progresses almost stepwise, emphasizing f-f, g-g, a-a, c-c, until the word Domine surmounts it all. Pronounce the words of this phrase distinctly and see how well the chant follows the natural development of the text. Only You could give us the Bread of heaven, Lord. Only Your wisdom could conceive such a gift. Only Your love could bestow it on us. 'Your sustenance shows forth Your sweetness to Your children,' as the subsequent verse of the Book of Wisdom puts it.

 

And this Bread is full of sweetness. The text alone rings with the joy of it, but the melody strives to make it still more prominent. Omne in the second half of the first phrase is sung on the dominant. (According to a stylistic requirement which is generally observed in florid songs such as Graduals, a new melodic phrase is here formed for the same thought.) Its first half is characterized by the predominating d; the second is introduced by a surprising fifth and closes with the cadence customary with the fifth and sixth modes. The usual source of sweetness in ancient times was honey, and in the lilting descent of melody over saporem suavitatis the composer reflects the image of honey hitting the tongue, imparting its initial blast of sweet, then rolling down the palate as its sweetness is savoured.

 
 
 

Stay Connected

 

 

Address and Phone

744 South 3rd Street (at Gratiot)
Saint Louis, MO 63102-1645
(314) 231-8101

Click Here for Directions

 

Copyright © 2023 St. Mary of Victories Catholic Church. All Rights Reserved.
Our Lady of Victories, Pray for Us!  St. Stephen of Hungary, Pray for Us!
Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos and Venerable Cardinal Mindszenty, Pray for Us!