As tradition has it, Saint Ann was the mother of Our Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. Although Saints Ann and Joachim, her husband, are not mentioned in the scriptures, their legend has been handed on to us through the generations. Saint Ann’s Parish was founded by German-speaking immigrants from Bavaria, Bohemia, and Austria. Our present-day community of faith is now composed largely of African Americans, with new immigrants from Burundi, the Congo, Liberia, Rwanda, and Sudan. Jesuit priests and brothers, Franciscan sisters, and dedicated lay people
have served the people of Saint Ann’s from its earliest days.
The Exterior
The cornerstone of the current Saint
St. Ann’s Tridium:
St. Ann’s Tridium will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 24, Wednesday, July 25
(Healing Mass) and Thursday, July 26 at 7 p.m. There will be Veneration of St. Ann’s Relic after each Mass.
St. Ann’s Re-union :
St. Ann’s will be celebrating its 150th Anniversary in 2008! If you have any affiliation with the parish: attended St. Ann’s School or have been baptized or married here, please contact: Shirley Joyce @ 681-7272, Carol Robinson @ 834-0273 or David Hirschbine @ 632-8748.
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More Photos At Buffalo Architecture and History
Ann’s Church was set in August of 1878, replacing a modest structure that stood between Emslie and Watson Streets from March of 1858. The new church was dedicated and consecrated in May 1886. The spires of the church towers (225 feet and 180 feet) were damaged in a March 1964 windstorm and were taken down soon after. A cross, originally high atop the east spire, today stands to the west of the church’s entrance. The tower clock is currently running and strikes every hour. There are six tower bells ranging from 500 to 7,800 lbs. The statue of Saint Ann with the Infant Mary was added in honor of the parish centennial in 1958. The photo shows the church in 1928.
The Vestibule
The vestibule contains three groups of statuary: The Angel in the Garden, The Death of Jesus, and The Pietà. It also contains two reliefs: The Resurrection and The Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Name of Jesus in Greek and Hebrew are placed above the eastern and western doors into the church, respectively.