Our History
Saint Cecilia Parish was established in 1888.
At that time, the Back Bay section of Boston along Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street was the residential section of the Yankee aristocracy. The maids (“Irish working out girls”) and coachmen who served these residents had long requested a church of their own. When Archbishop Williams granted their request and carved the parish from the territory of the Cathedral, they built a magnificent church out of their meager earnings.
The church was dedicated on April 22, 1894. Its architecture is Romanesque, XII Century Norman. The main altar, notable for its massive simplicity, was carved from a single block of white Carrara marble. The painting in the center reredos is a reproduction of da Vinci’s The Last Supper, and the dome above is an array of 24K gold rosettes.
For the sixtieth anniversary celebration in 1954, a massive renovation project was undertaken. During this renovation, a statue of Pope Saint Pius X (canonized that same year) was imported from Italy and placed on the right side of the sanctuary. Above the statue are paintings from Pius’ life. On the left side is a statue of Saint Patrick, principal patron of the Archdiocese of Boston, and above it are three scenes from his life.
Fourteen circular and sixteen square panels adorn the nave and arches of the church. The square panels are decorated with the symbols of Our Lady taken from the Litany of Loreto and the circular ones with symbols taken from the lives of the apostles. The great window of the Assumption—framed by the two oak cases of the organ—was installed in 1954 (the Marian Year) in spaces originally designed for windows but not until then used.
The original 24-stop organ was built in 1902 by the Hutchings-Votey Organ Company, Opus 1465, and was rebuilt in 1954 with 32 stops. In 1998, Timothy Smith and Theodore Gilbert began a massive reconstruction of the organ. The current Smith & Gilbert Organ of four manuals, fifty-two ranks, and 2,950 pipes was dedicated on the Feast of Saint Cecilia, November 22, 1999.
Today we are experiencing something of an awakening within these old walls. We recently completed a major renovation, our numbers are increasing, and we continue to grow in our commitment to issues of peace, justice, and service to our neighbors, both near and far.
For over 125 years, we’ve been in the same building right here on Belvidere Street, but that does not mean that life here is stale, stagnant, or even predictable. We are proud to be entrusted with the legacy of Saint Cecilia Parish, where everything is the same, yet always changing; where we honor tradition while embracing the future; where God’s love makes all things new.
The Pastors of Saint Cecilia Parish
Rev. John J. Unni
2003-present
Rev. Msgr. Michael F. Groden
1989-2003
Rev. Msgr. Vincent J. Mackey
1969-1988
Richard Cardinal Cushing
1964-1969
Rev. Msgr. Francis L. Phelan
1943-1964
Rev. Richard A. Rogers (administrator)
1938-1943
Rev. Msgr. Thomas F. Garrity (administrator)
1932-1938
Rev. Msgr. John J. Fletcher (administrator)
1929-1932
Rev. Msgr. David D. Ryan (administrator)
1922-1929
Rev. Msgr. John J. McGarry (administrator)
1912-1922
William Cardinal O’Connell
1912-1943
Rt. Rev. William P. Byrne, D.D.
1902-1912
Rev. John J. McNulty
1900-1902
Rev. Richard J. Barry
1888-1900