The Chapel Part 1

Now, go through the doors. You’re in the chapel. Work on the chapel started at the same time as work on the church, in 1886. Lack of funds brought work to a halt. A church member, Elizabeth A F Harris, then paid to complete it as a memorial to her deceased husband, Joseph. The chapel building’s style was designed to conform with the church’s Gothic style, but the interior is much simpler. The inside finish is entirely made of Southern woods.

Behind the chapel was a Sunday School room, a library, and a guild room. Stained glass was installed above the west door and the altar. The window above the altar was done in the Belcher mosaic style. This was the first window in the South to be crafted using this technique. You can see the window above the door, but there is none visible above or behind the altar.

In 1941, the vestry wanted a room large enough for congregational meetings. The chapel was remodeled, and a soundproof wall was installed behind the altar to make room for other spaces. During these renovations, the rose window on the east wall was hidden.

At the same time, the altar was raised onto a low platform, and creation of a reredos began. What’s a reredos? It’s an altarpiece, decorated with painting or sculpture at the back of an altar. Notice the gold-leafed reredos above the chapel altar. It’s a three-part piece illustrating many saints. The central panel shows Christ speaking on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection. The reredos was commissioned by a parishioner, whose son, Robert Williams, died at a young age. The young man is included in the central panel; he is the man standing next to Jesus. Move up to the altar. Notice the two sculptures at the two panel hinges. Along with most of the other carvings in the Chapel, these were created by local artist Enrique Alferez. The one on the left depicts Bishop Polk standing on Saint John’s church in Thibodaux, Louisiana, where his home (Leighton plantation) was located. The one on the right depicts St. George and the Dragon. In a commentary on events at the time (World War II), Alferez used the dragon as a symbol of Nazi Germany. The dragon is slain by Saint George…Alferez carved swastikas into the dragon as a symbol of the defeat of Hitler and Nazism. Notice the golden African and Anglo faces of the angels just above the painting of Jesus at Emmaus. Also notice the Evangelists above the two doorways, and the native American features of Mark at the left side of the top of the doorway on the right, exiting the rear of the Chapel.

One other interesting note. Take a look at the pews. You’ll notice an unusual metal mechanism at both ends of each pew section. It actually allows the seats to flip, streetcar-style, just as the seats on the Saint Charles streetcar do! They can change direction, or be used as desks! They were built to allow use as a Sunday School room.