October 2025.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Star of the New Evangelization (what a name), formerly Holy Name Church, is a historic Catholic church in Old North Columbus. It’s hidden away from the more trafficked areas of the neighborhood, and it is also an uncommon example of Byzantine Revival architecture.
Our Lady of Guadalupe is located at 154 East Patterson Avenue in the Old North Columbus neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. It is bordered by houses to the north, Patterson Avenue and the church’s former school to the south, the rectory to the east, and Adams Avenue to the west.
History
Portrait of the congregation’s founder, Rev. McDermott. (Columbus Metropolitan Library)
The Holy Name congregation was founded in 1905 by Rev. William McDermott, who was appointed by the bishop to establish a new Catholic congregation that would serve the growing Old North area all the way to Worthington. McDermott was an Irish immigrant who arrived in Columbus in 1871, and he was ordained as a priest in 1887. He bought the church’s site for $3,500 in 1905. During construction, McDermott lived in a house at the corner of Patterson Avenue and High Street, and he rented a room over a hardware store on High Street near Hudson Street (likely one in the North Columbus Commercial Historic District) to hold Mass.
1909 photo of the 1905 Holy Name Church. (Columbus Metropolitan Library)
The first Holy Name Church began construction on July 3, 1905, which was a smaller Gothic Revival building that had four classrooms and two “society rooms” on the first floor and the sanctuary above. It was designed by firm Dauben & Ryan (likely a misspelling of Riebel). At that time, it was known as the Church of the Holy Name. The completed building cost $43,000 (another source says $20,000 instead) and was dedicated on January 28, 1906. The rectory next door was completed shortly afterwards. The congregation had grown so large even within ten years that the Immaculate Conception congregation, now located in the East North Broadway Historic District, was founded in 1916.
Panorama of 1921 groundbreaking on the current church building. (Columbus Metropolitan Library)
As Old North Columbus continued to grow (you can notice the change in density between the 1909 photo and the 1921 one), Holy Name soon became too large for its original home, and a new church was planned. Construction began on its foundation on April 12, 1921, and the foundation and basement were finished by Christmas of that year at a cost of $63,000. It was originally planned to be a Gothic Revival church like its predecessor, but the design was considered to be too expensive (the basement alone was a large expenditure for the time), and local architect Edward A. Ramsey, also a member of the congregation, volunteered his time to design a different Byzantine Revival church building. Ramsey’s design was approved, and the completed church was dedicated on September 11, 1927. As of 1943, the church had nearly 2,000 members.
The school building south of the church is a Modern design by architect Floyd F. Glass that was built in 1954, which has eight classrooms and a capacity of 320 students. After Sacred Heart Church in Italian Village closed its own school, the students moved to Holy Name. However, the school closed in 1993 due to declining enrollment. The building is now used as a food bank, clothes closet, and a meeting space.
The church’s damaged chimney. (The Catholic Times)
The church has been left largely unaltered over the years, although a storm dislodged a stone cross from the roof and damaged a chimney in 1953. This resulted in Mass being held in the church’s basement. Major restoration work took place beginning in 1980, which repaired the roof, stained-glass windows, and decorative ceiling. The church’s fanciful marble altar dates from this time, as it was acquired from Mount Carmel West in 1983.
Holy Name changed its name due to the arrival of the Santa Cruz parish in 2001, a largely Hispanic congregation that was formerly located at Holy Cross downtown but outgrew that church building. The 600 members also needed a school, and Holy Name’s school had been vacant since 1993. Santa Cruz and Holy Name were officially combined in 2023, resulting in the church’s current name, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Star of the New Evangelization. In 2024, the bishop established a shrine inside the church.
Photos
Nice angled view of Our Lady of Guadalupe from Patterson and Adams:
It has a pretty remarkable scale for its status as a smaller parish, and several sources describe it as one of the most beautiful churches in Columbus. The Byzantine Revival design includes copious vaulting and some fancy stonework, although most of the church uses buff brick.
The south, principal facade of the church:
It has a solid, telescoping geometric form that seems almost Art Deco. The sides of the church don’t share this effect, which seems to be in large part due to the smooth wall planes here with little ornamentation.
Stairs and the first floor:
I love these triple portals and their highly elaborate column capitals, tympana, and other carved stonework:
The upper level of the nave, which has a massive rose window centered on the facade:
Although the stained glass is obscured by protective plastic sheeting, the ornate stone carvings around it are visible and in excellent condition.
A short blind arcade runs the width of the nave near the roof:
One of the octagonal corner buttresses and its square stone base:
Note the Latin cross plan of the church with an apse and two transepts, undoubtedly a result of the foundation being planned for a Gothic Revival building:
West transept:
It has three stained-glass windows with round arches, a small blind arcade above, and a gabled roof.
The Modernist school south of the church:
It has a spartan, rectangular brick design with aluminum window frames.
Although I did not see the interior of the church, it is one of the more spectacular designs in the entire city. It has a large scale and finely crafted details such as the ceilings and columns.
Sources:
https://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/ohio/id/14781/rec/5
https://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/memory/id/111497
https://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/ohio/id/18394
https://catholictimescolumbus.org/news/bishop-establishes-parish-church-as-diocesan-shrine/
https://archive.org/details/cu31924012522870/page/226/mode/1up
https://www.newspapers.com/image/887701284/?match=1&terms=%22Holy%20Name%20Church%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/887702261/?match=1&terms=%22Holy%20Name%20Church%22
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