Suitbert Godfrey Mollinger was born on April 19, 1828, in Mechelen in the Kingdom of Belgium, the son of a wealthy Belgian family. He studied medicine in some of the great cities of Europe, including Naples, Rome, and Genoa, Italy. He also attended seminary in Ghent in the Flemish region of Belgium. While he was there, he volunteered for missionary work in the Americas.
In 1854, he arrived in New York. Having traveled to St. Vincent's Abbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, he was ordained a priest on April 30, 1859, and assigned to the Diocese of Pittsburgh. In 1865, he came to Pittsburgh, where he established several mission parishes and became the first pastor of Most Holy Name of Jesus in Troy Hill. Troy Hill is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh's North Side, situated on a plateau overlooking the Allegheny River.
Called the "the greatest collector of holy relics in history," Fr. Mollinger housed his extensive acquisitions in St. Anthony's Chapel, a grand structure at 1700 Harpster Street, which he constructed with $300,000 of his own money which he had inherited from his family. Fr. Mollinger had a great devotion to St. Anthony. Construction began in 1880. Dedication of the Chapel took place on the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua, June 13, 1883. An inscription in Latin written on the central arch of the chapel reads, "Here Lie the Saints in Peace." The collection of over 5,000 relics constitutes the largest accumulation of holy relics in the world outside of the Vatican. The collection is displayed in beautifully-wrought reliquaries, arranged in altars and side cases of hand-carved solid walnut. Many of the reliquaries contain multiple relics.
For centuries, these relics were venerated in Europe. Fr. Mollinger made several trips to Europe in order to collect relics, an unprecedented number of which were floating in the market at the time because of political upheavals due to the Kulturkampf in Germany (a political conflict, 1872-1878, between the Catholic Church in Germany and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Otto von Bismark) and the unification of Italy. Fr. Mollinger rescued the relics and brought them to Pittsburgh when the churches and relics were endangered. Documents verifying their authenticity accompanied the relics. The most venerated relic in the Chapel is the first-class relic, a tooth, of St. Anthony, located in a small reliquary on the St. Anthony altar. Other relics include a splinter of the True Cross, a thorn from the Crown of Thorns, and a piece of stone from the Holy Sepulchre.
In addition to the collection of relics, Fr. Mollinger also acquired a set of life-size Stations of the Cross while on a visit to Europe. These were carved of wood by artists at the royal Ecclesiastical Art Establishment of Mayer and Company in Munich, Germany. The acquisition of the Stations made it necessary to enlarge the Chapel. The dedication of the addition was scheduled for the Feast of St. Anthony on June 13, 1892. The stained glass windows were all imported from Europe. The 14 stained glass windows above the Stations portray the apostles, along with Sts. Paul, Stephen, and Lawrence. The center window above the entrance depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God and Queen of Heaven with St. Joseph. To the left and right are windows honoring St. Anthony of Padua and St. Catherine of Siena.
Sadly, on the day of the dedication of the addition to the Chapel, Fr. Mollinger collapsed. He died two days later on June 15, 1892, following an operation for a ruptured stomach. The absence of a will prompted Bishop Richard Phelan to settle with Fr. Mollinger's heirs and acquire title to the chapel for $30,000, a small fraction of its actual value. The chapel then became church property, with Bishop Phelan as trustee. The German families eventually raised $30,000 to repay the Bishop.
Over the years, the Chapel fell into a state of disrepair. Bishop Vincent Martin Leonard, of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, gave permission for its restoration. In the summer of 1972, a Saint Anthony's Chapel Restoration Fund Committee was formed and fundraising began. The restoration was done in three stages as money became available, and was completed in November 1977. In the 1980s, the Chapel was opened on a more regular basis and more and more pilgrims arrived. In order to secure the future of the Chapel, a religious articles gift shop was opened in June 1983. A museum to house artifacts and memorabilia of the Fr. Mollinger era was dedicated on June 10, 1986.
In the "On Mission" diocesan consolidation of parishes, St. Anthony's Chapel and Most Holy Name of Jesus Church became part of the protected "Shrines of Pittsburgh," group of six sites, on July 1, 2019. The Shrines have their own clergy team and pilgrimages have increased from around the Diocese of Pittsburgh and beyond. The Shrine has been designated an Historical Landmark by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation.
Father Mollinger was also renowned for his extensive knowledge of medicine, and is credited with many cures, some of which were alleged to be miraculous. Medicines and tonics sold under his name continued to be sought out in Pittsburgh for decades after his death.
His death record in the parish annals reads as follows:
Reverendus D. Suitbertus G. Mollinger, per annos 24 rector ecclesiae Sanctissimi Nominis Jesu in Troy Hill, natus die 29 Maji 1830 Mechlinae in Belgia, sacerdos ordinatus die 30 Aprilis 1859, obiit die 15 Junii 1892. R.I.P.
[Reverend Suitbert G. Mollinger, for 24 years the rector of the Church of the Most Holy Name of Jesus at Troy Hill, born May 29, 1830, at Mechlin in Belgium, ordained priest April 30, 1859, died June 15, 1892. R.I.P.]
Information from the original memorial by A. Schrenk. Extensive additional information from the "Saint Anthony's Chapel" brochure and from Wikipedia. Combined, edited, and submitted by Angela, Member #48520699.
In 1854, he arrived in New York. Having traveled to St. Vincent's Abbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, he was ordained a priest on April 30, 1859, and assigned to the Diocese of Pittsburgh. In 1865, he came to Pittsburgh, where he established several mission parishes and became the first pastor of Most Holy Name of Jesus in Troy Hill. Troy Hill is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh's North Side, situated on a plateau overlooking the Allegheny River.
Called the "the greatest collector of holy relics in history," Fr. Mollinger housed his extensive acquisitions in St. Anthony's Chapel, a grand structure at 1700 Harpster Street, which he constructed with $300,000 of his own money which he had inherited from his family. Fr. Mollinger had a great devotion to St. Anthony. Construction began in 1880. Dedication of the Chapel took place on the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua, June 13, 1883. An inscription in Latin written on the central arch of the chapel reads, "Here Lie the Saints in Peace." The collection of over 5,000 relics constitutes the largest accumulation of holy relics in the world outside of the Vatican. The collection is displayed in beautifully-wrought reliquaries, arranged in altars and side cases of hand-carved solid walnut. Many of the reliquaries contain multiple relics.
For centuries, these relics were venerated in Europe. Fr. Mollinger made several trips to Europe in order to collect relics, an unprecedented number of which were floating in the market at the time because of political upheavals due to the Kulturkampf in Germany (a political conflict, 1872-1878, between the Catholic Church in Germany and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Otto von Bismark) and the unification of Italy. Fr. Mollinger rescued the relics and brought them to Pittsburgh when the churches and relics were endangered. Documents verifying their authenticity accompanied the relics. The most venerated relic in the Chapel is the first-class relic, a tooth, of St. Anthony, located in a small reliquary on the St. Anthony altar. Other relics include a splinter of the True Cross, a thorn from the Crown of Thorns, and a piece of stone from the Holy Sepulchre.
In addition to the collection of relics, Fr. Mollinger also acquired a set of life-size Stations of the Cross while on a visit to Europe. These were carved of wood by artists at the royal Ecclesiastical Art Establishment of Mayer and Company in Munich, Germany. The acquisition of the Stations made it necessary to enlarge the Chapel. The dedication of the addition was scheduled for the Feast of St. Anthony on June 13, 1892. The stained glass windows were all imported from Europe. The 14 stained glass windows above the Stations portray the apostles, along with Sts. Paul, Stephen, and Lawrence. The center window above the entrance depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God and Queen of Heaven with St. Joseph. To the left and right are windows honoring St. Anthony of Padua and St. Catherine of Siena.
Sadly, on the day of the dedication of the addition to the Chapel, Fr. Mollinger collapsed. He died two days later on June 15, 1892, following an operation for a ruptured stomach. The absence of a will prompted Bishop Richard Phelan to settle with Fr. Mollinger's heirs and acquire title to the chapel for $30,000, a small fraction of its actual value. The chapel then became church property, with Bishop Phelan as trustee. The German families eventually raised $30,000 to repay the Bishop.
Over the years, the Chapel fell into a state of disrepair. Bishop Vincent Martin Leonard, of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, gave permission for its restoration. In the summer of 1972, a Saint Anthony's Chapel Restoration Fund Committee was formed and fundraising began. The restoration was done in three stages as money became available, and was completed in November 1977. In the 1980s, the Chapel was opened on a more regular basis and more and more pilgrims arrived. In order to secure the future of the Chapel, a religious articles gift shop was opened in June 1983. A museum to house artifacts and memorabilia of the Fr. Mollinger era was dedicated on June 10, 1986.
In the "On Mission" diocesan consolidation of parishes, St. Anthony's Chapel and Most Holy Name of Jesus Church became part of the protected "Shrines of Pittsburgh," group of six sites, on July 1, 2019. The Shrines have their own clergy team and pilgrimages have increased from around the Diocese of Pittsburgh and beyond. The Shrine has been designated an Historical Landmark by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation.
Father Mollinger was also renowned for his extensive knowledge of medicine, and is credited with many cures, some of which were alleged to be miraculous. Medicines and tonics sold under his name continued to be sought out in Pittsburgh for decades after his death.
His death record in the parish annals reads as follows:
Reverendus D. Suitbertus G. Mollinger, per annos 24 rector ecclesiae Sanctissimi Nominis Jesu in Troy Hill, natus die 29 Maji 1830 Mechlinae in Belgia, sacerdos ordinatus die 30 Aprilis 1859, obiit die 15 Junii 1892. R.I.P.
[Reverend Suitbert G. Mollinger, for 24 years the rector of the Church of the Most Holy Name of Jesus at Troy Hill, born May 29, 1830, at Mechlin in Belgium, ordained priest April 30, 1859, died June 15, 1892. R.I.P.]
Information from the original memorial by A. Schrenk. Extensive additional information from the "Saint Anthony's Chapel" brochure and from Wikipedia. Combined, edited, and submitted by Angela, Member #48520699.
Suitbert Godfrey Mollinger was born on April 19, 1828, in Mechelen in the Kingdom of Belgium, the son of a wealthy Belgian family. He studied medicine in some of the great cities of Europe, including Naples, Rome, and Genoa, Italy. He also attended seminary in Ghent in the Flemish region of Belgium. While he was there, he volunteered for missionary work in the Americas.
In 1854, he arrived in New York. Having traveled to St. Vincent's Abbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, he was ordained a priest on April 30, 1859, and assigned to the Diocese of Pittsburgh. In 1865, he came to Pittsburgh, where he established several mission parishes and became the first pastor of Most Holy Name of Jesus in Troy Hill. Troy Hill is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh's North Side, situated on a plateau overlooking the Allegheny River.
Called the "the greatest collector of holy relics in history," Fr. Mollinger housed his extensive acquisitions in St. Anthony's Chapel, a grand structure at 1700 Harpster Street, which he constructed with $300,000 of his own money which he had inherited from his family. Fr. Mollinger had a great devotion to St. Anthony. Construction began in 1880. Dedication of the Chapel took place on the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua, June 13, 1883. An inscription in Latin written on the central arch of the chapel reads, "Here Lie the Saints in Peace." The collection of over 5,000 relics constitutes the largest accumulation of holy relics in the world outside of the Vatican. The collection is displayed in beautifully-wrought reliquaries, arranged in altars and side cases of hand-carved solid walnut. Many of the reliquaries contain multiple relics.
For centuries, these relics were venerated in Europe. Fr. Mollinger made several trips to Europe in order to collect relics, an unprecedented number of which were floating in the market at the time because of political upheavals due to the Kulturkampf in Germany (a political conflict, 1872-1878, between the Catholic Church in Germany and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Otto von Bismark) and the unification of Italy. Fr. Mollinger rescued the relics and brought them to Pittsburgh when the churches and relics were endangered. Documents verifying their authenticity accompanied the relics. The most venerated relic in the Chapel is the first-class relic, a tooth, of St. Anthony, located in a small reliquary on the St. Anthony altar. Other relics include a splinter of the True Cross, a thorn from the Crown of Thorns, and a piece of stone from the Holy Sepulchre.
In addition to the collection of relics, Fr. Mollinger also acquired a set of life-size Stations of the Cross while on a visit to Europe. These were carved of wood by artists at the royal Ecclesiastical Art Establishment of Mayer and Company in Munich, Germany. The acquisition of the Stations made it necessary to enlarge the Chapel. The dedication of the addition was scheduled for the Feast of St. Anthony on June 13, 1892. The stained glass windows were all imported from Europe. The 14 stained glass windows above the Stations portray the apostles, along with Sts. Paul, Stephen, and Lawrence. The center window above the entrance depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God and Queen of Heaven with St. Joseph. To the left and right are windows honoring St. Anthony of Padua and St. Catherine of Siena.
Sadly, on the day of the dedication of the addition to the Chapel, Fr. Mollinger collapsed. He died two days later on June 15, 1892, following an operation for a ruptured stomach. The absence of a will prompted Bishop Richard Phelan to settle with Fr. Mollinger's heirs and acquire title to the chapel for $30,000, a small fraction of its actual value. The chapel then became church property, with Bishop Phelan as trustee. The German families eventually raised $30,000 to repay the Bishop.
Over the years, the Chapel fell into a state of disrepair. Bishop Vincent Martin Leonard, of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, gave permission for its restoration. In the summer of 1972, a Saint Anthony's Chapel Restoration Fund Committee was formed and fundraising began. The restoration was done in three stages as money became available, and was completed in November 1977. In the 1980s, the Chapel was opened on a more regular basis and more and more pilgrims arrived. In order to secure the future of the Chapel, a religious articles gift shop was opened in June 1983. A museum to house artifacts and memorabilia of the Fr. Mollinger era was dedicated on June 10, 1986.
In the "On Mission" diocesan consolidation of parishes, St. Anthony's Chapel and Most Holy Name of Jesus Church became part of the protected "Shrines of Pittsburgh," group of six sites, on July 1, 2019. The Shrines have their own clergy team and pilgrimages have increased from around the Diocese of Pittsburgh and beyond. The Shrine has been designated an Historical Landmark by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation.
Father Mollinger was also renowned for his extensive knowledge of medicine, and is credited with many cures, some of which were alleged to be miraculous. Medicines and tonics sold under his name continued to be sought out in Pittsburgh for decades after his death.
His death record in the parish annals reads as follows:
Reverendus D. Suitbertus G. Mollinger, per annos 24 rector ecclesiae Sanctissimi Nominis Jesu in Troy Hill, natus die 29 Maji 1830 Mechlinae in Belgia, sacerdos ordinatus die 30 Aprilis 1859, obiit die 15 Junii 1892. R.I.P.
[Reverend Suitbert G. Mollinger, for 24 years the rector of the Church of the Most Holy Name of Jesus at Troy Hill, born May 29, 1830, at Mechlin in Belgium, ordained priest April 30, 1859, died June 15, 1892. R.I.P.]
Information from the original memorial by A. Schrenk. Extensive additional information from the "Saint Anthony's Chapel" brochure and from Wikipedia. Combined, edited, and submitted by Angela, Member #48520699.
In 1854, he arrived in New York. Having traveled to St. Vincent's Abbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, he was ordained a priest on April 30, 1859, and assigned to the Diocese of Pittsburgh. In 1865, he came to Pittsburgh, where he established several mission parishes and became the first pastor of Most Holy Name of Jesus in Troy Hill. Troy Hill is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh's North Side, situated on a plateau overlooking the Allegheny River.
Called the "the greatest collector of holy relics in history," Fr. Mollinger housed his extensive acquisitions in St. Anthony's Chapel, a grand structure at 1700 Harpster Street, which he constructed with $300,000 of his own money which he had inherited from his family. Fr. Mollinger had a great devotion to St. Anthony. Construction began in 1880. Dedication of the Chapel took place on the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua, June 13, 1883. An inscription in Latin written on the central arch of the chapel reads, "Here Lie the Saints in Peace." The collection of over 5,000 relics constitutes the largest accumulation of holy relics in the world outside of the Vatican. The collection is displayed in beautifully-wrought reliquaries, arranged in altars and side cases of hand-carved solid walnut. Many of the reliquaries contain multiple relics.
For centuries, these relics were venerated in Europe. Fr. Mollinger made several trips to Europe in order to collect relics, an unprecedented number of which were floating in the market at the time because of political upheavals due to the Kulturkampf in Germany (a political conflict, 1872-1878, between the Catholic Church in Germany and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Otto von Bismark) and the unification of Italy. Fr. Mollinger rescued the relics and brought them to Pittsburgh when the churches and relics were endangered. Documents verifying their authenticity accompanied the relics. The most venerated relic in the Chapel is the first-class relic, a tooth, of St. Anthony, located in a small reliquary on the St. Anthony altar. Other relics include a splinter of the True Cross, a thorn from the Crown of Thorns, and a piece of stone from the Holy Sepulchre.
In addition to the collection of relics, Fr. Mollinger also acquired a set of life-size Stations of the Cross while on a visit to Europe. These were carved of wood by artists at the royal Ecclesiastical Art Establishment of Mayer and Company in Munich, Germany. The acquisition of the Stations made it necessary to enlarge the Chapel. The dedication of the addition was scheduled for the Feast of St. Anthony on June 13, 1892. The stained glass windows were all imported from Europe. The 14 stained glass windows above the Stations portray the apostles, along with Sts. Paul, Stephen, and Lawrence. The center window above the entrance depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God and Queen of Heaven with St. Joseph. To the left and right are windows honoring St. Anthony of Padua and St. Catherine of Siena.
Sadly, on the day of the dedication of the addition to the Chapel, Fr. Mollinger collapsed. He died two days later on June 15, 1892, following an operation for a ruptured stomach. The absence of a will prompted Bishop Richard Phelan to settle with Fr. Mollinger's heirs and acquire title to the chapel for $30,000, a small fraction of its actual value. The chapel then became church property, with Bishop Phelan as trustee. The German families eventually raised $30,000 to repay the Bishop.
Over the years, the Chapel fell into a state of disrepair. Bishop Vincent Martin Leonard, of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, gave permission for its restoration. In the summer of 1972, a Saint Anthony's Chapel Restoration Fund Committee was formed and fundraising began. The restoration was done in three stages as money became available, and was completed in November 1977. In the 1980s, the Chapel was opened on a more regular basis and more and more pilgrims arrived. In order to secure the future of the Chapel, a religious articles gift shop was opened in June 1983. A museum to house artifacts and memorabilia of the Fr. Mollinger era was dedicated on June 10, 1986.
In the "On Mission" diocesan consolidation of parishes, St. Anthony's Chapel and Most Holy Name of Jesus Church became part of the protected "Shrines of Pittsburgh," group of six sites, on July 1, 2019. The Shrines have their own clergy team and pilgrimages have increased from around the Diocese of Pittsburgh and beyond. The Shrine has been designated an Historical Landmark by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation.
Father Mollinger was also renowned for his extensive knowledge of medicine, and is credited with many cures, some of which were alleged to be miraculous. Medicines and tonics sold under his name continued to be sought out in Pittsburgh for decades after his death.
His death record in the parish annals reads as follows:
Reverendus D. Suitbertus G. Mollinger, per annos 24 rector ecclesiae Sanctissimi Nominis Jesu in Troy Hill, natus die 29 Maji 1830 Mechlinae in Belgia, sacerdos ordinatus die 30 Aprilis 1859, obiit die 15 Junii 1892. R.I.P.
[Reverend Suitbert G. Mollinger, for 24 years the rector of the Church of the Most Holy Name of Jesus at Troy Hill, born May 29, 1830, at Mechlin in Belgium, ordained priest April 30, 1859, died June 15, 1892. R.I.P.]
Information from the original memorial by A. Schrenk. Extensive additional information from the "Saint Anthony's Chapel" brochure and from Wikipedia. Combined, edited, and submitted by Angela, Member #48520699.
Inscription
REQUIESCAT IN PACE.
Gravesite Details
A hanging plaque near the headstone reads: BURIAL PLACE OF / FR. SUITBERT G. MOLLINGER / PASTOR OF / MOST HOLY NAME / OF JESUS CHURCH / JULY 4, 1868 TO JUNE 15, 1892
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