Saint Antoine Church
Originally called Sant'Antonio di Padova (St. Anthony of Padua wiki), and known in Turkish as Saint Antoine Kilisesi or Saint Antuan Kilisesi, the Saint Antoine church on bustling Istiklal Caddesi is the largest Roman Catholic Church in Istanbul. It was built to serve the Italian community living in Istanbul.
Saint Antoine Church History
An imposing red brick building, it was originally built on this site in 1725, but was demolished in the early 20th century,in order to make way for a tramway. However the church was rebuilt by the architect, Giuliu Mongeri and completed in 1912, and stands as a fine example of the Italian neo-Gothic and Tuscan-Lombard styles.
Who was St Anthony of Padua?
He was a Portuguese Catholic priest (1195-1231), who was the most celebrated disciple of St. Francis of Assisi. He was known as a miracle worker, and is the patron saint of finding both things and people.
Amazing Facts about Saint Antoine Church Turkey
- The celebrated Concordia Tiyatrosu (Concordia Theater), also stood on the same site, until it too was demolished in the early 20th century.
- When Pope John XXIII visited Istanbul in 2003, he preached in St. Antoine Church and his statue stands in the inner patio.
- The impressive organ above the entryway was built by Italian firm, Vincenzo Mascioni (Cuvio Varese) in 1949.
- The church is filled with works of art that include a gilded wooden statue of St. Anthony by Luigi Bresciani, as well as two mosaics depicting the Supper at Emmaus and the Baptism of the Lord.
How to get to Saint Antoine Church
If you walk down Istiklal Caddesi (Istiklal Street) away from Taksim Square, keep going until you pass Galatasaray Square. After a minute or two more, you will see Sent Antuan Kilisesi (as it is known locally) on the left hand side.
What are the Saint Antoine Church opening hours?
The Saint Antoine Church Istanbul is open to the public every day from 9am-7pm. There is no Saint Antoine Church ticket price, but donations are welcome. If you want to see it in action, you can attend a daily mass. The Saint Antoine prayer times in English are 8am Monday-Saturday and 10am on Sundays. There are also masses held in Italian, Polish, and Turkish.
Have you checked Istiklal Avenue?
Open everyday