Boston
St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church
24 Orchardhill Road, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The inspiration for St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church was St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Kyiv. The style requirements, as specified in the letter to G. Kodak were as follows,
“ . . . must embody traditional Ukrainian architecture, have aesthetic appeal, and be an endowment to American culture and architectural advancement. Traditional style must be resolved with functional design and give way to the latter if maximum cost is otherwise exceeded.”
The parish of St. Andrew’s was well informed on Ukraine’s traditional church styles as a result of Andrew Prucknicki’s research on the subject. His concise and illustrated summation of Ukrainian Church Architectural Styles can be found in the publication “Ukrainian Orthodox League of the United States of America, 13th Annual Convention, Boston, Massachusetts.”
The new church was to seat 250 people, was to be 40 by 80 feet in size, with a full basement 11 feet high and no columns. With the awarding of the contract to the lowest bidder, the initial budget of $75,000 was increased to fulfill the exacting requirements sought-after by the parish members. While some of the
baroque artistry planned by the architect was sacrificed, nevertheless, St. Andrew’s Church, at a final contracted cost of $207,350 (by A. J. Martini Co.), successfully embodies many traditional Ukrainian church elements. https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/MA-01-JP2
The narrow windows reflect the historic period when churches built in Ukraine, doubled as fortresses to protect the populace. The religious ceremony that takes place but once a year, the Easter Obhid (walk-around) was anticipated and provided for: A paved sidewalk encompasses the base of the church proper. The choice of the lot was also determined on the basis of traditional ecclesiastic principles so that the church stands in an east-west orientation – the Sanctuary facing east.
Outside of Ukraine, the proper orientation of a church is rarely realized as building lot locations, dictated by cost, often obviates considerations of building placement. Finally, St. Andrew’s hilltop site sets off the five traditional copper-clad cupolas which tower over the surrounding landscape and proclaim their Ukrainian heritage.
Photo link https://buildingsofnewengland.com/2022/03/08/st-andrew-ukrainian-orthodox-church-1958/
