ST. EMERIC PARISH, CLEVELAND – 1904

Overlooking Cleveland’s industrial Flats, St. Emeric Parish is one of the Cleveland Diocese’s small gems. The church houses the impressive Millennial Mural, which captures the essence of its community—a Hungarian-Catholic people of the United States of America.

In November 1904, Father Joseph Hirling and members of the near-West Side Hungarian immigrant community celebrated their first Mass as a parish. Less than one year later, on January 22, 1905, Bishop Ignatius F. Horstmann dedicated the parish’s first church.

During the ensuing decade, St. Emeric Parish grew and prospered. Tragedy struck, however, on February 13, 1916, when the church was gutted by fire. Bishop Farrelly immediately offered the community the use of the soon-to-be-suppressed St. Mary of the Annunciation Church, which the Hungarian community soon purchased.

In 1920, during the pastorate of Father Joseph Hartel, the community welcomed teachers from the Ursuline Sisters. Five years later, the Daughters of the Divine Redeemer replaced the Ursuline Sisters.

Oris and Mantis Van Sweringen, the builders of the Terminal Tower, purchased the parish site in 1925, and moved the community to its current site, erecting a church which incorporated the altars from the original St. Emeric Church and the bell from St. Mary of the Annunciation Church.

With the completion of the new campus, St. Emeric Parish became the center of Hungarian life on Cleveland’s West Side, sponsoring numerous dinners, dances, and other social events.

During the difficult years of the Second World War, 180 parishioners served in the armed services.

St. Emeric Parish underwent a renaissance in the mid-1950s, as thousands of Hungarians refugees fled Communist oppression in their homeland and settled in Cleveland.

In 1965, the parish welcomed a new pastor, Father Francis Kárpi. He served the St. Emeric Parish until 1983, when he was succeeded by Father Richard Orley. In 1988, Father Sándor Siklodi became pastor—an office he continues to hold.