THE campanile, or bell tower, of Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 173 East 3rd between Avenues A and B, dominates the East Village skyline. The church is cathedral-sized and believe it or not, the bell tower was once taller than it is today, as its original 250-foot height was lowered to 232 feet in 1912. The parish is one of the oldest in Manhattan, established in 1844 to serve German Catholic immigrants, and the church itself was consecrated by Bishop “Dagger John” Hughes in 1852 — two years after St. Patrick’s Cathedral construction got underway. The church also contains a crypt below ground. Today its services are still bilingual but in English and Spanish. Oddly, there are no signs marking it as MHR outside the building.
The church served a substantial German Catholic population in the East Village. Tragically, many parishioners, as well as congregants of other churches in the area, were lost in the General Slocum steamboat tragedy of 1904, in which more than 1000 lost their lives.
Sadly, the parish moved out in 2025, with local worshipers attending St. Brigid’s Church at Avenue B and East 8th Street. The magnificent church now stands empty and will likely soon be a casualty toward NYC’s relentless push for housing.
Check out the ForgottenBook (HarperCollins, 2006), as well as Forgotten Queens (Arcadia, 2013). I also have a chapter in the anthology “New York Calling: From Blackout to Bloomberg” (Reaktion, 2007). As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site.
9/24/26