By Don Heinrich Tolzmann
Special to NKyTribune
A beautifully illustrated new book on Mother of God Church has just been published: Cradle of the Arts: Mother of God Catholic Church, Covington, Kentucky, by Paul A. Tenkotte, Victor J. Canfield, and John Morrison.
Tenkotte is well-known for his many works dealing with local and regional history, and served as co-editor of the magisterial Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky. The book reflects the scholarship he is well known for.
Published by Stevie Publishing, Inc., Cradle of the Arts covers the impressive art and architecture, as well as the fascinating history of the church. In addition to its fine illustrations, the book features text in four languages: English, Chinese, German, and Spanish. The multi-lingual approach aims to make the church accessible to an ever-growing number of international visitors to the area.
The book consists of four chapters, the first three of which guide the reader through the church, which was built in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, with the final chapter covering the history of the church. Architectural and historical details are briefly, but concisely written and accompanied by a countless number of color pictures.
One caption, for example, reads: “In the late 1800s, the United States was becoming a mature nation. The German immigrants who established and built Mother of God Church were proud of having achieved the American Dream. They wished to remember the rich cultural heritage of their European past, but also to celebrate the influences of their newly adopted American homeland. The result is the architecturally and artistically exquisite Mother of God Church.”
Cradle of the Arts makes an excellent contribution to this year’s 175th anniversary of Mother of God Church, certainly one of the most beautiful in the Greater Cincinnati area, and one that is historically significant for the region as the mother church of German Catholicism in Northern Kentucky.
Although the congregation goes back to 1841, the present church was built in 1870-71 to meet the growing tide of German immigration to the area. By mid-century, there were 1,500 German Catholic families in Covington, 150 in Newport, and 50 in Dayton.
The authors correctly note that the church “remains a beacon of spiritual hope, and of physical renewal for those hurting or in need of assistance. In addition, the church’s astounding art and architecture still rise above the city below, beckoning visitors to refresh themselves within its walls, to relive a piece of the past, and to celebrate the hopes of the future.” The book will serve as a useful guide for visitors and locals as well.
The new book is available in the parish office next door to Mother of God Church, 119 West 6th Street in downtown Covington, Monday-Friday, 1:30-4 p.m., telephone: 859-291-2288. In November, the book will be available in area bookstores and gift shops.
Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann is the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region’s premier historian and expert on German Americans. He has written dozens of books and articles and is an occasional contributor to this column.
Mother of God Church (Photo by Chuck Eilerman
