St. Nicholas Catholic Church (Zanesville, Ohio)

The first Mass celebrated in Zanesville was celebrated by Dominican Fr. Nicholas Young, who was traveling through the area to Perry County. However, upon discovering three Catholic families in the area, he said Mass on the second floor of the Green Tree Tavern, which stood at the corner of Fifth and Main Streets in the spring of 1819.[2] A church was acquired to serve the Catholic population in the area in 1820, and in 1827 another, larger, building was constructed to serve the growing population in the area, later becoming St. Thomas Aquinas Church, serving the Irish-American population of the area. In 1836, the German-speaking population gained permission from bishop John Purcell to establish their own parish, placing it under the patronage of Saint Nicholas, and building a church where the current rectory stands. Fr. Joseph Gallagher, a missionary priest from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Munich was appointed the first pastor.[3][4] The church retained strong ties to the homeland of its flock, with many of its pastors being of German origin and education.[5] In 1870, a brick schoolhouse, along with a convent and pastorate, were constructed.[3]

When Fr. A.L. Leininger became pastor of the parish in 1893, the church building was too small for the needs of the parish, despite being enlarged twice before. Rather than adding onto the existing structure, Leininger decided to build a new church in the Italian Renaissance style, similar to St. Peter's and St. Mark's.[3] Work began on the church on January 16, 1897, the cornerstone was laid by bishop John Watterson of Columbus on July 10, 1898, and dedicated by bishop Leo Haid , O.S.B., Vicar Apostolic of South Carolina, on August 27, 1899 as Watterson had died a year prior.[3][5] The distinctive dome of the church has dominated the Zanesville skyline ever since.[5]

Due to a lack of funds, the church was not fully decorated when dedicated, and instead ornamented gradually over time, with frescoes and gold leaf added in 1919. Major changes to the interior occurred in 1960, when Fr. Linus Dury renovated the interior to essentially the current state, save 1986 changes resulting from the Second Vatican Council.[5] The church was added to the added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 25, 1975.[1]

Father Thomas Brosmer, the assistant pastor of the parish, was accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy at the church in 1968. The allegations surfaced in July 2012, but was not investigated by Zanesville Police due to the statute of limitations.[6] Brosmer was placed on administrative leave by the Diocese of Columbus,[7] and is included on the Diocese's 2019 list of clergy credibly accused of child abuse. Brosmer died in June 2020.[8]

The church hosts an annual festival every summer.[9]