Event set for Sun., Sept 20
The Church of the Holy Spirit in Mattapan will commemorate its founding 140 years ago on Sun., Sept. 20, with a special service at 10:30 a.m., followed by a talk on the church’s history and a signing for a new book about the parish.
The Episcopal Church at 525 River St. was built by Annie Lawrence Rotch, later Annie Rotch Lamb, as a memorial to her father, Benjamin Smith Rotch. Designed by architect Arthur Rotch of the firm Rotch and Tilden, the church was consecrated on Whitsunday in 1886, with members of the Rotch family donating its silver, furniture, and organ.
Over the decades, Holy Spirit’s congregation evolved along with Mattapan and neighboring Milton and the parish became known for its pageants, musicals, stage productions, and other community activities.
In the years after World War II, growing numbers of Caribbean and West Indian families joined the congregation, and by the 1980s the parish had developed into a multicultural community reflected in its worship, events, and communal dinners.
The event is open to the public. For more information, call 617-298-0577.
