First Lutheran Church/Our Lady of Fatima
43 Belmont Street
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This noted structure built by Worcester’s Swedish population (the first arrivals such as Mr. Jeppson, Mr. Pohlin and Mr. Person in 1868) was designed by prominent architects Fuller and Delano. The building was constructed of New Hampshire granite recycled from the demolished first Union Station. Records reveal that stone was acquired at half-price. Surrounded by an untouched acreage and a multiplicity of shops, the church was the center of a vibrant community. Its parish house was built in 1927 and contained a gymnasium with a ceiling twenty-one feet high. With the merger of three Lutheran churches and the acquisition of a plot of land at Salisbury and Lancaster Streets to build Trinity Lutheran Church, the church was sold to the Diocese of Worcester in 1952.
After the purchase in January 1952, the church sanctuary was changed and new stained glass windows were added. The church continued the tradition of the building by serving the community around it with active men's and women's group, food pantries and summer children's programs. When the state purchased surrounding property in 1961 to build I-290, the building shrank to lesser ground. The bell tower was removed because of damage due to vibrations of traffic on 1-290. The decrease in the size of the congregation and the trend toward the closing of non-self-supporting parishes led to a final Mass on May 29, 2009 and the absorption of the parish into that of St. Bernard’s now called Our Lady of Providence.
The structure is under Worcester one-year Demolition Delay Ordinance. The Delay expires on May 14, 2011 at which time the church can legally be demolished. This fine example of Victorian Gothic architecture is important to the city as a tribute to Worcester history and diversity and as in institution that has served the city.