With a name like Corpus Christi, you can correctly assume that our city has a rich history when it comes to churches and other places of worship. This “Body of Christ” city boasts several beautiful churches that have withstood the test of time and have provided education, a place for praise and worship and refuge during life’s storms; both literally and figuratively. Here’s a snapshot gathered from the Nueces County Historical Commission.
Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal- The earliest recorded visit of an Episcopal priest to Corpus Christi was 1857. During the 1870s, the Church of the Good Shepherd constructed its first permanent building. The congregation moved to its current location in 1926.
700 S. Upper Broadway St.
First Baptist Church- In 1878, residents organized the First Baptist Church of Corpus Christi. Services were held in a renovated blacksmith shop until about 1908. In 1910, the congregation built a brick sanctuary which served until new facilities were occupied in 1950.
3115 Ocean Dr.
First United Methodist Church- Methodist services were conducted in Corpus Christi as early as 1846 as Federal troops gathered in preparation for what would become the Mexican War. A Methodist church was not established in the city until 1853, first meeting in a shellcrete structure. Early facilities served as a community center, school and emergency hospital until 1955 when new facilities were completed. The church is also home to the “It is I” statue of Jesus Christ, arms open and welcoming, pointed toward the Corpus Christi Bay.
900 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Old St. Anthony’s Catholic Church- Organized by Reverend J. Goebels in 1909 for German Catholic farm families and constructed in 1910, this frame structure served as a schoolhouse as well as a church. The building was extensively remodeled in 1919 and relocated in 1952. In 1975, it was returned near its original site and was restored and opened as a museum.
State Highway 44 at Violet Road.
Old St. Patrick’s Church/Corpus Christi Cathedral- Dedicated in 1882, this church, with its two towers, soon became a local landmark. St. Patrick’s was designated a cathedral in 1912. Fire damage in 1938 prompted construction of new facilities; and in 1951, the old frame structure was dismantled and used in building Our Lady Star of the Sea church on East Causeway Boulevard. Dated stained glass windows were the original St. Patrick’s.
620 Lipan St.
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
Built in 1950, the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church is a well-known place of worship in Corpus Christi. Divine Liturgy is celebrated in English and Greek and the church also hosts the popular Greek Festival of Corpus Christi, an annual tradition for over fifty years.
502 S. Chaparral St.
After you’ve completed your explorations of some of these stately and timeless churches, make sure to visit a collection of Corpus Christi’s historic homes at Heritage Park.