DID YOU KNOW?

1910

Parish established.

1910

Original church building constructed. (It was demolished in the summer of 2021).

1914

School opened for grades 1-4; followed by grades 5-6 the following year and grades 7-8 in 1918.

1930

Church building completed.

1954

Mural in apse painted.

1955

Wooden baldacchino installed over altar.

Sisters of Charity originally taught all classes at the school

Edward T.P. Graham

architect

1 Central mural of the Annunciation

2 Greek icon-style paintings of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the Holy Family in elaborate wooden frames

1 Relic of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati in the St. Joseph Chapel

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin

Mary Church in Clifton was designed as a replica of the Parthenon in Athens, the temple dedicated to Athena Parthenos (“Athena the Virgin”), in order to honor the true God and the true Virgin. While much of the décor is Greek in style, mid-century Western-style stained glass windows tell the story of Mary’s life.

Monogram

The mosaic in the sanctuary floor is a symbol beloved to Eastern Christians. The letters in the four corners made by the cross are a monogram that mean “Jesus Christ Conquers” – both an allusion to Constantine’s vision predicting his military victory under the banner of Christ, and Christ’s victory over death.

Gerhard Lamers

Born and trained in Germany, Gerhard Lamers painted the sanctuary mural at Annunciation, as well as murals in many other churches in several states, including the murals at the Pontifical College Josephinum and the Monte Cassino Shrine in St. Meinrad, IN.

“Annunciation is a part of my identity. Since 1953, there’s been someone in my family living in Clifton and at Annunciation. I went to school there, my three children went to school there. It’s been a huge part of the neighborhood for more than a hundred years. There has always been a bond between Annunciation and the people of Clifton.” - Parishioner Ray Faller

“I love the murals, all those pictures of the saints. I’m always taken by how many of us are named after those saints. My granddaughter Lucy was very impressed to see Lucy up there - holding her eyes out! Those are important pieces of our faith.” – Parishioner Barbara Mussman

The Annunciation is the name given to the moment in Luke 1:26-38 when the angel Gabriel appears to Mary saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” 18 Standing figures of saints (5 male and 5 female) and angels (8)