Police search Most Holy Redeemer after reported break-in

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Police searched Most Holy Redeemer Church for about two hours early this evening after a witness reported seeing a man force his way inside the closed building at 173 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The witness who called 911 described the suspect as a tall, thin, white male. He reportedly jumped the fence, broke open the church doors and entered the building before 4:30 p.m. 

The block was roped off as Emergency Service Unit officers, Strategic Response Group members, multiple K-9 units and other law enforcement personnel responded. 

Some officers carried shields and long guns while teams searched the building.

The size of the response alarmed onlookers. 

Officers repeatedly told people at the scene that there was no bomb threat. It was not immediately clear what prompted such an extensive response. 

Police called off the search around 6:30 p.m. without finding the man. 

Some at the scene speculated that he had left before officers arrived, though this was not confirmed.

Police sources confirmed that the man damaged the doors.

Photos from the scene also show a broken window. It was not immediately known whether anything had been taken or if there was additional damage inside.

The break-in occurred two days after neighbors, former parishioners and preservationists gathered outside the church to call for its preservation and reopening after a year-long closure.

Continuing the effort to preserve Most Holy Redeemer

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

A small group gathered outside Most Holy Redeemer Church on Monday evening to call for the preservation and reopening of the historic parish at 173 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The low-key vigil, held on the eve of the first anniversary of the suspension of regular services, included neighbors, former parishioners and preservation advocates. No candles were lit as in previous vigils, though two attendees wore custom shirts in support of the church.

Several people expressed concern about the church’s finances and future. One attendee, who was married at Most Holy Redeemer, said it broke his heart to see what had become of the parish. Another declined to be photographed because she still works for the Catholic Church and feared possible repercussions. 

Organizers have said that recent actions by the Archdiocese of New York suggest the property could remain permanently closed and eventually be sold.

Parishioners, neighbors and preservationists have urged the Landmarks Preservation Commission to consider the 1851 structure for landmark designation. 

Church leadership previously cited a shortage of priests and concerns about the building’s condition as reasons for moving services to St. Brigid on Avenue B. 

In January, the Department of Buildings issued a "failure to maintain" violation after an inspector observed detached ceiling plaster inside the sanctuary. 

Most Holy Redeemer has reopened only once since regular services ended — for a special Mass in January.

Find the petition about landmarking here. (And write a letter here.) You can follow the Facebook group Save Most Holy Redeemer Historical Church here.

Rally this evening to preserve and reopen Most Holy Redeemer Church

Neighbors are coming together this (Monday) evening to rally and call for the preservation and reopening of Most Holy Redeemer Church, 173 E. Third St., between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

The rally begins at 6 p.m. on the eve of the first anniversary of the church's suspension of regular services. 

Organizers say recent moves by the Archdiocese of New York suggest the property may be permanently closed and eventually sold, raising concerns about the future of the 1851 structure. 

As previously reported, parishioners, neighbors and preservationists have urged the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission to consider the church for landmark designation. 

Church leadership previously cited a shortage of priests and concerns about the building's condition as reasons for shifting services to St. Brigid on Avenue B. 

In January, the Department of Buildings issued a “failure to maintain” violation after an inspector observed a section of detached plaster ceiling inside the sanctuary. 

Most Holy Redeemer has reopened only once since services ended last year, for a special Mass in January.

Find the petition about landmarking here. (And write a letter here.) You can follow the Facebook group Save Most Holy Redeemer Historical Church here.

 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• At what may be the final Mass at Most Holy Redeemer

• At the prayer vigil for Most Holy Redeemer 

• Push continues to landmark East Village's historic Most Holy Redeemer 

• Most Holy Redeemer to halt regular masses this fall amid uncertainty about its future

• Grassroots effort to preserve Most Holy Redeemer grows with weekly vigils

Most Holy Redeemer hit with DOB 'failure to maintain' violation

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Back on Tuesday, a rep from the Department of Buildings arrived at Most Holy Redeemer and posted a notice on one of the currently-closed church's front doors... sparking curiosity from neighbors who can see the posted sign but can't access the locked gate...

The DOB category is 73 — FAILURE TO MAINTAIN. 

Per the complaint: 

OBSERVED A SECTION OF DETACHED PLASTER CEILING WITHIN THE SANCTUARY. FAILURE TO MAINTAIN VIOLATION WARRANTED.

As we've been reporting, neighbors and local preservation groups have been campaigning to have the 1851 structure landmarked here on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

Services here stopped on Sept. 1 (with one exception), and the property appears to be moving toward closure and possible sale, prompting growing concern from parishioners and preservationists alike. Organizers have called on the Archdiocese to keep the church from being shuttered or sold, and urged the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission to move ahead with landmark designation. 

Church leadership cited the shortage of priests as a key reason for the shift away from Most Holy Redeemer to St. Brigid on Avenue B. Officials also raised concerns about the building's structural condition. As noted last summer, there is a small patch of plaster falling from the ceiling to the left of the altar (and not over any of the pews). Church leaders said that engineers would evaluate whether it remains safe. 

Parishioners — and even a church employee — expressed skepticism that a small section of falling plaster was reason enough to shut the building, as well as questions about the timing of the engineering review. (Photo below from Aug. 31.)

In the summer of 2024, the Archdiocese of New York sold the historic Holy Rosary Church in East Harlem to a developer, citing the building's "severe disrepair." 

This same analysis could lead to the end of the church that opened in 1851. 

The Archdiocese has yet to respond to any of the ongoing concerns or even share any potential future plans.

Find the petition about landmarking here. You can follow the Facebook group Save Most Holy Redeemer Historical Church here.

 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• At what may be the final Mass at Most Holy Redeemer

• At the prayer vigil for Most Holy Redeemer 

• Push continues to landmark East Village's historic Most Holy Redeemer 

• Most Holy Redeemer to halt regular masses this fall amid uncertainty about its future

• Grassroots effort to preserve Most Holy Redeemer grows with weekly vigils

Most Holy Redeemer briefly reopens for Mass honoring longtime parishioner

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Most Holy Redeemer — closed since Sept. 1 — briefly reopened yesterday afternoon for a Mass honoring Robert Keck, a longtime parishioner and sacristan. 

Keck died on Jan. 5, about a month after his 90th birthday. 

The reopening came as a surprise to some parishioners, given the limited access to the building since the closure. 

Still, parishioners were happy to be back inside the church and to pay their respects to Robert Keck.

"When the closure was announced, Msgr. Nelan [of Immaculate Conception on 14th Street] did say exceptions would be made for a wedding or funeral of a longtime parishioner — but then declined to hold a Mass on the anniversary of the consecration, citing safety concerns — so this was a complete surprise," said Laura Sewell, executive director at the East Village Community Coalition, one of the groups urging landmark status for Most Holy Redeemer.

A church custodian echoed the sentiment, simply noting: "Good to see the church open and with people in it."

Find the petition about landmarking here. You can follow the Facebook group Save Most Holy Redeemer Historical Church here.

 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• At what may be the final Mass at Most Holy Redeemer

• At the prayer vigil for Most Holy Redeemer 

• Push continues to landmark East Village's historic Most Holy Redeemer 

• Most Holy Redeemer to halt regular masses this fall amid uncertainty about its future

• Grassroots effort to preserve Most Holy Redeemer grows with weekly vigils

Sundays at 11

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A post shared by Save Most Holy Redeemer Historic Church (@savemostholyredeemer)

Find the petition about landmarking here. You can follow the Facebook group Save Most Holy Redeemer Historical Church here.

 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• At what may be the final Mass at Most Holy Redeemer

• At the prayer vigil for Most Holy Redeemer 

• Push continues to landmark East Village's historic Most Holy Redeemer 

• Most Holy Redeemer to halt regular masses this fall amid uncertainty about its future

• Grassroots effort to preserve Most Holy Redeemer grows with weekly vigils

Residents push to save historic Most Holy Redeemer church

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

An estimated 100-plus parishioners, preservation advocates and East Village residents gathered on Sunday afternoon to oppose the halt of services — and the potential sale — of the Most Holy Redeemer Church on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

As we've been reporting, neighbors and local preservation groups have been campaigning to have the 1851 structure landmarked. Regular services here have stopped, and the property appears to be moving toward closure and possible sale, prompting growing concern from parishioners and preservationists alike.

On Sunday, organizers called on the Archdiocese to keep the church from being shuttered or sold, and urged the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission to move ahead with landmark designation.

The Archdiocese has yet to respond to any of the ongoing concerns or even share any potential future plans.

Most Holy Redeemer — founded in 1844 by the Redemptorist Fathers and completed in 1852 — has been closed to the public since Sept. 1. Parishioners have been directed to St. Brigid on Avenue B. 

Village Preservation, the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative and the East Village Community Coalition have also urged the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission to protect the historic church, an architectural anchor of the neighborhood's 19th-century Kleindeutschland community. 

The church is one of the East Village's oldest and most prominent religious buildings — and was once among the city's tallest and largest.

Find the petition about landmarking here. You can follow the Facebook group Save Most Holy Redeemer Historical Church here.

 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• At what may be the final Mass at Most Holy Redeemer

• At the prayer vigil for Most Holy Redeemer 

• Push continues to landmark East Village's historic Most Holy Redeemer 

• Most Holy Redeemer to halt regular masses this fall amid uncertainty about its future

• Grassroots effort to preserve Most Holy Redeemer grows with weekly vigils

Neighbors to rally Sunday to protect Most Holy Redeemer Church

Neighbors, parishioners and local preservation groups are planning another rally this Sunday at 2 p.m. to protect the historic Most Holy Redeemer Church at 173 E. Third St. between Avenues A and B. 

As we've been reporting (see links below), advocates have been campaigning to have it designated a landmark. Services here have been halted, and the property appears to be moving toward closure and possible sale, prompting growing concern from parishioners and preservationists alike. 

Tomorrow, organizers will call on the Archdiocese to keep the church from being shuttered or sold, and on the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission to move forward with landmark designation. 

The rally will take place outside the church.

Most Holy Redeemer — founded in 1844 by the Redemptorist Fathers and completed in 1852 — has been closed to the public since Sept. 1. Parishioners have been directed to St. Brigid on Avenue B. 

Village Preservation, the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative and the East Village Community Coalition have also urged the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission to protect the historic church, an architectural anchor of the neighborhood's 19th-century Kleindeutschland community.

The church is one of the East Village's oldest and most prominent religious buildings — and was once among the city's tallest and largest.

Find the petition about landmarking here. You can follow the Facebook group Save Most Holy Redeemer Historical Church here.

 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• At what may be the final Mass at Most Holy Redeemer

• At the prayer vigil for Most Holy Redeemer 

• Push continues to landmark East Village's historic Most Holy Redeemer 

• Most Holy Redeemer to halt regular masses this fall amid uncertainty about its future

• Grassroots effort to preserve Most Holy Redeemer grows with weekly vigils

Most Holy Redeemer parishioners bring their petition to St. Patrick’s Cathedral

This past Saturday morning, members of Save Most Holy Redeemer Historic Church gathered outside St. Patrick's Cathedral in Midtown, holding a petition prayer and asking Cardinal Dolan to reopen their shuttered East Village church.

Most Holy Redeemer — founded in 1844 by the Redemptorist Fathers and completed in 1852 — has been closed to the public on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B since Sept. 1. Parishioners have been directed to St. Brigid on Avenue B. However, the church may still be used for the occasional special ceremony. 

In a letter delivered last week to Archbishop Dolan, parishioners requested that the church be reopened and that Mass be celebrated there at least twice a month, citing their rights under canon law. 

Advocates worry the closure could signal another parish merger and, eventually, redevelopment of the site. 

Village Preservation, the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative and the East Village Community Coalition have also urged the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission to protect the historic church, an architectural anchor of the neighborhood's 19th-century Kleindeutschland community.

Find the petition about landmarking here. 

A group of residents and parishioners is hosting a prayer vigil outside the church on Friday evenings at 7 — a gathering they plan to continue weekly at this time. You can follow the Facebook group Save Most Holy Redeemer Historical Church here.

Photos: Jennifer Kellow Fiorini (top); Gladys Cortez-Feliciano (second)

 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• At what may be the final Mass at Most Holy Redeemer

• At the prayer vigil for Most Holy Redeemer 

• Push continues to landmark East Village's historic Most Holy Redeemer 

• Most Holy Redeemer to halt regular masses this fall amid uncertainty about its future

• Grassroots effort to preserve Most Holy Redeemer grows with weekly vigils

Grassroots effort to preserve Most Holy Redeemer grows with weekly vigils

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

The grassroots effort continues to help save Most Holy Redeemer-Church of the Nativity on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

A group of residents and parishioners once again held a prayer vigil outside the church on Friday evening at 7 — a gathering they plan to continue weekly at this time. (You can follow the Facebook group Save Most Holy Redeemer Historical Church here.)

Participants brought headsets and a small portable speaker that was fastened to the church gates. Prayer sheets were handed out, and the group recited a series of novenas.

The mood outside was a mix of reverence and frustration. Parishioners have expressed concerns that the Archdiocese has not been transparent about its future plans for this parcel, which includes the adjoining rectory. (That building belongs to the Redemptorists, not the Archdiocese, which had only been renting the space.) 

Several people also spoke about plans to attend the last Mass, held on Sunday, Aug. 31. Moving forward, Masses will be held at St. Brigid-St. Emeric on Avenue B. 

Fox 5 was also on hand with a camera crew to cover the scene. 

Village Preservation, along with the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative and the East Village Community Coalition, has launched a campaign to save Most Holy Redeemer, which has stood at 173 E. Third St. for more than 150 years. 

Outgoing District 2 City Council Member Carlina Rivera and leadership at the Tenement Museum have voiced their support for preserving the church.

Founded in 1844 by German-speaking Redemptorist missionaries and completed in 1851, the church was once among the tallest structures in New York. Nicknamed the "German Cathedral of the Lower East Side," it became a cornerstone of Kleindeutschland. It played a significant role in the city's religious, immigrant, and fire safety history — from introducing Gregorian chant in Catholic churches to pioneering the use of electricity for religious structures. 

Despite that legacy, Most Holy Redeemer, and preservationists warn that the building could be at risk. Village Preservation notes the Landmarks Preservation Commission has often failed to protect historic churches, synagogues, and other neighborhood sites of worship in recent years. 

For neighbors, the prospect of the steeple disappearing from the skyline after decades as a familiar presence is almost unimaginable. 

As the Facebook group states: 

Holy Redeemer is more than just bricks and stained glass — it's a cornerstone of our community's identity. Its architecture, history, and spiritual presence deserve to be cherished, not forgotten.

Find the petition about landmarking here.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• At what may be the final Mass at Most Holy Redeemer

• At the prayer vigil for Most Holy Redeemer 

• Push continues to landmark East Village's historic Most Holy Redeemer 

• Most Holy Redeemer to halt regular masses this fall amid uncertainty about its future

• Up in the under-restoration belltower at Most Holy Redeemer

At what may be the final Mass at Most Holy Redeemer

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Yesterday marked the final scheduled Mass at Most Holy Redeemer-Church of the Nativity on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B, following word earlier this summer that the parish would close after Aug. 31. 

Inside the historic church — a fixture in the East Village for more than 150 years — there was no mention of the closure during the service I attended. Parishioners prayed and sang as if it were any other Sunday, even as the looming uncertainty hung heavy.

Afterward, a church employee approached me, offering a blunt explanation: "Monsignor Nelan is a very difficult man to deal with and he wants this church closed." The employee added, "It's not a matter of money, it's a matter of personnel. We have no priests! And they are transferring another one of ours to upstate." 

Parishioners are being directed to St. Brigid's on Avenue B for regular services. 

Church leaders cited a shortage of priests and the deteriorating condition of the building, including falling plaster, as reasons for the shift. 

Earlier this summer, church officials said that engineers would evaluate whether the church remains safe. (An employee of Most Holy Redeemer and St. Brigid attended the July 14 meeting and expressed skepticism about the timing of the engineering review, calling it "suspicious.")

The Archdiocese has not made a formal public statement about the closure.

Earlier vigils outside the church have brought neighbors and parishioners together, some calling on the city to protect the building through landmarking.

Village Preservation has urged action, noting the church’s deep ties to the East Village's German immigrant past and its role as one of the tallest structures in New York when it was completed in 1851.

For now, the future of the "German Cathedral of the Lower East Side" remains unclear.

A prayer vigil this evening outside Most Holy Redeemer

Community members will gather this evening at 7 outside Most Holy Redeemer-Church of the Nativity on Third Street for a prayer vigil. 

The event, the first of which started last Friday evening, is organized by the Facebook group Save Most Holy Redeemer Historical Church. 

The vigils follow July's announcement that weekly masses at Most Holy Redeemer will end after Sunday. Going forward, the church will host only occasional ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.

Parishioners are being directed to St. Brigid's on Avenue B for regular services. Church leaders cited a shortage of priests and the deteriorating condition of the building, including falling plaster, as reasons for the shift. 

Meanwhile, Village Preservation, the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative, and the East Village Community Coalition are pushing for landmark status for the 1851 church, its rectory, and former school to protect them from redevelopment.

Supporters argue the complex is a vital part of the neighborhood's cultural and architectural heritage. 

The prayer vigils will continue here Friday evenings this fall.

Find the petition here. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• At the prayer vigil for Most Holy Redeemer 

• Push continues to landmark East Village’s historic Most Holy Redeemer 

• Most Holy Redeemer to halt regular masses this fall amid uncertainty about its future

At the prayer vigil for Most Holy Redeemer

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

On Friday evening, dozens of residents gathered outside Most Holy Redeemer-Church of the Nativity on Third Street for a prayer vigil. 

The event, organized by the Facebook group Save Most Holy Redeemer Historical Church, included a call-and-response chant of "Hail Mary/Sancta Maria" by candlelight.

There were no speeches or flyers handed out — just steady prayer filling the block between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

The candles lit up the front steps and drew curious passersby on this pleasant summer evening. Several attendees quietly shared concerns about the church's future. Some spoke of rumors that the Archdiocese might sell or demolish the 19th-century building, like it did with Mary Help of Christians on 12th Street in 2013. That church and school yielded Steiner East Village, the block-long luxury condoplex with an indoor pool. 

Others worried that priests had been silenced, or that settlement costs from abuse claims were driving the closure. Many expressed frustration — and devotion. 

"I'm not even Catholic, and I come here to pray; it's such a beautiful space," one woman said. A handful of people pointed to the departure of Father Sean last summer as the moment the parish began to decline.

The vigil follows July's announcement that weekly masses at Most Holy Redeemer will end after Aug. 31. Going forward, the church will host only occasional ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.

Parishioners are being directed to St. Brigid's on Avenue B for regular services. Church leaders cited a shortage of priests and the building's deteriorating condition, including falling plaster, as reasons for the shift.

Meanwhile, Village Preservation, the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative, and the East Village Community Coalition are pushing for landmark status for the 1851 church, its rectory, and former school to protect them from redevelopment.

Supporters argue the complex is a vital part of the neighborhood's cultural and architectural heritage. 

Find the petition here.