All saints Day Church Detailed History And Information (updated 2017)

All Saints` Memorial Church began in 1846 when Bishop Henshaw consecrated a wooden structure on Hospital Street in Providence as St. Andrew’s Church. In 1853 the church building was moved to Friendship Street, where fourteen of the original twenty-four communicants extended a call to the Reverend Dr. Daniel Henshaw, son of Bishop Henshaw, to become rector. Through the labors of Dr. Henshaw and his congregation the church became entirely self-supporting, and within two years had grown so large that the building had to be enlarged to twice its original size.

The construction of the current church edifice was begun in 1869 and completed in time for Easter 1872. The new church was made a memorial to Bishop Henshaw and the name was changed to All Saints’ Memorial Church.

all saints day church history 

Upon the retirement of Dr. Henshaw in 1898, the Reverend Arthur M. Aucock was elected rector. In 1932, the Reverend Dr. John B. Lyte, was called as the third rector of All Saints`. Upon Dr. Lyte’s retirement in 1968, the Rev. Gene A. Rose, Dr. Lyte’s associate rector, was called as the fourth rector of All Saints` until his retirement in 1987. In October 1987, the Rev. James R. Bocchino was called as our present rector. We celebrated our 150th anniversary in 1996.

All Saints` Memorial Church seats approximately eight hundred people and is the largest Episcopal Church building in the Diocese of Rhode Island. One of the focal points is the massive Austin pipe organ.
The stained glass windows at All Saints` Memorial Church were installed in the late 1800s and early 1900s are some of the most majestic and beautiful in the country. We have recently finished an extensive restoration project, begun in 1996, that will preserve and protect our windows well into the 21st century.
If you wish a copy of the “History of All Saints` Memorial Church” which was published as a monthly installment in The Parish Messenger during our Sesquicentennial Year, 1996,