Wallingford church celebrates 90 years

WALLINGFORD From baptism to marriage and even her 50th wedding anniversary, lifelong parishioner Genevieve Horvath, 89, said most of the major events of her life happened within the walls of the SS. Peter and Paul Parish. An elaborate stained glass window in the chapel bears her maiden name in Polish, Jasinskich. Her parents were among the early benefactors when the church was built in 1924.

The parish celebrated its 90th birthday in October with a celebration at Zandris Stillwood Inn. The Rev. Ron Zepecki said he wanted to celebrate 90 years because he was afraid many of the older parishioners would not make it to see the 100th.

For us, because were a small parish, I think its rather significant, Zepecki said.

Horvath said her older sister, Mary, remembers when the church was being built and hopping around from board to board while men poured the foundation.

Parishioner Theresa Menzyk, 86, said she has also been a member of the church since the day she was born. She said her father assisted in its construction.

They had to dig the foundation by hand, Menzyk said. There were no backhoes and those things in those days,

Zepecki said the church was built Spanish mission style, although he does not know why the architect chose that particular design. A fire in 1937 destroyed part of the hand-painted mural in the apse which was redone shortly after. The church was renovated in the 1950s, 1987 and received some touch up in 1999. In 2013 Zepecki said the stained-glass windows were cleaned to the tune of $50,000.

Inside the church, the original solid oak pews are still in place, as is the original woodwork.

Among the many historical moments in the churchs history, Zepecki said it is very likely that former U.S. President John F. Kennedy attended mass on Sundays while a student at the Choate School in the 1930s.

Horvath said she was happy to see the church make it 90 years.

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Wallingford church celebrates 90 years