Our Lady of the Angels Chapel at Charlestown is Timeless Beauty

CATONSVILLE, MD -- Built in 1913 as part of what was then St. Charles Seminary, Our Lady of the Angels Chapel on the Charlestown campus is a magnificent example of Italian Renaissance architecture. Adorned with intricate mosaics, Carrara marble, and breathtaking stained-glass windows, the ecumenical chapel is a veritable trove of classic artwork.

"Steeped in Maryland’s history, and rich in detail, Our Lady of the Angels is a true hidden treasure,” writes Father Leo Larrivee, PSS, in his book Our Lady of the Angels, A Celebration in Color and Light.

From its original founding in the nineteenth century to the present day, Our Lady of the Angels has served as both sanctuary and inspiration to the seminarians of St. Charles College, the residents of Charlestown, and the visitors who come to experience the beauty and serenity of the chapel firsthand.

The original chapel of Our Lady of the Angels, completed in 1866, was located in Ellicott City, Maryland at the site of St. Charles College. The entire college including the chapel was lost to a devastating fire on March 16, 1911.

The college and chapel were relocated to a farm in Catonsville which had been previously purchased by the Sulpician Fathers as a summer retreat. The cornerstone of the new chapel was laid by Cardinal Gibbons on St. Charles Day, November 4, 1913.