Originally serving as the first Saint John's Abbey and University Church, the Great Hall was built in the Romanesque style between 1879 and 1882.
In 1929, the church's side altars, baldachin, and communion rails were removed to accommodate the growing student population at Saint John's, and the distinctive mural of Jesus Christ located in the apse was completed by Br. Clement Frischauf, OSB of Austria in 1932.
When the new Abbey and University Church was completed in the early 1960s, the old church was formally designated as "The Great Hall" and saw its bells and spires above the church removed.
Today, the Great Hall serves as an information desk, large meeting and banquet room, and concert hall. It boasts warm acoustics, and many SOT/Sem Liturgical Music students choose it as a favorite location to play, sing, and conduct while pursuing their degrees.
Now, it's time for our next A-Cross Saint John's photo-clue of the week!
