St. Theresa's Church | |
---|---|
![]() St. Theresa's Church
|
|
Coordinates: 55°43′51″N 12°33′20″E / 55.73083°N 12.55556°E | |
Location | Hellerup, Gentofte Municipality |
Country | Denmark |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Website | Official website |
History | |
Founded | 1935 |
Dedication | Thérèse of Lisieux |
Architecture | |
Status | Church |
Functional status | Active |
Architect(s) | Alf Cock-Clausen |
Administration | |
Parish | St. Theresa's Parish |
Diocese | Copenhagen |
St. Theresa's Church (Danish: Sankt Therese Kirke) is a Roman Catholic church located at Bernstorffsvej on Hellerup, Gentofte Municipality, Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of a larger complex which also comprises Rygaards International School. It was inaugurated in 1935 and became a parish church on 1 January 1942.
a group of Assumption Sisters came to Denmark in 1908. They were initially based at Amalievej 16 in Frederiksberg and later at St. Andrew's College in Ordrup. In 1930 they acquired the property Rygaard on Bernstorffsvej in Gellerup. A chapel was installed in a room with high ceilings in the main wing. Mass was read on a daily basis from 13 August 1930.The plan was to replace the two side wings with a church and a residential wing but they were put on hold.
The plans for the construction of a church were revived when the Sisters celebrated the 25-year anniversary of their arrival in Denmark on 12 October 1933. It was announced that it would be dedicated to Thérèse of Lisieux as the first church in Scandinavia. The architect Alf Cock-Clausen was charged with the design of the new building. Construction began on 3 January 1935 and the foundation stone was set by Bishop Josef Brems on 9 March. The church was inaugurated on 14 December 1935.
St. Theresa's Parish was disjoined from St. Andrew's Parish on 1 January 1942. A residence for the pastor was built in 1954. The congregation initially had 350 members.
The south wing was demolished and replaced by a new wing with class rooms, gymnastics hall and school kitchen in 1958-59.
In 1988 the Assumption Sisters announced that they would leave Rygaard.
The church forms the north wing of the complex. It is 35 metre long, 12 metres wide and 10 metres tall. Above the main entrance is a relief by Aage Nielsen-Edwin depicting St. Theresa with the cross. It was added in 1936.