St. Sabina Roman Catholic Church

Constructed in 1933, St. Sabina has long been a prominent fixture on the South Side. A congregation of varied races and cultures has found refuge in the English Gothic cathedral over the past eight decades. The earliest parishioners were mostly German and Irish, and the church served as the original host of the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. From the 1940s through the 1970s, the parish welcomed an influx of Black parishioners. Since 1982, well known social justice activist Rev. Michael Pfleger has served as pastor. In the 1980s, the interior received updates that brought African Catholic motifs into the building, including, most notably, a large “Black Christ” mural that was dedicated in 1984.

Joseph W. McCarthy, 1933