SS Peter and Paul (Jesuit) and Jacoby's

The church I visited today is the answer to the trivia question, "What is the oldest continuously used church building in Detroit?" The edifice has been standing since 1848, and it was at that time the Cathedral, the Seat of Bishop Peter Paul Lefevere. (Did he name it after himself?)

See the full history of Sts. Peter and Paul Jesuit here. The church has been run by the Jesuits since it was handed over to them by Bishop Borgess in 1877 in return for starting what is now the University of Detroit-Mercy. The law school is still adjacent to the church.

Daily Mass is celebrated at the side of the church upon a roll-away altar. I came today hoping to celebrate the Optional Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilicas of SS Peter and Paul (white text on black... sorry),but it was instead the Optional ( in the US) Memorial of St. Rose Phillipine Duchesne. She seems pretty awesome. Ora Pro Nobis!

So I suppose you are wondering what it looks like.

The High altar, the stand-alone altar and tabernacle not in use for daily mass.
The altar is flanked of course by Peter and Paul. Above the Altar
and around the entire Church is the name of Jesus in several languages.
Jesuits like that guy.


Side Altars. Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary "Behold your Mother"
This is apparently before the proliferation of St. Joseph altars
on the right-hand side (facing the high altar). Anyone know the
history of Side Altars dedicated to St. Joseph? The shift must have
happened in the latter half of the 19th Century...


Here is where they celebrate daily Mass. The Eucharist
is reserved here at the side of the Church.


Sts. Mark, Andrew and Philip. You can see also the
continuing multi-lingual names of Jesus.

Ste. Therese of Lisieux in the Marble Vestibule.

After Mass you could head across St. Aubin St. to visit Nathan's Deli, but I decided to walk a couple blocks and head to Jacoby's, a 106 year-old German Restaurant and Bar. In addition to to German cuisine you get your burger and fries here too. I got the Sausage Soup and a bowl of Oma's recipe Saurkraut. Not bad for a $6 dollar meal. (tax and tip to 7.50) This would definitely be a good place to go with a crowd of up to 8 or 10 for dinner and beers. They have some counter-top-type tables with plenty of stools. They also have rock acts upstairs sometimes. I saw The Pizazz there once. Jacoby's is around the corner from St. Andrew's Hall and a short walk from Greektown and probably worth a stop in with their good eats and large selection of taps.