The Church of St. Anthony of Padua

The Catholic Church of St. Anthony of Padua was originally built on the Grand Rue de Pera in Istanbul in 1724; however, that building was destroyed in the 19th century, and the Church that stands today was built between 1906 and 1911. Designed by architect Giulio Mongeri, the Church of St. Anthony (also known as Sant Antoine and Sent Antuan) is exemplary of the Gothic revivalist style. As the seat of Papal presence in Turkey, St. Anthony of Padua serves the largest number of Catholic identifying Istanbulites, conducting masses in Turkish, English, Italian, and Polish on a weekly basis. The most striking feature of this church remains the fact that people of different faiths-Orthodox Christians and Muslims-attend mass, not just those who are Catholic. It is for this reason that tourists visiting Istanbul continue to frequent St. Anthony’s, including the photographer of this piece, Pritham Dsouza, who gives us a view of the church's neo-gothic façade.  

Cosmopolitan City
The Church of St. Anthony of Padua