• Home

The Complete Pilgrim - Religious Travel Sites

Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

  • AMERICAN RELIGIOUS SITES
  • CHRISTIAN SITES
  • JEWISH SITES
  • CATHOLIC SITES
  • ISLAMIC SITES
  • INDIAN/HINDU SITES
  • HOLIDAY SITES
  • CASTLES
  • BATTLEFIELDS
  • MOUNTAINS
  • NATURE
  • WILDLIFE SITES
  • PHOTO GALLERIES
  • ARCHIVES
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

AMERICA’S MARITIME CHURCHES

January 12, 2019 By Howard Kramer 2 Comments

From the earliest days of its founding to the present, America has a great and rich maritime tradition.  This blended with America’s proud religious tradition, and the result was the construction of churches near harbors all along the coasts, dedicated to serving the needs of brave and lonely merchantmen.  In the 18th and 19th centuries, many of America’s ports and harbors boasted some form of maritime chapel, and some of these have survived.  Memorialized in literature and song, there are few occupations as closely associated with churches than those who work in the maritime industries.

Seaman’s Bethel

New Bedford, Massachusetts (built 1832)

Web: http://portsociety.org

Seaman's Bethel (wikipedia.com)

Seaman’s Bethel (wikipedia.com)

Seaman’s Bethel may be the most famous maritime chapel anywhere in the United States, thanks to its association with the author Herman Melville and his immortal classic, Moby Dick.  It was built in 1832 specifically for use by sailors and merchantmen who called on the port, particularly whalers.  For many years it was a tradition for whalers to visit the chapel before embarking on long voyages.

In 1851, Herman Melville set part of his story at the chapel, calling it the Whalemen’s Chapel in the book.  A new pulpit was added in 1961 matching the famous pulpit described in Moby Dick.  Melville is commemorated here on the pew which he sat when he attended church here in 1840.  The names of many whalers and fishermen from the New Bedford area who died at sea are noted on the walls.

Mariner’s Church

Detroit, Michigan (built 1849)

Web: http://marinerschurchofdetroit.org

Mariner's Church (wikipedia.com)

Mariner’s Church (wikipedia.com)

The Mariner’s Church in Detroit will forever be known for its association with the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.  The congregation was founded in 1842 to serve those who worked on the Great Lakes, and the church itself was built in 1849.  In the years leading up to the American Civil War, the Mariner’s Church was an important stop for slaves seeking freedom along the Underground Railroad.

In 1975, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, one of the largest freighters working on the Great Lakes, was sunk in a storm.  The lives of all 29 seamen were lost.  The sinking is considered the greatest maritime disaster in the history of the Great Lakes.  The memorial service for the sinking took place at the Mariner’s Church.  Both the event and the church were later immortalized in the song the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot.

Mariner’s Chapel

Kings Point, New York (built 1961)

Web: www.usmma.edu/mariners-chapel

Mariner's Chapel (usmma.edu)

Mariner’s Chapel (usmma.edu)

The Mariner’s Chapel at the United States Merchant Marine Academy is an institution reminiscent of the chapels at the various military academies.  The USMAA was founded in 1943 to better train merchant marine officers.  There was an especially high need for such training during World War II, when large numbers of American merchant vessels were lost to German U-boats and other hazards of the war.

The campus chapel was constructed in 1961 in order to meet the spiritual needs of the midshipmen.  In addition, it commemorates those brave American merchantmen who lost their lives at sea during the two World Wars.  The Mariner’s Chapel remains a popular location for private events related to merchant marine activities, including weddings and funerals.

Fisherman’s and Seaman’s Memorial Chapel

San Francisco, California (built 1981)

Web: www.fishermanswharfchapel.org

Fishermans and Seamans Chapel (fishermanswharf.org)

Fishermans and Seamans Chapel (fishermanswharf.org)

The Fisherman’s and Seaman’s Memorial Chapel is one of the historic treasures of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.  Although there were earlier chapels, the current building was constructed in 1981 on the site of a former Coast Guard installation.  It actually stands out on a specially built pier that juts into the harbor close to the wharf’s main commercial areas, as well as close to the boat docks.

The chapel was built to commemorate the many sailors and merchantmen from San Francisco who have died at sea over the years.  Every October, it plays a role in the annual Blessing of the Fishing Fleet, organized by the city’s Saints Peter and Paul Church.  A memorial service at the chapel is followed by a parade of boats.  The next day, the harbor is sprinkled with holy water and prayers said for a plentiful and safe year for the fishermen.

Maritime Chapel

Houston, Texas

Web: www.maritimechapel.com

The Maritime Chapel near Houston is a chapel on the water, a throwback to the 18th and 19th centuries when many maritime churches were built on barges and moored in the ports of major cities.  Perhaps more aptly described as a church where services are held at sea, the Maritime Chapel was founded in 1978 by an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church.

The primary mission of the Maritime Chapel is to provide ministry to those who work in the Gulf of Mexico as well as burial at sea services.  It is one of the few civilian organizations in the United States authorized to do the latter.  These services are provided both to those who work at sea as well as to anyone else.  The chapel is known for offering inexpensive and free funerals for those whose families can’t afford a full service.

Filed Under: Articles

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

Comments

  1. James C B Fogle says

    September 19, 2021 at 9:40 pm

    Hello — I have recently become interested in seamen’s or mariner’s chapels in the United States and am aware of several of these but would like to learn more. In addition to the chapels themselves, I am interested in preachers or speakers who either served the chapels or visited their along with others who might have played an important role in the chapels’ histories. I am interested in both historic chapels and in ones that are currently in use. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Howard Kramer says

      November 13, 2021 at 3:36 pm

      You are welcome. Maritime churches are definitely an interesting niche.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

Follow us!

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

Return to top of page
Copyright © 2023 The Complete Pilgrim, LLC || Marietta, GA 30068 || Legal Disclaimers

Website by: Kristina McInerny, Notes From Kris, Inc.