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An architect’s passion lives through his buildings
By Dave Hurst
© 2013 Hurst Media Works
It was quite a turnout for a largely unknown architect who’s been dead for 90 years: The
chairman of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission was there, as was the
mayor of Pittsburgh, a city councilman, Allegheny County’s executive, a state senator, a
state representative and the president of Carlow University – along with 60 members of
the public.
The occasion was the dedication of a Pennsylvania Historical Marker to John Theodore
Comès.
Even people familiar with western Pennsylvania architects probably haven’t heard of
Comès. Yet he is the first architect of western Pennsylvania to be recognized with a state
historical marker.
Why? Here’s what his state historical marker says: “A nationally influential church
architect and a prolific writer and lecturer, Comès was recognized for his philosophy
regarding design and decoration of Catholic churches.”
What the marker doesn’t have room to say was that John T. Comès was passionate –
about his Roman Catholic faith, his work and his profession. He integrated his faith into
his architectural concepts and expressed both as much as he could.
In a career that covered only 25 years or so, Comès designed an estimated 100 churches,
cathedrals, rectories, convents and Catholic schools. More than half of them were within
southwestern Pennsylvania, but his work also can be found in at least seven other states
and include cathedrals in Toledo, Ohio; Wheeling, WVA; and Salt Lake City, Utah.
Comès didn’t just design buildings, though. He designed expressions of his faith.
“A Catholic Church must be more than an object of pride for the priest who built it, for
the architect who designed it, for the people who paid for it; more than a civic monument
giving prestige to the community; more than the fruit of love offerings for mercies and
graces received;” wrote Comès, “it should be all these, but foremost it must be God’s
dwelling, dedicated to the honor and glory of Him Who holds our destinies in the hollow
of His hand.”
Comès involved himself with the stained glass, the fixtures, the statuary, murals, lighting
and furniture. And, here again, Comès’ attention to such detail was an expression of his
values.
“How inconsistent to teach from the pulpit that the church is the ground and pillar of
truth, when perhaps the architectural pillar located back of the speaker, instead of being a
pillar of honest masonry, is nothing but a hollow sham of metal lath and plaster painted to
simulate marble, thereby violating the vital principal of truth in architecture.”
Sadly, in 1922, Comès died at the age of 49, as he was becoming recognized within his
profession for leading a revival in Roman Catholic church-design that combined classic
styles with good art and modern building techniques.
Comès much more recent recognition is due to the research and efforts of David
McMunn, a Pittsburgh restaurateur who was exposed to the architect’s work and became
convinced of his significance. McMunn sponsored the state historical marker that was
unveiled on a Sunday afternoon in late January, outside the Comès-designed St. Agnes
Center on the campus of Carlow University in Pittsburgh’s Oakland section.
Many of Comès’ buildings remain today. Within our region, he designed Holy Family
Church in Latrobe, Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg, Saint Gertrude Church
in Vandergrift, and two churches within blocks of each other in Johnstown’s Cambria
City neighborhood: the former Saint Columba (now closed) and Saint Mary’s Byzantine
Catholic.
John T. Comès probably would be pleased that he’s been commemorated with a historical
marker – and that a number of Pittsburgh-area dignitaries participated in its dedication.
But I suspect that he would feel far-greater satisfaction knowing that so many of his
buildings still stand as expressions of truth in architecture and “honor and glory to Him
Who holds our destinies in the hollow of His hand.”