A Catholic Church in New York has been converted into a mosque. This was done after the muslim community bought the property.
The church in question is the Church of St. Anne is based in Buffalo, New York. Reported by Newsweek from Buffalo News, Monday (12/8/2024), the church complex of St. Anne was previously sold for USD 250,000 or around Rp 3.95 billion (exchange rate Rp 15,818). This church has not been used again since 2012 due to damage to the building that threatens safety.
The property was sold to Buffalo Crescent Holdings affiliated with the Downtown Islamic Center.
The famous Catholic priest, Father Ronald Vierling, also shared information about the closure of St. Anne permanently and will be converted into a mosque.
“Church Of St. Anne, Buffalo, NY. Permanently closed. Sold to the muslim community for $250,000 which will turn the historic church into a mosque,” Vierling wrote via X, Monday (12/8/2024).
Church Of St. Anne was built in 1886 by German immigrants. According to the Buffalo as an Architectural Museum website, there are 35 stained glass windows made by German glassmakers in Munich under the direction of Franz Xavier Zettler. Window St. Ann was delivered to the U.S. in 1889 and installed in 1890.
In recent years, the condition of the church is damaged and can no longer be used by the congregation.
In 2013, Former Bishop Richard J. Malone said the church would be demolished because the cost of repairs could reach $ 12 million. However, he later said the building would not be demolished and planned to be sold.
The Downtown Islamic Center said it plans to renovate the church complex. Its cost is estimated at millions of dollars.
“We plan to donate several million dollars to this next year, just at the church alone,” Downtown Islamic Center President Talha Bakth told Buffalo News.
7 Largest Mosques in the United States
The first mosque in America was a mosque in Biddeford, Maine, built in 1915 by Albanian Muslims.
Over time, by 1970, it was estimated that there were more than 100 mosques built in the United States. The large immigration of more than one million Muslims since then has led to hundreds of other mosques being built, quoted from Wikipedia.
In 2000, there were 1,209 mosques in the US, and had increased by around 74% or equivalent to 2,106 in 2010. Then, in 2020 the number of mosques in America increased to 2,769.
Of the many mosques built, there are several mosques that have very large building areas, here are the 7 largest mosques in the United States:
- Islamic Center of America
The Islamic Center of America is a Shia mosque built in 1963 and reconstructed in 2005, located in Dearborn, Michigan. This mosque has a magnificent appearance with its two very tall towers with a height of about 10 floors. It has an area of 35,500 square meters, and is the largest mosque in the US.
- East Plano Islamic Center
The East Plano Islamic Center or East Plano Islamic Center is a Sunni Mosque built in 2005, located in Plano, Texas. This mosque has an elegant exterior and beautiful interior and uses a modern design, with an area of 21,000 square meters, and is the 2nd largest mosque in the United States.
- Maryam Mosque
The Maryam Mosque is a Sunni mosque named after Hazrat Maryam dile is, the mother of Prophet Jesus AS. This building was originally a church and was rebuilt as a mosque located in Chicago. It has an area of 17,400 square meters, therefore it is the 3rd largest mosque in the United States,
- Al-Farooq Mosque
This mosque is a Sunni mosque built in 1980 in Atlanta. This mosque has a beautiful view with 2 domes and a tower. The dome covers the prayer room while the top covers the library, the height of this tower is about 131 feet.
The building area reaches 8,700 square meters, and is the 4th largest mosque in the United States.
- Diyanet Center of America
The Diyanet Center of America or the American Diyanet Center is a Sunni mosque built in 1933 by the Turkish government. The Diyanet Center includes a mosque, cultural center building, guesthouse, restaurant, shop and sports center. This mosque is located in Maryland.
With an area of 5,500 square meters, the American Diyanet Center is the 5th largest mosque in the US.
- Islamic Center of Washington
The Islamic Center of Washington or the Washington Islamic Center is a Sunni mosque built in 1957. This mosque has a height of 160 feet. Currently, the mosque is the 6th largest mosque in the United States with an area of 3,600 square meters.
However, in 1957 the mosque was the largest mosque in the Western Hemisphere, because it contained a library.
- Baitur Rehman Mosque
The Baitur Rehman Mosque is an Ahmadi or Qadiani mosque built in 1994 in Maryland. The mosque has a building area of about 3,350 square meters and is the 7th largest mosque in the United States.