Christ the King Church
1530 South Rockford Avenue
Built: 1928
GPS
N 36 08.388
W 95 58.399
In the 1920s, Christ the King Church was considered innovative
and, to some, radical. A combination of Gothic, Byzantine and Art Deco
architecture, the church was designed in 1926 by Chicago modernist Francis Barry
Byrne, a contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright.
The church sanctuary is almost square and is built around the central carved
limestone altar. Emil Frei, Inc. designed the mosaic of Christ which is
empaneled behind this altar. Tulsa architect Bruce Goff designed the mosaics at
the two side altars. The church’s stained glass windows, designed by Alfonso
Iannelli and produced by the Temple Art Glass Company of Chicago, are described
in Liturgical Arts Magazine as ranking “among the best to be found in the United
States.” These windows depict Kings of the Christian era on the North side of
the church and Kings of the Old Testament on the South side. The buff brick
exterior includes terra cotta spires. Alfonso Iannelli was responsible for the
terra cotta ornamentation on the exterior of the church and also produced the
statues of Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary found at the side altars.
The church was dedicated by Bishop Francis C. Kelly in May of 1928, and was the
first church in the world to be dedicated with the name “Christ the King.”
the short description was prepared by the Tulsa Preservation Commission
