Christ Church (Old North Church)

Christ Church, better known as OldNorth Church, was originally built in 1723 as a colonial member of the Church of England. In accordance with Church of England protocol, the congregation’s first rector, Timothy Cutler (also president of Yale), traveled to and from London for his ordination. It is the oldest standing church in Boston. The church, a Georgian mimic of Sir Christopher Wren, is best known as the site of 1775 Paul Revere’s night ride, when Christ Church sexton Robert Newman hang two lanterns in the church steeple to signal that British forces were arriving by sea. Following the revolution, the church has become a national symbol. The revolution also brought a change in church leadership. Although Christ Church still remains a member of the Anglican Communion, it became a member of the Protest Episcopal Church of the United States following the war.

            Today, the site leads two lives – one as a secular historic site, and one as an active congregation and mission church. The Old North Foundation is a nonprofit organization that operates the space as a historic site along the freedom trail. Its mission statement reads, “The Old North Foundation promotes values of freedom, liberty, and civic engagement through the interpretation and preservation of the Old North Church, an enduring symbol of American independence. The Foundation serves a wide audience by creating meaningful experiences through educational outreach, site-specific programming, and historical analysis. The site supports this mission by providing regular guided tours on the half hour, self-guided tours, on-site or classroom programming for school groups, and a speaker series. This May will feature lectures on Colonial drinking and the building’s interior paint throughout the years. This second lecture, offered by Brian Powell, is part of the Boston Preservation Alliance’s ongoing study of the church’s interior. Visitors to the church may currently view shaded diagrams of the sanctuary throughout the years, and swatches of uncovered paint may be viewed on select portions of the otherwise white walls. The space also features a lantern ceremony every April 17^th, commemorating Robert Newman’s lanterns. The ceremony will feature a speech by the governer, a drum and fife performance, representatives from the local militia, color guard, and USS Constitution, a reading of Longfellow’s Paul Revere’s Ride, a first-person Paul Revere reenactor, and ceremonial lantern hanging.

            Visitors to the site may also visit the adjacent columbarium (still actively accepting remains), historic gardens, Eden & Gill colonial printing office, Captain Jackson’s Historic Chocolate Shop, and the Old North gift shop (located in a former chapel built for the city’s Italian community). The Episcopal congregation of Christ Church maintains a separate identity from the Old North Foundation. The church’s historic status, however, continues its status as a mission church despite its growing, young congregation, and its rector is formally the bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts.