The Church of the Transfiguration was closed in 2000, and the church building located on the corner of 56th and Cedar in West Philadelphia was demolished in 2009. Originally founded as a Parish in 1905 this building was constructed in 1928 in the Romanesque Style. Unlike many churches of this era Transfiguration was built with no expense spared on architectural details and embellishments.
Aside from the enormous upper sanctuary the church also featured a large basement chapel, as well as an attached Rectory, monastery, and school building. Sadly, like many Philadelphia Catholic Parishes as populations shifted attendance waned and the parish was eventually consolidated with St. Carthage Parish down the street into the newly formed St Cryrian.
The church sat abandoned for roughly a decade. Some of the ornate columns remained, with the also gold painted images of griffins flanking the cross, giving glimpses of the once grand elegance of the sanctuary.
In 2009 the Church of the Transfiguration building was sold to the Boys’ Latin Charter School of Philadelphia. When Boy’s Latin purchased the Church of Transfiguration’s school complex, the buyers only wanted a school building to allow the school to expand, so the church building was demolished.
