Saint Frances de Sales Church

Saint Francis de Sales Church

On this bike ride I rode aimlessly for quite a while and surprised myself when I found out that I was in Maryland.  Eventually I turned around and headed back toward downtown D.C. And as I was riding along a modest old stone church on the side of the road caught my eye. Because it looked so interesting to me, I stopped to see it and find out more. It turned out to be Saint Frances de Sales Church, and it is located at 2021 Rhode Island Avenue (MAP) In northeast D.C.’s Langdon neighborhood.

The first thing I learned about Saint Francis de Sales Church is that it is a Catholic church with the oldest continuing congregation in D.C.  I learned this from a plaque on the front of the building.  The remainder of the plaque reads, “Congregation began about 1722, when Catholics first attended mass at chapel within Queen family mansion. About 1723 chapel was built outside mansion, on site approximately at present Evarts Street, N.E., near 20th Street. Building came to be called Queen’s Chapel. Destroyed by fire three times: In American Revolution (date uncertain): War of 1812 (1814); and Civil War (1862).  Rebuilt each time: Last time as St. Francis de Sales church (1908). Each new building attended by members of congregation that had attended at older building. St. Francis de Sales Church moved to present site in 1927. Last Queen’s Chapel building is now gone.”

The next thing I wanted to learn about was Francis de Sales and who he was, which I researched later when I got home.  Francis de Sales was a Bishop of Geneva and is honored as a saint in the Catholic Church. Born on August 21, 1567, to a noble family at Chateau de Sales in the Kingdom of Savoy near Geneva, Switzerland, he knew from a very early age that he desired to serve God and had a vocation to the priesthood. However, he kept it from his family. His father wanted him to enter a career in law and politics. And he pursued those studies while waiting for God to make His will clear.  Francis stated, “I had to know fully what God himself wanted. I had to be sure that everything in this should be done as though his hand had done it.” So Francis waited. Then one day, while he was riding. Francis fell from his horse three times that day. And every time he fell, his sword came out of the scabbard, and every time it came out, the sword and scabbard came to rest on the ground in the shape of the Christian cross. Taking this as a sign, he told his father. And after much discussion and disagreement from his father, Francis was ordained to the priesthood and elected provost of the Diocese of Geneva, in 1593, by the Bishop of Geneva.

Although he lived to be only 55 years old, through his 29-year career he became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. He is known also for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God.

St. Francis de Sales was beatified on January 8, 1661 and canonized on April 19, 1665 by Pope Alexander VII.  In 1923, Pope Pius XI named St. Francis de Sales the patron saint of Catholic writers and the Catholic press because of the tracts and books he wrote. He is also the patron saint of the deaf, journalists, adult education, and the Sisters of St. Joseph. His feast day is celebrated on January 24th.

Its long history combined with its present leadership and parishioners has combined to make today’s Saint Frances de Sales Church a vibrant presence in its neighborhood and the city.  The church has Mass with Cantor, Traditional Latin Mass and/or Gospel services six days a week, as well as scheduled confessions and Adoration Holy Hours, and active Christian education and fellowship communities.  So every indication is that it will continue well into the future as it did for so long in the past.

         
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Pohick Bay Regional Park

On this weekend ride I took a mountain bike to Pohick Bay Regional Park, where I the this overcast autumn day riding on the trails and leisurely exploring the park.  Pohick Bay is a mostly water-oriented park situated on the Mason Neck Peninsula bordering the Potomac River’s Pohick Bay and Gunston Cove, approximately 25 miles south of D.C. and is located at 5400 Ox Road (MAP) in Fairfax Station, Virginia.

The park has a wide network of trails that wind throughout the park and offer great glimpses of the bay and portions of the local environment.  The trails total over eight and a half miles combined.

In addition to the trails that accommodate biking and hiking, the park also features a boat launch facility that is one of only three public access points to the Potomac River in northern Virginia, and is the closest one to D.C. and its famous waterfront and The District Wharf.  For shorter boating excursions Pohick Bay also offers canoes, kayaks, paddle boats and Jon boats for rent on the weekends as well as naturalist guided canoe and kayak tours.

In addition to water activities the park also offers family and group camping, as well as deluxe and rustic cabins.  Each rustic cabin has electricity, air conditioning and heat, a small refrigerator and two rooms. And a camp store offers a variety of items, including camping supplies, souvenirs, snacks, and firewood.

Picnic areas and a large playground for children are also available. Additionally, the Park is home to Pohick Bay Golf Course, one of Virginia’s most picturesque 18-hole courses, as well as Treasure Island Mini Golf, a fun, yet somewhat challenging miniature golf course.  There is also a challenging disc golf course that meanders through the woods within the the park and features 18 holes.  Pirate’s Cove Waterpark, which provides water fun for the entire family, is also located at the park.

Mason Neck Peninsula, on which the park is located, is an ecologically fragile land that shelters an abundance of wildlife, including the bald eagle. Nature lovers can expect to see blue birds, osprey, heron, deer, beavers and rare sightings of river otters.

         

    
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The District of Pi

The District of Pi

Having not gone out to eat in while, on this ride I decided to stop by District of Pi, located at 910 F Street (MAP), just around the corner from Ford’s Theater and The Petersen House, and just one block from FBI Headquarters in northwest D.C.’s Penn Quarter neighborhood.  District of Pi is renown for its a award-winning deep and thin crust pizza as well as its two dozen different draft beers, served for both lunch and dinner daily.

Pi Pizzeria began on March 14, 2008, in St. Louis, Missouri.  Later that same year that it opened, Pi’s captured the heart and taste buds of then-Senator Barack Obama during a campaign stop as he ran for his first term as president.  Then in April 2009, Pi was invited by newly-elected President Obama to The White House to cook for the First Family. That made Pi Pizzeria the first non-staff to prepare food at the Obama White House. The Pi team has subsequently cooked for the President, Vice President and other famous politicians and celebrities on numerous occasions.

Pi Pizzeria took off after that like a book that was featured on Oprah’s Book Club.  It now has several locations and is still opening more in St. Louis.  It has the one location here in D.C., referred to as The District of Pi.  And, oddly enough, there is also a location in Iraq.

On this ride to start out the week I opted for The Kirkwood, a thin cornmeal-crust pie topped with spicy marinara, mozz, and meatballs, red bell pepper and fresh basil.  Despite the coronavirus pandemic, their eat-in dining rooms are open.  But I took mine to go, and ate it al fresco on the National Mall.

And it was absolutely delicious.  I won’t say it was better than the pies at We, The Pizza, but it ranks right up there with them.  To break the tie, I guess I’ll just have to return to Pi again soon. I’ve been to We, The Pizza several times and tried several different pies.  But this is only the second time I’ve been to District of Pi.  The first time was half a dozen years ago, and I had The Kirkwood then too.  So I’ve already decided.  Next time I’m definitely going with something new.  I’m thinking maybe The Delmar, which is also a thin cornmeal-crust pie, but topped with mozz, cheddar, pappy’s bbq sauce, roasted chicken, red and green bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro.  My mouth is already watering.

My Thin-crust Pie

NOTE:  If your birthday is on March 14th, you are what District of Pi refers to as “a Pi baby.”  And if you stop by on your special day they will give you a free large pizza pie.  That is because March 14th is also known as National Pi Day, based on the fact that the mathematical value of Pi starts with 3.14, the numeric equivalent for March 14th.  National Pi Day is actually an official U.S. holiday.  The House of Representatives passed House Resolution 224 in 2009, designating the 14th day of March each year as National Pi Day.

New York Avenue Presbyterian Church

New York Avenue Presbyterian Church 

The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA), currently the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States.  It is located at the intersection of 13th Street and New York Avenue at 1313 New York Avenue (MAP).  It is situated among several tall modern building in D.C.’s Downtown neighborhood.  However, its tall steeple helps it stand out.  And on this bike ride I stopped by and spent a little time there learning more about it.  

The church was formed in 1859-60 but traces its roots to 1803 as the F Street Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and another congregation founded in 1820 on its current site, the Second Presbyterian Church. After the merger the church was named the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, taking its name from the avenue that separated it from a tannery across the street at that time, and the original church building was constructed in the Colonial Revival style with Italianate details as designed by Architect Edward Haviland. The current church building was built in 1950 and is a replica of the original 19th century building designed by Haviland.  

The church is located four blocks from The White House.  And due to its proximity to the White House, a number of U.S. presidents have attended services there. In fact, eleven sitting presidents have worshiped in either the existing church or the original one, beginning with John Quincey Adams. The others were Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, William Henry Harrison, James K. Polk, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Benjamin Harrison, Dwight D. Eisenhower and, most recently, Richard Nixon. Members of presidents’ cabinets, congressmen and senators, and the Supreme Court justices have also attended over the years. 

Of those who have attended, Abraham Lincoln was the most active and prominent presidential parishioner. President and Mrs. Lincoln first visited the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church shortly after he took office on March 4, 1861 and just after the church’s original building was completed. Lincoln rented a pew for $50 a year, and even had a reserved hitching post outside for the family’s small horse-drawn carriage.  The Lincoln hitching post is still there today.  The family worshiped regularly there during the  Civil War.  And while attending, President Lincoln and the pastor at that time, Rev. Dr. Phineas Densmore Gurley, developed a relationship in which they frequently discussed theology.  Gurley presided over the funeral of Lincoln’s son, William Wallace Lincoln, in 1862, and then over the funeral of President Lincoln himself three years later.  

Later after President Lincoln’s death, the church’s steeple, then the tallest in the city, was destroyed in a storm and rebuilt through the generosity of Mary Harlan Lincoln, widow of the president’s son Robert Todd Lincoln. When the original church building was replaced in the early 1950’s the Lincoln Memorial Tower with its belfry and four-sided clock was disassembled and rebuilt.  Additionally, the bells in steeple tower were a gift to the church in 1929 from Mary Lincoln Isham, one of Lincoln’s granddaughters.  The largest bell bears an inscription in the president’s memory.  And inside the church in addition to the the family pew, there is a Lincoln stained glass window, an early emancipation document, and other memorabilia.

The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church is more than just a building or historic church.  It has remained active over the years, and continues to do so today.  From the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking from the church’s s pulpit to warn about the consequences of the war in Vietnam in the late 1960’s, to voting in 1998 to become a “More Light” congregation and work toward “the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) people in the life, ministry and witness of the church and in society”, to its current online worship services due to the coronavirus pandemic, the church continues to be active in the community.  In fact, approximately 1,200 people currently come to the church building on a weekly basis for a wide range of purposes, including meeting with a tutor in Community Club or a social worker at the McClendon Center, receiving a cup of coffee or an article of needed clothing through the Radcliffe Room ministry for the homeless, attending one of a number of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, or worship with one of the four congregations the church hosts.  The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church is a church that is reformed and always reforming.  

    
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Riding in Circles

Local traffic laws as they apply to bike riding can vary among different states and cities.  In the D.C. metropolitan area there can be differences depending on whether you’re within the D.C. city limits, cross a bridge into Virginia, or head north into Maryland.  In general, bikes are treated as vehicles and a person riding a bike as an operator of a vehicle.  There are, however, some notable exceptions.  So educating yourself about the applicable laws and following them is the best way to ensure compliance, which is essential to riding safely.

Locally, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) is a good resource for information about bike laws.  As an organization that advocates for better bicycling conditions and transportation choices, WABA is also an excellent source of information about many other aspects of riding a bike.  Another good resource of information about biking laws is The League of American Bicyclists, which has also compiled information on the laws of D.C., Virginia and Maryland, as well as a state-by-state summary of biking laws throughout the rest of the United States.

I generally try to know and abide by the law, and part of this is following the road signs.  However, this sign had me riding around in a circle for hours.  Eventually, I was forced to disregard the sign and continue on my way.  However, it all worked out in the end because this experience also taught me a lesson.  The lesson is that while it’s important to know and follow the law, it is still necessary to exercise common sense as well.   Hopefully, if you do these two things, you will stay safe out there.

The African American Civil War Memorial

The African American Civil War Memorial

During this bike ride I visited The African American Civil War Memorial, which is located at the corner of Vermont Avenue, 10th Street and U Street (MAP), near the eastern entrance to the U Street Metro station, in northwest D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood. I couldn’t help but think that it might be better located elsewhere, such as near the National Mall, so that it might get more visitors. But the memorial is appropriately located in Shaw inasmuch as the neighborhood was named after Robert Gould Shaw, the colonel in charge of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment during the Civil War. The 54th saw extensive service in the Union Army during the war, and was the second African American regiment, following the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiment, organized in the northern states.

The African American Civil War Memorial commemorates the service of 209,145 African American soldiers and sailors who comprised the United States Colored Troops (USCT) and fought for the Union in the Civil War. Several thousand African American men were also enlisted to fight for the Confederacy, but they could not begin to balance out the number who fought for the Union. And they are not commemorated by the memorial.

The memorial was developed by the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation and Museum and was commissioned by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities in 1993 and completed in 1997. It was dedicated in July of 1998 and transferred to the National Park Service in October of 2004.

The memorial, designed by Ed Hamilton of Louisville, Kentucky, consists of a park-like granite plaza, a bronze sculpture known as The Spirit of Freedom as the centerpiece, and a series of curved walls partially surrounding it.  The two-sided sculpture is nine feet tall and depicts three life-size Union Army soldiers and one Union Navy sailor on the front. On the rear are figures depicting the parents, wives and children of the African American soldiers who went off to war.  The Spirit of Freedom’s face is watching over all of them.  On the plaza’s highest wall is inscribed this Frederick Douglas quote: “Who would be free themselves must strike the blow. Better even die free than to live slaves.”  The shorter panel walls are inscribed with the 209,145 names of the African American men who served for the Union in the war.  Approximately 68,000 of these men died in the war, and 35 earned the Medal of Honor for their valor in battle. By the end of the war, these African Americans made up ten percent of the entire Union Army.

As I was sitting at the memorial contemplating what life must have been like at that time for the men the memorial commemorates, many of whom were newly-freed slaves, I imagined that they most likely faced not only particular viciousness from the opposing army, but even ridicule and discrimination from within their own.  But despite this, they helped win the war and subsequently changed history.

    

         

    
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NOTE:  After the memorial was dedicated it was soon joined by The African American Civil War Museum, located across the street at 1925 Vermont Avenue (MAP).