St. Boniface was founded in 1858 to serve the German immigrants who came to the St. Anthony area. The first church was located on the corner of 3rd Street and 15th Avenue NE, but soon moved to Main Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues. Benedictine priests from St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, served St. Boniface for most of its history, until the summer of 1998. The current church was begun in 1899. The community worshiped in the basement—“the catacombs,” as many called it—until the upper church was completed in 1929. With its Byzantine architecture and stunning stained glass, the church is a source of pride for the parish community and the neighborhood.
