Chapel offers seclusion, respite in Charleston
by Michael BakerPublic Relations
Surrounded by a chest-high brick wall, St. Luke’s Chapel gives the rare impression of peaceful seclusion in Charleston.
Never mind that the chapel sits a few feet off of Ashley Avenue, less than a block from MUSC and the university’s ongoing construction. The modest garden provides respite from the miles of urban sprawl, and stepping into the chapel only heightens the feeling.
A
wedding at St. Luke's Chapel.
St. Luke’s Chapel traces its roots to a pre-Civil War era, when it served first as part of a federal arsenal and then as part of a school for orphaned children. In 1965, the Medical College of South Carolina (now MUSC) acquired the chapel.
The structure’s latest brush with history occurred in 1989, when Hurricane Hugo nearly destroyed it. The reconstruction took nearly five years, reopening in 1994.
Now, St. Luke’s serves as a non-denominational place of worship for members of MUSC and the Charleston community. As perhaps its most important function, the chapel also has become one of the area’s more popular wedding venues.
According to Pam DeFratus, the chapel’s director, St. Luke’s holds wedding ceremonies for people from across the nation.
“Charleston is a prime destination for weddings,” she explained, “and we’re one of the few places in the city where people can have a non-denominational ceremony.”
The chapel hosts nearly 140 weddings each year, with many of the couples arriving from outside the Tri-county area. But, DeFratus asserted, St. Luke’s is available primarily for people at MUSC.
“We’d like to offer the chapel’s services to students, employees, and their immediate families,” she said. “Our chapel gets frequent general use, but it’s important for members of the university to know that it’s available to them as well.”
Indeed, the cozy chapel at the corner of Ashley Avenue and Bee Street is becoming increasingly prominent.
During a visit to a wedding-themed Internet message board, DeFratus recalled seeing a large number of posts from people endorsing St. Luke’s as a prime location for a Southern wedding.
“It was a small example of the chapel’s increasing popularity,” she said. “We’ve received a tremendous response from the community.”
For people without a wedding on the horizon, the chapel also hosts a variety of non-matrimonial events. Besides memorial services and university functions, St. Luke’s hosts a recital series during the academic year. Each Tuesday during the spring and summer, the chapel showcases various musicians in free, 30-minute performances.
“Sometimes, we’ll open the doors of the chapel and let the music spill into the garden,” DeFratus said. “People can eat lunch outside and enjoy the music, too.”
For DeFratus, who began her career at MUSC by organizing special programs for the President’s Office, working at the chapel brings her full circle. Her first project at the university was to rededicate the rebuilt chapel after Hurricane Hugo.
Now the building and its director have reunited at the corner of Ashley Avenue and Bee Street, offering their services to the students and employees of MUSC.
For information on St. Luke’s Chapel—including wedding options/prices and details on the St. Luke’s Recital Series—visit the chapel’s Web site: http://www.musc.edu/stlukeschapel.
Friday, March 19, 2004
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