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WHEREAS, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) approved the nomination for the creation of a State Historical Marker for John T. Comès, a quintessential Pittsburgh ecclesiastical architect who helped change popular thought regarding church architecture in the twentieth century; and,
WHEREAS, John Theodore Comès was born on January 29, 1873 in La Rochette, Luxembourg. His parents, John (Jean) Richard Comes and Margaret Rodange, immigrated to the United States in 1882 to St. Paul, Minnesota. He received his early education in St. Paul, followed by a Master of Science in Architecture at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Comès moved to the city of Pittsburgh not long after completing his graduate education, where he married Nora B. Webber and founded his own architectural firm; and,
WHEREAS, he began to make his mark around the city of Pittsburgh with buildings such as the St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, now the St. Agnes Center for Carlow University, as well as, the Epiphany Roman Catholic Church in the Lower Hill District and the St. Augustine Church in Lawrenceville; and,
WHEREAS, John Comès has even more architectural buildings in Western Pennsylvania such as the Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Beaver and the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Comès has an expanded portfolio and influence as an architect that spanned the United States with projects in many cities as far west as Salt Lake City and Los Angeles; and,
WHEREAS, the works of John T. Comès speak to a profound and very significant design work of a man passionate about his ideals in church construction. Mr. Comès passed on April 13, 1922 and is buried at the Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh;
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare (January 22, 2013) to be "John T. Comès Day" in the City of Pittsburgh.