Catholic Chapel

The Monroeville Mall Catholic Chapel, historically known as the St. Jude Chapel, was a unique religious fixture located inside the Monroeville Mall for over 30 years. It was part of a rare trend of "shopping mall chapels" established in the mid-20th century to provide a spiritual oasis for both mall employees and shoppers.

Key History & Facts

• Founder: The chapel was established by Father Anthony DeLuca, who was a prominent figure in the Monroeville Catholic community and the long-time pastor of North American Martyrs Parish.
• Purpose: It served as a "marketplace ministry," offering daily Mass, confessions, and a quiet space for prayer amidst the commercial environment of the mall.
• Cultural Significance: The chapel is famously remembered by film buffs as a location in George A. Romero’s 1978 horror classic Dawn of the Dead. In the film, the protagonists use the chapel's back area and storage as part of their hideout.
• Closing: The chapel officially closed its doors in the late 1990s (approximately 1995–1996) as mall management and the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh shifted priorities.

Legacy and Current Religious Presence

• While the St. Jude Chapel is no longer inside the mall, the Catholic community in Monroeville has consolidated into larger parishes:
• Christ the Divine Shepherd Parish: This is the current unified parish for Monroeville, formed in 2020 from the merger of North American Martyrs and St. Bernadette.
• Other Local Historic Churches: The Old Stone Church (originally Presbyterian) remains a landmark near the mall area, now maintained by the Monroeville Historical Society.