St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church

A Cornerstone of Lincolnville

St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church has stood at the corner of Lovett Street and Martin Luther King Avenue since 1900, serving as a steady presence in St. Augustine’s historically Black neighborhood of Lincolnville. Its story is one of strength, generosity, and community.

A Church Founded by Women & Community

The congregation began in the 1890s, largely thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Julia Jackson, an immigrant from the Bahamas who, along with others, felt unwelcome in existing Episcopal churches. She wrote to the bishop and invited African Americans, including formerly enslaved individuals, to worship in temporary spaces across town. They named their church St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church, after the Bishop of Carthage in Africa, and continued to meet in a series of rented facilities.

In 1899, Mrs. Emma White, a visitor from New York, overheard the congregation singing from a storefront and launched a campaign to provide them a permanent home. She donated land, solicited donations, and submitted building plans inspired by her home church in Connecticut. With help from the local community, led by an African American builder, the church and adjacent manse were constructed the following year.

Carpenter Gothic Architecture

St. Cyprian’s is built in the Carpenter Gothic style, which adapts European Gothic design to American wood construction. The exterior features steep gables, lancet windows with diamond-patterned panes, wood shingles, and a modest bell tower. The steeply pitched roof, uncommon in Florida’s climate, includes four dormer windows on each side. Along the side walls are tall, pointed-arched windows (four on the south, three on the north) beneath a gabled entry porch. Large arched windows face Martin Luther King Avenue, and a tall stained glass window behind the altar fills the sanctuary with soft, colored light. Inside, exposed wooden trusses, pointed arches, and heart pine paneling create a space that feels both handcrafted and reverent, with the warmth and symmetry reminiscent of an old sailing ship.

From Decline to Renewal

By the 1990s, the building had fallen into disrepair, and the congregation had grown small. Members of nearby Trinity Parish helped raise funds and secure grants for restoration. Thanks to their efforts, St. Cyprian’s was preserved and remains an active parish today. 

The Commons

Next door, the original rectory has become the St. Cyprian’s Mission House, used for public events, classes, and wedding receptions. In 2013, the congregation created the Commons, a peaceful courtyard between the Mission House and the church that includes an open-air chapel, a prayer wall, gardens, and a stone labyrinth that visitors often walk. The Commons is used for weddings, baptisms, concerts, and community gatherings year-round.

Visitor Information

• Holy Eucharist: Sundays at 10:00 a.m.
• Public events held throughout the year
• The Commons and Mission House are available for weddings, receptions, and classes.

Explore More Historic Churches

St. Cyprian’s is on the National Register of Historic Places and one of many historic churches that help tell the full story of St. Augustine. Visit our Historic Churches page to explore sacred sites that reflect the city's diverse heritage and enduring spirit.

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