About Saints Peter and Paul · Nauvoo, Illinois
Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church is a historic brick parish church located at 170 N. Wells Street in Nauvoo, Illinois, in the heart of Hancock County. Founded in 1848 as St. Patrick's — the first Catholic church in Nauvoo — it stands today as the worship home of roughly 175–200 parish families, with 200–300 attending Mass each weekend. Since June 30, 2025, the church has been part of the newly consolidated Holy Archangels Parish, joining four other Hancock County Catholic communities (Carthage, Hamilton, Warsaw, and Dallas City) under one pastor, Father Anthony J. (Tony) Trosley. The parish also operates Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School (PreK–6), founded in 1861, located on Young Street in Nauvoo.
- Established
- 1848
- Patron
- Saints Peter and Paul (originally established as St. Patrick's)
- Rector
- Father Anthony J. (Tony) Trosley
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Peoria — currently organized as part of Holy Archangels Parish (consolidated June 30, 2025) under pastor Father Anthony J. Trosley
Why belong here
Saints Peter and Paul is a living, small-town Catholic community where you'll be warmly welcomed at Mass and known by name. Parishioners celebrate Mass in a historic 1873 brick church that is a Nauvoo landmark, send their children to the parish's PreK–6 Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School, and gather for Holy Week liturgies and devotions like daily Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy. As part of the new Holy Archangels Parish (formed June 30, 2025), the church remains an active worship site where the Eucharist, Adoration, and Confession are central to the week.
Mass times at Saints Peter and Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 9:25 AM – 9:55 AM at Sts. Peter and Paul
- Also by appointment
- 15 minutes before any Daily Mass
- 30 minutes before Weekend Masses at Holy Archangels sites
Adoration times
- Eucharist Adoration before Weekend Masses (Saturday 4:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM)
- Adoration before All Daily Masses
History of Saints Peter and Paul
The parish was founded on September 8, 1848, when Father James Griffith was installed as the first resident pastor of the Nauvoo Catholic community and organized St. Patrick's Church at Young and Wells Streets — the first Catholic church in Nauvoo. Father Kennedy succeeded him in 1849, and the missionary Father John George Alleman (1804–1865) followed, famously befriending LDS leader Joseph Smith, who helped him cross the Mississippi to minister to Catholics. In 1867 Father Henry James Reimbold (born 1842 in Cologne) began building the present brick church; the first Mass was celebrated inside it on August 3, 1873. The original $350 bell, raised by Father Alleman through a broad ticket campaign, still hangs in the steeple. Three pastorates — Reimbold (1867–1915), Monsignor Leo Tholen (1915–1946), and Monsignor Christian LaBonte (1946–1969) — shaped the parish for over a century. Since 2009, Father Anthony J. Trosley has served as pastor; on June 30, 2025, the church was consolidated into the new Holy Archangels Parish alongside four other Hancock County Catholic communities, while remaining an active worship site.
Clergy and Parish Leadership
The parish is served by Father Anthony J. (Tony) Trosley, who has been priest for over 45 years (ordained May 27, 1978) and has ministered in Hancock County for about 20 years since becoming pastor here in 2009. He oversees all five Hancock County parishes and the Sts. Peter & Paul school. Day-to-day parish contact is handled through the Villa Marie Rectory, located in Nauvoo.
- Pastor: Father Anthony J. (Tony) Trosley (ordained 1978; pastor in Hancock County since 2009)
- Rectory: Villa Marie Rectory, Nauvoo
- Phone: (217) 453-2428
Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School
Founded in 1861, Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School is a private Catholic PreK–6 elementary school serving families of the Tri-State area from its campus at 1115 Young Street, Nauvoo. The school is supported by all five parishes of Hancock County Catholic Churches and is supervised by pastor Father Tony Trosley. Its mission is to form the Mind, Body and Soul of every student, striving to produce 'Leaders for Christ.' A Friday 8:30 AM School Mass at the church is an integral part of the weekly rhythm during the school year.
- Founded 1861
- Grades PreK–6
- Address: 1115 Young Street, Nauvoo, IL 62354
- Phone: 217-453-2511
- Website: stspeterpaul.org
- Friday 8:30 AM School Mass
Holy Archangels Parish (Multi-Site Consolidation)
On June 30, 2025, Sts. Peter and Paul in Nauvoo was consolidated with Immaculate Conception in Carthage, Sacred Heart in Warsaw, Sacred Heart in Dallas City, and St. Mary's in Hamilton into a single Catholic community: Holy Archangels Parish. The five former parishes now share one pastor, Father Tony Trosley, and worship across three active church sites — Nauvoo, Carthage, and Warsaw — while maintaining their individual community identity and historic church buildings. The Vision statement of the combined community is: 'We, the Hancock County Catholic Churches, Work Together to Form Disciples of JESUS, to Lead All to HIM in the Eucharist, and to be HIS Presence in the World.'
- Established June 30, 2025
- Pastor: Fr. Anthony J. Trosley
- Active worship sites: Sts. Peter and Paul (Nauvoo), Immaculate Conception (Carthage), Sacred Heart (Warsaw)
- Partner communities: Sacred Heart (Dallas City), St. Mary's (Hamilton)
- All five parishes support Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School (Nauvoo)
Jubilee Holy Door of Mercy Pilgrimage Site
In 2016, Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, named Sts. Peter and Paul Church an official Holy Door of Mercy and pilgrimage site for Pope Francis's Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, with the Holy Door blessed before the 8:00 AM Mass on Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2016. The church has been designated a Jubilee pilgrimage site again for the 2025 Jubilee Holy Year, making the 1873 brick church a destination for Catholics seeking indulgences and Mercy celebrations (Confessions, Adoration, Holy Mass, and silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament).
- 2016 Jubilee of Mercy pilgrimage site (designated by Bishop Jenky)
- 2025 Jubilee Holy Year pilgrimage site (GCatholic listing)
- Holy Door blessed Feb. 10, 2016 before 8:00 AM Ash Wednesday Mass
Visit and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish through the Villa Marie Rectory at (217) 453-2428, by mail at PO Box 147, Nauvoo, IL 62354, or by email at [email protected]. Online, the parish maintains a page within the Hancock County Catholic Churches website, the dedicated Holy Archangels Parish website (holyarchangelsparish.com), and the school website (stspeterpaul.org). The church sits within walking distance of downtown Nauvoo and the historic LDS sites along the Mississippi River.
- Address: 170 N. Wells Street, PO Box 147, Nauvoo, IL 62354
- Phone: (217) 453-2428
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish Website: hancockcountycatholic.org
- Parish & School Website: holyarchangelsparish.com / stspeterpaul.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James Griffith1848–1849
First resident pastor; organized St. Patrick's Church, the first Catholic church in Nauvoo.
- Father Kennedy1849–1851
- Father John George Alleman1851–1865 (approx.)
Revered missionary priest who befriended LDS leader Joseph Smith and helped fund the parish bell.
- Father Charles Schillingfrom November 1855
Became resident pastor in November 1855.
- Father Henry James Reimbold1867–1915
Born in Cologne, Germany, 1842; built the present church (cornerstone 1867, first Mass 1873).
- Monsignor Leo Tholen1915–1946
- Monsignor Christian LaBonte1946–1969
- Father Anthony J. Trosley2009–present
Also pastor of the four other Hancock County parishes; ordained May 27, 1978; serves about 20 years in Hancock County after 45 years as a priest.