The church was designed by Herman J. Lang in the German Romanesque and Rundbogenstil architectural styles, was built in 1910–1912, and today functions as a community space.

Allentown was central to German-American immigrant life in Pittsburgh, and at certain points Germans were among the largest ethnic groups to settle in the area.

German immigrants tended to huddle in strong ethnic communities and neighborhoods so that they could preserve their customs and traditions.

[6] They thus decided to choose architects who practiced their religion and understood their customs, rather than Irish, American, or English-born designers.

The stained glass windows also served as beacons for the church's identity in addition to its other German architectural styling.

[12] One of the windows depicts Saint George and the Dragon, while the other represents Tu Es Petrus, the "moment in Catholic liturgy when Jesus charges St. Peter to be the rock on which his church would be founded.

"[13] The events that led to the creation of these stained glass windows dates back to King Ludwig I's reign over Bavaria from 1786 to 1868.

To accomplish his goals he subsidized large sectors of the arts, spending money on a multitude of artistic ventures.

He found his own studio in 1870, and worked primarily off commissions from the Catholic Church and the crown, until he expanded his sales to the United States in the late 19th century.

The work of Leo Thomas is distinguished from others due to the process involved in creating the illusion of realism and depth on both sides of the glass.