Cathedral of All Souls
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of All Souls, also referred to as All Souls Cathedral, is an Episcopal
cathedral
located in Asheville, North Carolina
, United States of America.
Cathedral of All Souls was built by railroad baron George Washington Vanderbilt II
in 1896 to serve as the local parish church for Biltmore Village
, which had been developed near his Biltmore Estate
, The Right Reverend G. Porter Taylor
is the current bishop seated at the cathedral.
. The Church and Parish Hall were commissioned by George Vanderbilt and designed by Richard Morris Hunt
, the architect of Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate
.
The chancel
organ was installed by the Casavant Frères
organ company of Canada in 1971. The Cathedral of All Souls was designated as the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina
on January 1, 1995. The Right Reverend G. Porter Taylor
is the current bishop.
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
located in Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
, United States of America.
Cathedral of All Souls was built by railroad baron George Washington Vanderbilt II
George Washington Vanderbilt II
George Washington Vanderbilt II was a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family, which had amassed a huge fortune through steamboats, railroads, and various business enterprises. He built and owned Biltmore, the largest home in the United States.-Biography:The eighth son and youngest...
in 1896 to serve as the local parish church for Biltmore Village
Biltmore Village
Biltmore Village, formerly Best, is a small village that is now entirely in the city limits of Asheville, North Carolina. It is adjacent to the main entrance of the Biltmore Estate, built by George W. Vanderbilt, one of the heirs to the Vanderbilt family fortune. Once known as the town of Best,...
, which had been developed near his Biltmore Estate
Biltmore Estate
Biltmore House is a Châteauesque-styled mansion near Asheville, North Carolina, built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895. It is the largest privately-owned home in the United States, at and featuring 250 rooms...
, The Right Reverend G. Porter Taylor
G. Porter Taylor
Granville Porter Taylor is the fifth and current Episcopal Bishop of Western North Carolina and is seated at the Cathedral of All Souls.-Biography:...
is the current bishop seated at the cathedral.
History
The church was established in 1896 as a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina. It is a member of the worldwide Anglican CommunionAnglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
. The Church and Parish Hall were commissioned by George Vanderbilt and designed by Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt was an American architect of the nineteenth century and a preeminent figure in the history of American architecture...
, the architect of Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate
Biltmore Estate
Biltmore House is a Châteauesque-styled mansion near Asheville, North Carolina, built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895. It is the largest privately-owned home in the United States, at and featuring 250 rooms...
.
The chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
organ was installed by the Casavant Frères
Casavant Frères
Casavant Frères is a prominent Canadian company in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, which has been building fine pipe organs since 1879. As of 2008, they have produced over 3800 organs.- Company history :...
organ company of Canada in 1971. The Cathedral of All Souls was designated as the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina
Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina
The Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina is a diocese in the Episcopal Church. It consists of 27 counties in western North Carolina and its episcopal see is in Asheville, North Carolina, seated at Cathedral of All Souls....
on January 1, 1995. The Right Reverend G. Porter Taylor
G. Porter Taylor
Granville Porter Taylor is the fifth and current Episcopal Bishop of Western North Carolina and is seated at the Cathedral of All Souls.-Biography:...
is the current bishop.