Cathedral of St. Joseph
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, Connecticut
, United States
, is the mother church
of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
. Dedicated on May 15, 1962, it stands on the site of the old cathedral
destroyed by fire on December 31, 1956. Designed by Eggers & Higgins
of New York
, it rises 281 feet from the sidewalk. The cathedral is located on Farmington Ave. just outside of downtown Hartford across from the Aetna
building.
The bell tower contains 12 carillon
bells cast in the Holland by Petit & Fritsen
. They range in weight from 225 pounds up to 3850 pounds. The cathedral itself is made of concrete
with the outside covered in Alabama
limestone
. The cathedral is noted for its large expanse of spectacular stained glass
windows crafted in Paris
, and the ceramic tile mural behind the altar depicting "Christ in Glory," which is the largest in the world. The capacity of the cathedral is about 1700 people. There is also a lower church below the upper church.
based in Hartford It has four manuals and is 137 ranks. The organ has been used for many concerts.
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, is the mother church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a particular church of the Latin Rite in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The archdiocese includes about 700,000 Catholics, more than 500 priests, 216 parishes and almost 300 deacons. This is roughly one-half the population of...
. Dedicated on May 15, 1962, it stands on the site of the old cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
destroyed by fire on December 31, 1956. Designed by Eggers & Higgins
Eggers & Higgins
Eggers & Higgins was a New York architectural firm partnered by Otto Reinhold Eggers and Daniel Paul Higgins . The architects were responsible for the construction phase of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial beginning in 1939, two years after the death of its original architect, John Russell Pope,...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, it rises 281 feet from the sidewalk. The cathedral is located on Farmington Ave. just outside of downtown Hartford across from the Aetna
Aetna
Aetna, Inc. is an American health insurance company, providing a range of traditional and consumer directed health care insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmaceutical, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care, and disability plans, and medical management...
building.
The bell tower contains 12 carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
bells cast in the Holland by Petit & Fritsen
Petit & Fritsen
Royal Bellfounders Petit & Fritsen, based in Aarle-Rixtel, the Netherlands, is the oldest family-owned business in the Netherlands, with the foundry dating back to 1660. Included on List of oldest companies...
. They range in weight from 225 pounds up to 3850 pounds. The cathedral itself is made of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
with the outside covered in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. The cathedral is noted for its large expanse of spectacular stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows crafted in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and the ceramic tile mural behind the altar depicting "Christ in Glory," which is the largest in the world. The capacity of the cathedral is about 1700 people. There is also a lower church below the upper church.
Chapels
There are two main chapels on the side of the church. One contains the tabernacle and altar. It contains a mural of Jesus and his disciples. The chapel on the left has a mural depicting the holy family. Other small chapels are made of mosaic and contains kneelers for visitors.Organ
The pipe organ is one of the largest in Connecticut containing more than 8,000 pipes. The organ is designed by the Austin Organ Companybased in Hartford It has four manuals and is 137 ranks. The organ has been used for many concerts.