Cathedral of the Holy Cross
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of the Holy Cross is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
and the largest Roman Catholic church in New England
.
When construction was finished the cathedral rivaled both Old South Church and Trinity Church
in grandeur, signalling the emergence of Roman Catholics in what was, at the time of construction, a largely Protestant city and state.
The cathedral is located in the city's South End
neighborhood, at 1400 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118. Although the South End was initially developed for Boston's emerging Anglo-Saxon Protestant middle class, the neighborhood transitioned to new immigrants, especially Irish
, as middle class owners moved to the new Back Bay neighborhood.
The cathedral functions both as a Cathedral, and as a Parish. The Cathedral Parish consists of large English and Hispanic congregations, drawn largely from the local area, and also includes three Archdiocese-wide congregations, the Ge'ez (Ethiopian/Eritrean/Egyptian) Rite Catholics, who moved from close-by Holy Trinity Catholic Church in 1994, the German Apostolate (moved from Holy Trinity in 2008), and the Tridentine Rite (or Extraordinary Form) Catholic community (also moved from Holy Trinity in 2008).
recognized that the church in Boston had outgrown the old Cathedral
on Franklin St. However, plans for the new cathedral were disrupted by the outbreak of the Civil War. Bishop Fitzpatrick died in 1866 and Bishop John Williams took over planning for the cathedral project. Ground was broken on April 29, 1866 and the completed structure was dedicated on December 8, 1875 by Williams, who by then, was Boston's first archbishop.
, a noted ecclesiastical architect, in the Gothic Revival
style. The building measures 364 ft (110.9 m) in length and is 90 ft (27.4 m) at its widest. It is constructed of Roxbury puddingstone
with gray limestone trim and reaches a height of 120 ft (36.6 m) however, the planned western spire was never completed.
The cathedral retains its Hook and Hastings pipe organ
, opus 801, which was installed in 1875. The organ console was replaced in 1929 with a used theatre organ console when the instrument was updated. In 2003, the Andover Organ Company created and installed its opus R-394, a replica of the original three-manual console, and updated wiring and made other needed repairs.
On October 1, 1979, Pope John Paul II
held a 38-minute prayer service for 2,000 priests in the cathedral during his first pilgrimage to the United States.
founded Cathedral High School
adjacent to the church and charged the Sisters of St. Joseph
with operating the institution. The school remains at this site today.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...
and the largest Roman Catholic church in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
.
When construction was finished the cathedral rivaled both Old South Church and Trinity Church
Trinity Church, Boston
Trinity Church in the City of Boston, located in the Back Bay of Boston, Massachusetts, is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. The congregation, currently standing at approximately 3,000 households, was founded in 1733. The current rector is The Reverend Anne Bonnyman...
in grandeur, signalling the emergence of Roman Catholics in what was, at the time of construction, a largely Protestant city and state.
The cathedral is located in the city's South End
South End, Boston, Massachusetts
The South End is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.-Geography:The South End lies south of the Back Bay, northwest of South Boston, northeast of Roxbury, north of Dorchester, and southwest of Bay Village...
neighborhood, at 1400 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118. Although the South End was initially developed for Boston's emerging Anglo-Saxon Protestant middle class, the neighborhood transitioned to new immigrants, especially Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, as middle class owners moved to the new Back Bay neighborhood.
The cathedral functions both as a Cathedral, and as a Parish. The Cathedral Parish consists of large English and Hispanic congregations, drawn largely from the local area, and also includes three Archdiocese-wide congregations, the Ge'ez (Ethiopian/Eritrean/Egyptian) Rite Catholics, who moved from close-by Holy Trinity Catholic Church in 1994, the German Apostolate (moved from Holy Trinity in 2008), and the Tridentine Rite (or Extraordinary Form) Catholic community (also moved from Holy Trinity in 2008).
History
"In 1860, Bishop John FitzpatrickJohn Bernard Fitzpatrick
John Bernard Fitzpatrick was an Irish American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Boston from 1846 until his death in 1866.-Early life and education:...
recognized that the church in Boston had outgrown the old Cathedral
Holy Cross Church, Boston
The Church of the Holy Cross , located on Franklin Street in Boston, Massachusetts and designed by Charles Bulfinch, was the first church built for the city's Roman Catholics....
on Franklin St. However, plans for the new cathedral were disrupted by the outbreak of the Civil War. Bishop Fitzpatrick died in 1866 and Bishop John Williams took over planning for the cathedral project. Ground was broken on April 29, 1866 and the completed structure was dedicated on December 8, 1875 by Williams, who by then, was Boston's first archbishop.
Architecture
The cathedral was designed by Patrick KeelyPatrick Keely
Patrick Charles Keely was an Irish-American architect based in Brooklyn, New York and Providence, Rhode Island...
, a noted ecclesiastical architect, in the Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style. The building measures 364 ft (110.9 m) in length and is 90 ft (27.4 m) at its widest. It is constructed of Roxbury puddingstone
Roxbury conglomerate
Roxbury conglomerate, also known as Roxbury puddingstone, is a puddingstone or conglomerate stone that forms the bedrock underlying most of Roxbury, Massachusetts, now part of the city of Boston...
with gray limestone trim and reaches a height of 120 ft (36.6 m) however, the planned western spire was never completed.
The cathedral retains its Hook and Hastings pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, opus 801, which was installed in 1875. The organ console was replaced in 1929 with a used theatre organ console when the instrument was updated. In 2003, the Andover Organ Company created and installed its opus R-394, a replica of the original three-manual console, and updated wiring and made other needed repairs.
On October 1, 1979, Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
held a 38-minute prayer service for 2,000 priests in the cathedral during his first pilgrimage to the United States.
Cathedral High School
In 1927, Cardinal William O'ConnellWilliam Henry O'Connell
William Henry O'Connell was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1907 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1911.-Early life:...
founded Cathedral High School
Cathedral High School (Boston, Massachusetts)
Cathedral High School is a Roman Catholic high school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.-Background:...
adjacent to the church and charged the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...
with operating the institution. The school remains at this site today.