Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament is a decorated Gothic Revival
style Roman Catholic
cathedral
church in the United States. It is the seat of the archbishop
of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit
. The metropolitan archdiocese for the Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Detroit includes all dioceses in the state of Michigan; in addition, in 2000 the archdiocese accepted pastoral responsibility for the Roman Catholic Church in the Cayman Islands
, which consists of Saint Ignatius Parish on Grand Cayman
(the Archdiocese of Kingston
maintains a mission sui iuris
jurisdiction over the Cayman Islands
).. The cathedral is located at 9844 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan
, near the University of Detroit Mercy
, a Roman Catholic
co-educational university
affiliated with the Society of Jesus
(the Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy
. The cathedral was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1982. It is adjacent to Detroit's Boston-Edison Historic District
.
was established in 1905 in what was then the northern city limits of Detroit. The parish was initially plagued with financial problems. Construction of the church started in 1913, but proceeded rather slowly. The interior was finished in 1930, with the dedication of the interior on Thanksgiving
of that year. Detroit was elevated to an archdiocese in 1937, and Most Blessed Sacrament was chosen to be the cathedral church replacing St. Patrick's
which served as cathedral since 1877. However, construction of the exterior, including the twin towers on the west facade and the flèche
at the crossing, was not completed until 1951, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of Detroit's founding. The consecration on November 17, 1951, was broadcast on live on local television. Plans also called for spires topping the towers, however these remain unbuilt.
was Henry A. Walsh of Cleveland, Ohio
, who designed the cathedral in a Norman Gothic
style. Due to the length of the construction, Walsh was unable to see the project to completion, and Detroit architect George Diehl
was chosen to succeed him for the construction of the towers in 1950. The building's exterior is made of Ohio
sandstone
, with Indiana limestone
used for buttress
facings, traceries
, and doorways. The cathedral includes statuary by sculptor Corrado Parducci
.
In 2001, Gunnar Birkerts
was selected to update the cathedral. Changes included a plaza on the north side of the structure, reconfigured interior spaces, a new sanctuary, cathedra, baptismal font and organ. The original organ was installed the west gallery by Casavant Frères
in 1925 as a gift from Frederick Fisher of Fisher Body
. During the renovations, this three manual/55 rank instrument was updated and a second organ was installed in the apse.
The new organ is opus 2785 of Austin Organs, Inc.
with two manuals and 32 ranks and is connected to the gallery organ allowing them to be played as one instrument from the new console. The new organ was first played at the rededication ceremony March 25, 2003.
's 1987 visit to the United States was originally included only stops in the southern and western parts of the country, Detroit's cardinal
archbishop
, Edmund Szoka, campaigned for him to include the Detroit area. Szoka made a direct request to the Pope during a visit to the Vatican City
. The Pope arrived in Detroit on September 18, 1987, and spoke before large crowds in Hamtramck
, Hart Plaza and the Pontiac Silverdome
. During John Paul II's visit, he visited guests at the cathedral and lodged at the adjacent archbishop's residence.
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
church in the United States. It is the seat of the archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church covering the Michigan counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne...
. The metropolitan archdiocese for the Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Detroit includes all dioceses in the state of Michigan; in addition, in 2000 the archdiocese accepted pastoral responsibility for the Roman Catholic Church in the Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
, which consists of Saint Ignatius Parish on Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and the location of the nation's capital, George Town. In relation to the other two Cayman Islands, it is approximately 75 miles southwest of Little Cayman and 90 miles southwest of Cayman Brac.-Geography:Grand Cayman encompasses 76% of...
(the Archdiocese of Kingston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The Archdiocese encompasses the larger portion of the island of Jamaica, and the capital of Kingston...
maintains a mission sui iuris
Mission sui iuris
A mission sui iuris, or in Latin missio sui iuris, also known as an independent mission, is a rare type of Roman Catholic missionary pseudo-diocesan jurisdiction in an area with very few Catholics, often desolate or remote....
jurisdiction over the Cayman Islands
Roman Catholic Mission Sui Iuris of Cayman Islands
The Roman Catholic Mission Sui Iuris of Cayman Islands is a mission sui iuris of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The mission comprises the entirety of the British dependency of the Cayman Islands...
).. The cathedral is located at 9844 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, near the University of Detroit Mercy
University of Detroit Mercy
University of Detroit Mercy is a private, Roman Catholic co-educational university in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with the Society of Jesus and the Sisters of Mercy. Antoine M. Garibaldi is the president. With origins dating from 1877, it is the largest Roman Catholic university...
, a Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
co-educational university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
affiliated with the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
(the Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
. The cathedral was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1982. It is adjacent to Detroit's Boston-Edison Historic District
Boston-Edison Historic District
The Boston-Edison Historic District is a historic neighborhood located in the geographic center of Detroit, Michigan. It consists of over 900 homes built on four east/west streets: West Boston Boulevard, Chicago Boulevard, Longfellow Avenue, and Edison Avenue, stretching from Woodward Avenue on...
.
History
Most Blessed Sacrament parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
was established in 1905 in what was then the northern city limits of Detroit. The parish was initially plagued with financial problems. Construction of the church started in 1913, but proceeded rather slowly. The interior was finished in 1930, with the dedication of the interior on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
of that year. Detroit was elevated to an archdiocese in 1937, and Most Blessed Sacrament was chosen to be the cathedral church replacing St. Patrick's
Chapel of St. Theresa-the Little Flower
The Chapel of St. Theresa-the Little Flower is a church located at 58 Parsons Street in Detroit, Michigan. It is currently known as St. Patrick Church. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.- History :...
which served as cathedral since 1877. However, construction of the exterior, including the twin towers on the west facade and the flèche
Flèche
A flèche is used in French architecture to refer to a spire and in English to refer to a lead-covered timber spire, or spirelet. These are placed on the ridges of church or cathedral roofs and are usually relatively small...
at the crossing, was not completed until 1951, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of Detroit's founding. The consecration on November 17, 1951, was broadcast on live on local television. Plans also called for spires topping the towers, however these remain unbuilt.
Architecture
The cathedral's architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
was Henry A. Walsh of Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, who designed the cathedral in a Norman Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style. Due to the length of the construction, Walsh was unable to see the project to completion, and Detroit architect George Diehl
George Diehl
George Krause Diehl was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Boston Braves.-External links:...
was chosen to succeed him for the construction of the towers in 1950. The building's exterior is made of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, with Indiana limestone
Indiana Limestone
Indiana Limestone, also known as Bedford Limestone is a common regional term for Salem limestone, a geological formation primarily quarried in south central Indiana between Bloomington and Bedford....
used for buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
facings, traceries
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
, and doorways. The cathedral includes statuary by sculptor Corrado Parducci
Corrado Parducci
Corrado Giuseppe Parducci was an Italian-American architectural sculptor who was a celebrated artist for his numerous early 20th Century works.-Early life and education:...
.
In 2001, Gunnar Birkerts
Gunnar Birkerts
Gunnar Birkerts is a prominent American architect who, for most of his career, was based in the metropolitan area of Detroit, Michigan. Some of his designs include the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, Marquette Plaza in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in...
was selected to update the cathedral. Changes included a plaza on the north side of the structure, reconfigured interior spaces, a new sanctuary, cathedra, baptismal font and organ. The original organ was installed the west gallery by 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 :...
in 1925 as a gift from Frederick Fisher of Fisher Body
Fisher Body
Fisher Body is an automobile coachbuilder founded by the Fisher brothers in 1908 in Detroit, Michigan; it is now an operating division of General Motors Company...
. During the renovations, this three manual/55 rank instrument was updated and a second organ was installed in the apse.
The new organ is opus 2785 of Austin Organs, Inc.
Austin Organs, Inc.
Austin Organs, Inc. is a manufacturer of pipe organs based in Hartford, Connecticut. The company is one of the oldest continuously-operating organ manufacturers in the United States...
with two manuals and 32 ranks and is connected to the gallery organ allowing them to be played as one instrument from the new console. The new organ was first played at the rededication ceremony March 25, 2003.
Papal visit of 1987
Although Pope John Paul IIPope 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 ...
's 1987 visit to the United States was originally included only stops in the southern and western parts of the country, Detroit's cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
, Edmund Szoka, campaigned for him to include the Detroit area. Szoka made a direct request to the Pope during a visit to the Vatican City
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
. The Pope arrived in Detroit on September 18, 1987, and spoke before large crowds in Hamtramck
Hamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 22,423. Hamtramck is surrounded by the city of Detroit except for a small portion of the western border that touches the similarly surrounded city of Highland Park...
, Hart Plaza and the Pontiac Silverdome
Pontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome is a domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, USA, which sits on . It was the largest stadium in the National Football League until FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C...
. During John Paul II's visit, he visited guests at the cathedral and lodged at the adjacent archbishop's residence.
See also
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of DetroitRoman Catholic Archdiocese of DetroitThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church covering the Michigan counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne...