Princeton University Chapel
Encyclopedia
The Princeton University Chapel is located on Princeton University
's main campus in Princeton
, New Jersey
, United States
. It replaces an older chapel that burned down in 1920. Designed in 1921 by Ralph Adams Cram
in his signature Collegiate Gothic style, it was built by the university between 1924 and 1928 at a cost of about US$2.3 million, or US$ million in dollars. Martin Luther King, Jr.
, delivered a sermon there in 1960. The chapel was rededicated in an interfaith
ceremony in 2002 following a major two-year restoration.
Its size and design evoke a small cathedral of the English Middle Ages
. The only university chapel of its size at the time is was built was King's College Chapel
at the University of Cambridge
. The foundation is poured concrete
, and the superstructure
is sandstone
and limestone
. The main sanctuary consists of a narthex
, a gallery, a nave
, two transepts joined by a crossing
, and an elevated choir. The chapel's extensive iconography consists of stained glass
, stonemasonry
, and wood carvings. Among the stained glass are four "great windows", one facing each cardinal direction
, and four "Christian epic" windows in the walls of the choir. The iconography was planned by Albert M. Friend, a faculty member in Princeton's Department of Art and Archaeology, with the goal of portraying, in one scholar's words, a "synthesis between Christian faith and modern thought."
The chapel seats almost 2,000 people. A nondenominational chapel, it hosts weekly ecumentical Christian services and daily Catholic masses. It also hosts several annual special events, such as opening exercises, baccalaureate services, and commencement
s.
Ralph Adams Cram
, the university's supervising architect, designed and oversaw construction of the new chapel. Cram sought to build a crown jewel for the Collegiate Gothic motif he had championed on the Princeton campus. The university's president
, John Grier Hibben
, had a stake in the project, as well: student hostility toward Princeton's brand of mainline Presbyterianism
was on the rise. An ordained minister, Hibben hoped the new chapel's majesty would inspire students to attend services of their own volition. Cram, a convert to High Church
Episcopalianism
from Unitarianism
, also lent support to this aim.
Cram designed the chapel with the assistance of Alexander Hoyle, a member of his firm. Albert M. Friend, a faculty member in Princeton's Department of Art and Archaeology, played a central role in planning the iconography. It was built by Matthews Construction Company, which worked on several projects on Princeton's campus. Charles Connick
, Henry Lee Willet of the studio that would become Willet Hauser
, the Philadelphia-based stained glass
artist Nicola d'Ascenzo, and several others contributed to the stained glass windows.
The plans for the new chapel were made public in 1921. Hibben called replacing the Marquand Chapel "an immediate necessity"; nonetheless, the project encountered financial problems early on. The insurance money from the Marquand Chapel was insufficient, and fundraising for the chapel competed with an ongoing general capital campaign for the university. Ground was ultimately broken during Commencement in June 1924, and in the following year Cram and Hibben laid the cornerstone. The construction received considerable media attention, as it promised to be the largest university chapel in the United States and the second largest in the world after King's College Chapel, Cambridge
. The construction cost about US$2.3 million (approximately US$ million in dollars) and was completed in 1928. Hibben led the dedication ceremony that same year.
On March 13, 1960, less than six weeks after the first of the Greensboro sit-ins
, Martin Luther King, Jr.
, delivered a sermon at the chapel. In the sermon he called for universal brotherhood and a life of spiritual richness. A plaque on the interior south wall of the chapel's nave commemorates the occasion.
The chapel underwent a two-year, US$10 million restoration between 2000 and 2002. Despite the complexity of the work, the chapel remained open throughout the restoration. The project earned a New Jersey Historic Preservation Award in 2002, and the stone work won the 2004 Tucker Award for Renovation and Restoration from Stone World magazine. At the time, two experts working on the stained glass restoration called it the largest such project that had ever been undertaken in the United States; too large for a single studio, it was divided among studios in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Following the restoration, the chapel was rededicated in an interfaith
ceremony in which people belonging to Buddhism
, Christianity
, Islam
, and Judaism
gave prayers. Leading the ceremony, then-Dean of Religious Life Thomas Breidenthal said, "This edifice is unmistakably Christian, [but] this chapel is meant to belong to all of us."
, although several aspects of it, including the vault
and its supports, recall French churches. The chapel is cruciform
and is built on the scale of a large parish church or a small cathedral. The only precedent for a university chapel of this size was King's College Chapel, and only a small part of that chapel was used regularly. Stillwell cites Exeter Cathedral
and the Octagon tower of Ely Cathedral
as precedents for the architectural detail, but notes that the Princeton chapel's detail nonetheless differs significantly from these.
The foundation is made of poured concrete. When the chapel was built, the rest of the structure above the grade level
was masonry, and the only metal reinforcement was some structural steel in the framing of the roof. During the 2000-02 restoration, some pinnacle
s were reset with stainless steel anchors. The arches of the crossing
were designed to support the addition of a central tower, but this option has not been exercised: in Bush and Kemeny's words, "Cram felt that Princeton already had enough towers."
sandstone
, with Indiana
limestone
used for the trim.
On the western end of the chapel is the narthex
, which has entrances on the north, west, and south walls. An additional door on the chapel's north side opens onto the Hibben Garden, named in recognition of John Grier Hibben's role in the chapel's construction and dedication. The garden of evergeens
was designed by H. Russell Butler, Jr. On the chapel's south side are an additional door at ground level to the east and an exterior pulpit, designed after one at Magdalen College, Oxford
, and named Bright Pulpit, in honor of John Bright
. The chapel is connected on its eastern side to Dickinson Hall by the Rothschild arch, symbolizing a connection between religion and scholarship. Cram resigned as Princeton's supervising architect over the inclusion of the arch, which he disliked; nonetheless, he participated in the chapel's 1928 dedication ceremony. Nearby is the Mather Sundial, a replica of the Turnbull Sundial in the courtyard of Corpus Christi College, Oxford
. A statue of a pelican
, a religious symbol associated with Corpus Christi, sits atop the sundial, which was presented to Princeton in 1907 by William Mather
, then the governor of Victoria University of Manchester
.
Each of the narthex entrances sits below a tympanum
. The tympanum above the main, west entrance depicts Jesus
as described in the Book of Revelation
, together with the four beasts and other relevant iconography. It resembles the tympanum of the Royal Portal of Chartres Cathedral. Beneath the figure of Christ is Princeton University's shield, illustrating the university's motto, Dei sub numine viget ("Under the power of God she flourishes"). The tympana above the north and south entrances depict the Annunciation
and the Baptism of Christ, respectively.
The exterior iconography includes two notable whimsical elements. A downspout
on the east wall features a relief of a bulldog head; a decades-old myth relates that Cram placed it there to recognize Yale University
, whose mascot is the bulldog. (Cram was not a Yale alumnus and in fact did not attend college, so it is unclear what interest he might have had promoting Yale.) A sculptor who worked on the chapel during its construction placed small carvings of his face and Cram's at the bottoms of crockets flanking the main entrance; Cram is identifiable by his glasses.
. Sound-absorbing tile is mounted on parts of the wall and vault
. Running west to east, the main sanctuary consists of a narthex
, a gallery, a nave
, two transepts joined by a crossing
, and an elevated choir; it seats almost 2,000. The building's southeast corner houses a vestry
.
Inscribed on the narthex wall facing the nave is "A Prayer for Princeton", which as of 2008 was still used in services at the chapel. Another inscription, from Psalm 100
, refers to Westminster Choir College
, which holds its commencement ceremonies in the chapel. Two staircases on the east and west of the narthex lead to an upper gallery, which looks out upon the nave.
Three doorways lead from the narthex into the nave, which is 74 feet (23 m) high and named for Hibben. It is divided into three vertical levels: an arcade
at ground level, a triforium
beneath the roofs of the aisles, and a clerestory
. The configuration and its proportions are typical of English churches, but the nave's vaulted ceiling and the colonnettes supporting it recall French churches. The gallery above the narthex is at the level of the triforium. The aisles are narrower than in medieval churches and are used for passage rather than seating. The south aisle features five window bays, while the north has four; where the easternmost bay would be is the entrance to a side chapel called the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. The pews in the nave are constructed from wood originally intended for Civil War
gun carriages; over 100 carvers spent more than a year producing the intricate carvings.
The northern transept is named for Henry Gurdon Marquand
, the benefactor of the Marquand Chapel, which burned to the ground in 1920 and which the present chapel was built to replace. An American flag flown by the USS Princeton
hangs from the transept's north wall. The southern transept is named for Chester Alwyn Braman, the first donor to the University Chapel Fund. A staircase leads from the Braman Transept to the Bright Pulpit.
The choir, named Milbank Choir for Elizabeth Milbank Anderson
is elevated by several steps. An altar stands at the far east end. The altar and the choir stalls were built and carved by Irving and Casson, A. H. Davenport Company, in Sherwood Forest
oak; Cram speculated that the wood may have dated from the time of Robin Hood
. According to Stillwell, the woodwork "represents an outstanding example of American craftsmanship."
An oak
made pulpit stands in front of the choir facing the nave. It originated in the north of France, probably in the mid-1500s. Its French Renaissance
style suggests that it was made during the reign of Henry II
. The lectern
is also oak and dates from the 1600s. It had been used in a church near Avranches
, France, for 200 years. A private individual purchased it shortly before the confiscation of church property
during the French Revolution
. It changed hands several times before Hibben obtained it for the chapel.
The chapel's organ
has 7,897 pipes in 135 ranks and 109 stops. It was designed by Ernest M. Skinner
and installed in 1928. Skinner invented the contra fagotto stop for the Princeton chapel organ in response to a request by Princeton's director of music. In 1990 the organ was dismantled and shipped to England
for a major restoration by Mander Organs
. Thomas Trotter
gave the re-opening recital on the restored organ in 1992.
consists of over 10000 square feet (929 m²) of stained glass as well as stonework and wood carvings. Albert M. Friend, a faculty member in Princeton's Department of Art and Archaeology and an expert on medieval art
, was the primary planner of the iconography, with the support and assistance of Hibben, Cram, and others. A devout Christian, Friend shared Hibben's goal of persuading Princeton students to choose lives of Christian observance and sought with the chapel's iconography, in Milliner's words, "to carefully dismantle materialist objections to Christian faith and to articulate Princeton's synthesis between Christian faith and modern thought." Kessler calls the stained glass "a summa of the heritage of Christianity up to the early twentieth century."
The stained glass windows of the nave's north and south aisles represent one aspect of this synthesis. The north windows depict Biblical figures and scenes, while the south windows contain images associated with human knowledge. The lower of these, at the triforium level, depict the teachings of Christ, while the six upper windows at the clerestory level depict influential figures in Philosophy
, Theology
, Chivalry
, Poetry
, Law
, and Science
, as read from east to west. The Science window faces a window due to Willet on the north wall with scenes from Genesis, symbolizing harmony between the Christian story of the Creation and the modern means of understanding it.
Four large stained glass windows are found in the main sanctuary.
The doorway to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel on the north wall of the nave is topped by carvings of shields representing three Christian religious centers, Jerusalem, Rome
, and Canterbury
, and flanked by carvings representing the seven virtues
and corresponding seven vices
. The other door leaving the Blessed Sacrament Chapel is topped by carvings of shields representing three medieval universities, Oxford
, Paris
, and Salamanca
, and flanked by carvings representing the seven liberal arts (the Trivium and the Quadrivium
) and the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
.
Large stained glass windows due to Connick in the walls of the choir retell four "Christian epics": the Divine Comedy and Le Morte d'Arthur
on the north wall and Paradise Lost
and Pilgrim's Progress on the south wall. Milliner notes that images of historical and legendary people carved into the choir's woodwork "reflect the intended seating during a Chapel ceremony". Images of figures connected to music are carved into the front (west), where the choir would sit, and images of scholars are carved into the back (east), where faculty would sit. Behind the altar are carved images of eight religious figures: four Catholic saints to the north, and four leaders of Protestantism
to the south. The epic windows reinforce the idea of a "Catholic north" and a "Protestant south": Catholics wrote the north epics and Protestants the south epics. In an ecumenical touch, the north and south are symbolically united by "The Love of Christ" in the Great East Window.
Stained glass windows telling the story of the Book of Job
are set into the walls of the staircases between the narthex and the gallery. Friend was known for delivering popular lectures on Job, and Milliner speculates that Friend had these windows included to address the problem of evil
. Connick designed the windows in consultation with Friend, but they were made by others after the former's death.
The chapel's iconography pays tribute in places to the other Abrahamic religions
. Abraham
himself is depicted in a stained glass window on the north side of the nave, together with a Star of David
, a Christian cross
, and a star and crescent
. Other windows show Baruch Spinoza
and Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi; both images were planned before the chapel was built.
In several places the chapel's iconography includes images of figures associated with Princeton University:
The Office of Religious Life calls the chapel "the home of regular religious services for many of the university's faith groups, including the 264-year-old ecumenical Christian worshiping community [...] that founded Princeton in 1746." Though the university was once closely associated with the Presbyterian Church, it has never been affiliated with any religious denomination. In keeping with this tradition, the chapel hosts ecumenical Christian services each Sunday. Roman Catholic mass is celebrated daily.
The chapel also hosts several annual special events.
The Princeton Chapel Choir rehearses, provides music for the weekly service, and performs occasional concerts in the chapel.
at the University of Cambridge
. The tower of the Duke University
Chapel
, the tower of the University of Chicago
's Rockefeller Chapel
, and the campanile
of Valparaiso University
's Chapel of the Resurrection
are all taller than Princeton's chapel, which does not have a tower or other appendages.
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
's main campus in Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It replaces an older chapel that burned down in 1920. Designed in 1921 by Ralph Adams Cram
Ralph Adams Cram
Ralph Adams Cram FAIA, , was a prolific and influential American architect of collegiate and ecclesiastical buildings, often in the Gothic style. Cram & Ferguson and Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson are partnerships in which he worked.-Early life:Cram was born on December 16, 1863 at Hampton Falls, New...
in his signature Collegiate Gothic style, it was built by the university between 1924 and 1928 at a cost of about US$2.3 million, or US$ million in dollars. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
, delivered a sermon there in 1960. The chapel was rededicated in an interfaith
Interfaith
The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels...
ceremony in 2002 following a major two-year restoration.
Its size and design evoke a small cathedral of the English Middle Ages
Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of England
The medieval cathedrals of England, dating from between approximately 1040 and 1540, are a group of twenty-six buildings which together constitute a major aspect of the country’s artistic heritage and are among the most significant material symbols of Christianity. Though diversified in style, they...
. The only university chapel of its size at the time is was built was King's College Chapel
King's College Chapel, Cambridge
King's College Chapel is the chapel to King's College of the University of Cambridge, and is one of the finest examples of late Gothic English architecture, while its early Renaissance rood screen separating the nave and chancel, erected in 1532-36 in a striking contrast of style, has been called...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. The foundation is poured 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...
, and the superstructure
Superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
is 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,...
and 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 main sanctuary consists of a narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
, a gallery, a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, two transepts joined by a crossing
Crossing (architecture)
A crossing, in ecclesiastical architecture, is the junction of the four arms of a cruciform church.In a typically oriented church , the crossing gives access to the nave on the west, the transept arms on the north and south, and the choir on the east.The crossing is sometimes surmounted by a tower...
, and an elevated choir. The chapel's extensive iconography consists of 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...
, stonemasonry
Stonemasonry
The craft of stonemasonry has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures...
, and wood carvings. Among the stained glass are four "great windows", one facing each cardinal direction
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
, and four "Christian epic" windows in the walls of the choir. The iconography was planned by Albert M. Friend, a faculty member in Princeton's Department of Art and Archaeology, with the goal of portraying, in one scholar's words, a "synthesis between Christian faith and modern thought."
The chapel seats almost 2,000 people. A nondenominational chapel, it hosts weekly ecumentical Christian services and daily Catholic masses. It also hosts several annual special events, such as opening exercises, baccalaureate services, and commencement
Commencement
Commencement may refer to:* Graduation, the ceremony at which students receive academic degrees** Commencement speech* "Commencement" * Commencement , by Deadsy* Commencement, a novel by J...
s.
History
Princeton University built the chapel to replace the Marquand Chapel, which stood between where the present chapel and McCosh Hall stand today until it burned to the ground in 1920. The location for the new chapel was chosen for two reasons: symbolically, the new chapel would rise from the ashes of the old one, and practically, it would locate the new chapel centrally as the campus expanded eastward.Ralph Adams Cram
Ralph Adams Cram
Ralph Adams Cram FAIA, , was a prolific and influential American architect of collegiate and ecclesiastical buildings, often in the Gothic style. Cram & Ferguson and Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson are partnerships in which he worked.-Early life:Cram was born on December 16, 1863 at Hampton Falls, New...
, the university's supervising architect, designed and oversaw construction of the new chapel. Cram sought to build a crown jewel for the Collegiate Gothic motif he had championed on the Princeton campus. The university's president
President of Princeton University
Princeton University is led by a President selected by the Board of Trustees. Until the accession of Woodrow Wilson, a political scientist, in 1902, they were all clergymen, as well as professors. President Tilghman is a biologist; her two predecessors were economists.-Presidents:# Reverend...
, John Grier Hibben
John Grier Hibben
John Grier Hibben was a Presbyterian minister, a philosopher, and educator. He served as president of Princeton University from 1912–1932, succeeding Woodrow Wilson and implementing many of the reforms started by Wilson.-Early life:Hibben was born in Peoria, Illinois, just before the start...
, had a stake in the project, as well: student hostility toward Princeton's brand of mainline Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
was on the rise. An ordained minister, Hibben hoped the new chapel's majesty would inspire students to attend services of their own volition. Cram, a convert to High Church
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
Episcopalianism
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
from Unitarianism
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
, also lent support to this aim.
Cram designed the chapel with the assistance of Alexander Hoyle, a member of his firm. Albert M. Friend, a faculty member in Princeton's Department of Art and Archaeology, played a central role in planning the iconography. It was built by Matthews Construction Company, which worked on several projects on Princeton's campus. Charles Connick
Charles Connick
Charles Jay Connick was a prominent American painter, muralist, and designer best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. Born in Springboro, Pennsylvania, Connick eventually settled in the Boston area where he opened his studio in 1913...
, Henry Lee Willet of the studio that would become Willet Hauser
Willet Hauser Architectural Glass
- Sculptured gold windows :Henry Willet created the first sculptured gold window between 1948-49. When first devised, the sculptured gold overlay was based on leaded stained glass windows. Later, faceted glass set in epoxy resin was used...
, the Philadelphia-based 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...
artist Nicola d'Ascenzo, and several others contributed to the stained glass windows.
The plans for the new chapel were made public in 1921. Hibben called replacing the Marquand Chapel "an immediate necessity"; nonetheless, the project encountered financial problems early on. The insurance money from the Marquand Chapel was insufficient, and fundraising for the chapel competed with an ongoing general capital campaign for the university. Ground was ultimately broken during Commencement in June 1924, and in the following year Cram and Hibben laid the cornerstone. The construction received considerable media attention, as it promised to be the largest university chapel in the United States and the second largest in the world after King's College Chapel, Cambridge
King's College Chapel, Cambridge
King's College Chapel is the chapel to King's College of the University of Cambridge, and is one of the finest examples of late Gothic English architecture, while its early Renaissance rood screen separating the nave and chancel, erected in 1532-36 in a striking contrast of style, has been called...
. The construction cost about US$2.3 million (approximately US$ million in dollars) and was completed in 1928. Hibben led the dedication ceremony that same year.
On March 13, 1960, less than six weeks after the first of the Greensboro sit-ins
Greensboro sit-ins
The Greensboro sit-ins were a series of nonviolent protests which led to the Woolworth's department store chain reversing its policy of racial segregation in the Southern United States....
, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
, delivered a sermon at the chapel. In the sermon he called for universal brotherhood and a life of spiritual richness. A plaque on the interior south wall of the chapel's nave commemorates the occasion.
The chapel underwent a two-year, US$10 million restoration between 2000 and 2002. Despite the complexity of the work, the chapel remained open throughout the restoration. The project earned a New Jersey Historic Preservation Award in 2002, and the stone work won the 2004 Tucker Award for Renovation and Restoration from Stone World magazine. At the time, two experts working on the stained glass restoration called it the largest such project that had ever been undertaken in the United States; too large for a single studio, it was divided among studios in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Following the restoration, the chapel was rededicated in an interfaith
Interfaith
The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels...
ceremony in which people belonging to Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
gave prayers. Leading the ceremony, then-Dean of Religious Life Thomas Breidenthal said, "This edifice is unmistakably Christian, [but] this chapel is meant to belong to all of us."
Description
The chapel's Collegiate Gothic design evokes an English church of the Middle AgesArchitecture of the medieval cathedrals of England
The medieval cathedrals of England, dating from between approximately 1040 and 1540, are a group of twenty-six buildings which together constitute a major aspect of the country’s artistic heritage and are among the most significant material symbols of Christianity. Though diversified in style, they...
, although several aspects of it, including the vault
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
and its supports, recall French churches. The chapel is cruciform
Cruciform
Cruciform means having the shape of a cross or Christian cross.- Cruciform architectural plan :This is a common description of Christian churches. In Early Christian, Byzantine and other Eastern Orthodox forms of church architecture this is more likely to mean a tetraconch plan, a Greek cross,...
and is built on the scale of a large parish church or a small cathedral. The only precedent for a university chapel of this size was King's College Chapel, and only a small part of that chapel was used regularly. Stillwell cites Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter at Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon in South West England....
and the Octagon tower of Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
as precedents for the architectural detail, but notes that the Princeton chapel's detail nonetheless differs significantly from these.
The foundation is made of poured concrete. When the chapel was built, the rest of the structure above the grade level
Land grading
Grading in civil engineering and construction is the work of ensuring a level base, or one with a specified slope, for a construction work such as a foundation, the base course for a road or a railway, or landscape and garden improvements, or surface drainage...
was masonry, and the only metal reinforcement was some structural steel in the framing of the roof. During the 2000-02 restoration, some pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s were reset with stainless steel anchors. The arches of the crossing
Crossing (architecture)
A crossing, in ecclesiastical architecture, is the junction of the four arms of a cruciform church.In a typically oriented church , the crossing gives access to the nave on the west, the transept arms on the north and south, and the choir on the east.The crossing is sometimes surmounted by a tower...
were designed to support the addition of a central tower, but this option has not been exercised: in Bush and Kemeny's words, "Cram felt that Princeton already had enough towers."
Exterior
The chapel is approximately the size of a small medieval English cathedral. Measured on the exterior, it is 277 feet (84 m) long, 76 feet (23 m) wide at its transepts, and 121 feet (37 m) high. The exterior is constructed largely from PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
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
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
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....
used for the trim.
On the western end of the chapel is the narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
, which has entrances on the north, west, and south walls. An additional door on the chapel's north side opens onto the Hibben Garden, named in recognition of John Grier Hibben's role in the chapel's construction and dedication. The garden of evergeens
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
was designed by H. Russell Butler, Jr. On the chapel's south side are an additional door at ground level to the east and an exterior pulpit, designed after one at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, and named Bright Pulpit, in honor of John Bright
John Bright
John Bright , Quaker, was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, associated with Richard Cobden in the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League. He was one of the greatest orators of his generation, and a strong critic of British foreign policy...
. The chapel is connected on its eastern side to Dickinson Hall by the Rothschild arch, symbolizing a connection between religion and scholarship. Cram resigned as Princeton's supervising architect over the inclusion of the arch, which he disliked; nonetheless, he participated in the chapel's 1928 dedication ceremony. Nearby is the Mather Sundial, a replica of the Turnbull Sundial in the courtyard of Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
. A statue of a pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
, a religious symbol associated with Corpus Christi, sits atop the sundial, which was presented to Princeton in 1907 by William Mather
William Mather
Sir William Mather was a British industrialist and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1885 and 1904....
, then the governor of Victoria University of Manchester
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
.
Each of the narthex entrances sits below a tympanum
Tympanum (architecture)
In architecture, a tympanum is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch. It often contains sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Most architectural styles include this element....
. The tympanum above the main, west entrance depicts Jesus
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
as described in the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
, together with the four beasts and other relevant iconography. It resembles the tympanum of the Royal Portal of Chartres Cathedral. Beneath the figure of Christ is Princeton University's shield, illustrating the university's motto, Dei sub numine viget ("Under the power of God she flourishes"). The tympana above the north and south entrances depict the Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
and the Baptism of Christ, respectively.
The exterior iconography includes two notable whimsical elements. A downspout
Downspout
A downspout, downpipe, roof drain pipe, or leader is a vertical pipe for carrying rainwater from a rain gutter to ground level...
on the east wall features a relief of a bulldog head; a decades-old myth relates that Cram placed it there to recognize Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, whose mascot is the bulldog. (Cram was not a Yale alumnus and in fact did not attend college, so it is unclear what interest he might have had promoting Yale.) A sculptor who worked on the chapel during its construction placed small carvings of his face and Cram's at the bottoms of crockets flanking the main entrance; Cram is identifiable by his glasses.
Interior
Measured in the interior, the chapel is 249 feet (76 m) long, 93.5 feet (28 m) wide at its transepts, and 78.5 feet (24 m) high at the crossing. Most of the interior is limestone, but the aisles and the central area of the choir are Aquia Creek sandstoneAquia Creek sandstone
Aquia Creek sandstone is a type of brown to light-gray freestone used extensively in building construction in Washington, D.C. in the late 18th and early 19th centuries...
. Sound-absorbing tile is mounted on parts of the wall and vault
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
. Running west to east, the main sanctuary consists of a narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
, a gallery, a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, two transepts joined by a crossing
Crossing (architecture)
A crossing, in ecclesiastical architecture, is the junction of the four arms of a cruciform church.In a typically oriented church , the crossing gives access to the nave on the west, the transept arms on the north and south, and the choir on the east.The crossing is sometimes surmounted by a tower...
, and an elevated choir; it seats almost 2,000. The building's southeast corner houses a vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
.
Inscribed on the narthex wall facing the nave is "A Prayer for Princeton", which as of 2008 was still used in services at the chapel. Another inscription, from Psalm 100
Psalm 100
Psalm 100 is part of the biblical Book of Psalms. It may be used as a canticle in the Anglican liturgy of Morning Prayer, when it is referred to by its incipit as the Jubilate or Jubilate Deo...
, refers to Westminster Choir College
Westminster Choir College
Westminster Choir College is a residential college of music, part of Rider University, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States.Westminster Choir College educates men and women at the undergraduate and graduate levels for musical careers in music education, voice performance, piano...
, which holds its commencement ceremonies in the chapel. Two staircases on the east and west of the narthex lead to an upper gallery, which looks out upon the nave.
Three doorways lead from the narthex into the nave, which is 74 feet (23 m) high and named for Hibben. It is divided into three vertical levels: an arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
at ground level, a triforium
Triforium
A triforium is a shallow arched gallery within the thickness of inner wall, which stands above the nave of a church or cathedral. It may occur at the level of the clerestory windows, or it may be located as a separate level below the clerestory. It may itself have an outer wall of glass rather than...
beneath the roofs of the aisles, and a clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
. The configuration and its proportions are typical of English churches, but the nave's vaulted ceiling and the colonnettes supporting it recall French churches. The gallery above the narthex is at the level of the triforium. The aisles are narrower than in medieval churches and are used for passage rather than seating. The south aisle features five window bays, while the north has four; where the easternmost bay would be is the entrance to a side chapel called the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. The pews in the nave are constructed from wood originally intended for Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
gun carriages; over 100 carvers spent more than a year producing the intricate carvings.
The northern transept is named for Henry Gurdon Marquand
Henry Gurdon Marquand
Henry Gurdon Marquand , American philanthropist and collector, was born in New York City on 11 April 1819. In 1839, upon the retirement from the jewelry business of his brother, Frederick , who was a liberal benefactor of Yale College and of the Union Theological Seminary, he became his brother's...
, the benefactor of the Marquand Chapel, which burned to the ground in 1920 and which the present chapel was built to replace. An American flag flown by the USS Princeton
USS Princeton (CVL-23)
The fourth USS Princeton was a United States Navy lost at the battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944.-Construction and deployment:The ship was laid down as the Tallahassee by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey, 2 June 1941...
hangs from the transept's north wall. The southern transept is named for Chester Alwyn Braman, the first donor to the University Chapel Fund. A staircase leads from the Braman Transept to the Bright Pulpit.
The choir, named Milbank Choir for Elizabeth Milbank Anderson
Elizabeth Milbank Anderson
Elizabeth Milbank Anderson , philanthropist and advocate for public health and women's education, was the daughter of Jeremiah Milbank , a successful commission merchant, manufacturer and investor, and Elizabeth Lake...
is elevated by several steps. An altar stands at the far east end. The altar and the choir stalls were built and carved by Irving and Casson, A. H. Davenport Company, in Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest is a Royal Forest in Nottinghamshire, England, that is famous through its historical association with the legend of Robin Hood. Continuously forested since the end of the Ice Age, Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve today encompasses 423 hectares surrounding the village of...
oak; Cram speculated that the wood may have dated from the time of Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
. According to Stillwell, the woodwork "represents an outstanding example of American craftsmanship."
An oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
made pulpit stands in front of the choir facing the nave. It originated in the north of France, probably in the mid-1500s. Its French Renaissance
French Renaissance
French Renaissance is a recent term used to describe a cultural and artistic movement in France from the late 15th century to the early 17th century. It is associated with the pan-European Renaissance that many cultural historians believe originated in northern Italy in the fourteenth century...
style suggests that it was made during the reign of Henry II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
. The lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
is also oak and dates from the 1600s. It had been used in a church near Avranches
Avranches
Avranches is a commune in the Manche department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called Avranchinais.-History:...
, France, for 200 years. A private individual purchased it shortly before the confiscation of church property
Dechristianisation of France during the French Revolution
The dechristianisation of France during the French Revolution is a conventional description of the results of a number of separate policies, conducted by various governments of France between the start of the French Revolution in 1789 and the Concordat of 1801, forming the basis of the later and...
during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. It changed hands several times before Hibben obtained it for the chapel.
The chapel's 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...
has 7,897 pipes in 135 ranks and 109 stops. It was designed by Ernest M. Skinner
Ernest M. Skinner
Ernest M. Skinner was one of the most successful American organ builders of the early 20th century.-Early years:...
and installed in 1928. Skinner invented the contra fagotto stop for the Princeton chapel organ in response to a request by Princeton's director of music. In 1990 the organ was dismantled and shipped to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for a major restoration by Mander Organs
Mander Organs
Mander Organs is an English pipe organ maker and refurbisher based in London. Although well known for many years in the world of organ building, they achieved wider notability in 2004 with their refurbishment of the Royal Albert Hall's Father Willis organ....
. Thomas Trotter
Thomas Trotter
Thomas Trotter is a British concert organist. He is Birmingham City Organist and organist of St. Margaret's, Westminster and visiting Professor of Organ at the Royal College of Music, London....
gave the re-opening recital on the restored organ in 1992.
Iconography
The chapel's iconographyIconography
Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Greek "image" and "to write". A secondary meaning is the painting of icons in the...
consists of over 10000 square feet (929 m²) of stained glass as well as stonework and wood carvings. Albert M. Friend, a faculty member in Princeton's Department of Art and Archaeology and an expert on medieval art
Medieval art
The medieval art of the Western world covers a vast scope of time and place, over 1000 years of art history in Europe, and at times the Middle East and North Africa...
, was the primary planner of the iconography, with the support and assistance of Hibben, Cram, and others. A devout Christian, Friend shared Hibben's goal of persuading Princeton students to choose lives of Christian observance and sought with the chapel's iconography, in Milliner's words, "to carefully dismantle materialist objections to Christian faith and to articulate Princeton's synthesis between Christian faith and modern thought." Kessler calls the stained glass "a summa of the heritage of Christianity up to the early twentieth century."
The stained glass windows of the nave's north and south aisles represent one aspect of this synthesis. The north windows depict Biblical figures and scenes, while the south windows contain images associated with human knowledge. The lower of these, at the triforium level, depict the teachings of Christ, while the six upper windows at the clerestory level depict influential figures in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, Chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
, Poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, and Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, as read from east to west. The Science window faces a window due to Willet on the north wall with scenes from Genesis, symbolizing harmony between the Christian story of the Creation and the modern means of understanding it.
Four large stained glass windows are found in the main sanctuary.
- The Great East Window, "The Love of Christ": Milbank Choir. Due to Charles ConnickCharles ConnickCharles Jay Connick was a prominent American painter, muralist, and designer best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. Born in Springboro, Pennsylvania, Connick eventually settled in the Boston area where he opened his studio in 1913...
, it is richly decorated with scenes from the life of Christ, culminating with an image of the Crucifixion of JesusCrucifixion of JesusThe crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross...
in the great roseRose windowA Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
. The process of selecting the scenes for this window was contentious, pitting the preferences of the conservative Presbyterian Hibben and his colleagues against those of the Milbank family, the window's donors and liberal EpiscopaliansEpiscopal 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...
. The final compromise paired the Works of MercyWorks of MercyThe Works of Mercy or Acts of Mercy are actions and practices which Christianity in general, and the Methodist Church, Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church in particular, consider expectations to be fulfilled by believers, and are a means of grace, which aid in sanctification.The...
with Gospel scenes complementing each of them. - The Great West Window, "The Second Coming of Christ": the gallery. Due to Nicola d'Ascenzo of Philadelphia, this window epitomizes Friend's iconographical argument. To students who would complain of the burdens of religion in daily life, the window answers with John 10John 10- Key Thoughts and Phrases :* ...the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. * The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly....
:10: "I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." - The Great North Window, "Christ the Martyr": Marquand Transept. A verse from Mark 13Mark 13Mark 13 is the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It contains Jesus' predictions of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and a disaster for Judea, as well as his eschatological discourse....
:13, "He who shall endure to the end shall be saved", is carved below the window, declaring the theme. The lower part of the window shows historical Christians noted for their perseverance. - The Great South Window, "Christ the Teacher": Braman Transept. Here again the theme is declared by a Gospel verse, this time John 8John 8John 8 is the eighth chapter in the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It continues the account of Jesus' debate with the Pharisees at the Feast of Tabernacles, which began in the previous chapter....
:32, "And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Noted Christian writers and teachers are depicted at the bottom with the seven liberal arts.
The doorway to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel on the north wall of the nave is topped by carvings of shields representing three Christian religious centers, Jerusalem, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, and flanked by carvings representing the seven virtues
Seven virtues
In the Catholic catechism, the seven catholic virtues refer to the combination of two lists of virtues, the 4 cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, restraint or temperance, and courage or fortitude, and the 3 theological virtues of faith, hope, and love or charity ; these were adopted by the...
and corresponding seven vices
Seven deadly sins
The 7 Deadly Sins, also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins, is a classification of objectionable vices that have been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin...
. The other door leaving the Blessed Sacrament Chapel is topped by carvings of shields representing three medieval universities, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, and Salamanca
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
, and flanked by carvings representing the seven liberal arts (the Trivium and the Quadrivium
Quadrivium
The quadrivium comprised the four subjects, or arts, taught in medieval universities, after teaching the trivium. The word is Latin, meaning "the four ways" , and its use for the 4 subjects has been attributed to Boethius or Cassiodorus in the 6th century...
) and the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are a medieval enumeration of seven spiritual gifts probably encodified by Thomas Aquinas along with five intellectual virtues and four other groups of ethical characteristics. They are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the...
.
Large stained glass windows due to Connick in the walls of the choir retell four "Christian epics": the Divine Comedy and Le Morte d'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur is a compilation by Sir Thomas Malory of Romance tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table...
on the north wall and Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. It was originally published in 1667 in ten books, with a total of over ten thousand individual lines of verse...
and Pilgrim's Progress on the south wall. Milliner notes that images of historical and legendary people carved into the choir's woodwork "reflect the intended seating during a Chapel ceremony". Images of figures connected to music are carved into the front (west), where the choir would sit, and images of scholars are carved into the back (east), where faculty would sit. Behind the altar are carved images of eight religious figures: four Catholic saints to the north, and four leaders of Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
to the south. The epic windows reinforce the idea of a "Catholic north" and a "Protestant south": Catholics wrote the north epics and Protestants the south epics. In an ecumenical touch, the north and south are symbolically united by "The Love of Christ" in the Great East Window.
Stained glass windows telling the story of the Book of Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
are set into the walls of the staircases between the narthex and the gallery. Friend was known for delivering popular lectures on Job, and Milliner speculates that Friend had these windows included to address the problem of evil
Problem of evil
In the philosophy of religion, the problem of evil is the question of how to explain evil if there exists a deity that is omnibenevolent, omnipotent, and omniscient . Some philosophers have claimed that the existences of such a god and of evil are logically incompatible or unlikely...
. Connick designed the windows in consultation with Friend, but they were made by others after the former's death.
The chapel's iconography pays tribute in places to the other Abrahamic religions
Abrahamic religions
Abrahamic religions are the monotheistic faiths emphasizing and tracing their common origin to Abraham or recognizing a spiritual tradition identified with him...
. Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
himself is depicted in a stained glass window on the north side of the nave, together with a Star of David
Star of David
The Star of David, known in Hebrew as the Shield of David or Magen David is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles...
, a Christian cross
Christian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
, and a star and crescent
Star and crescent
A star and crescent featuring in some combination form the basis of symbols widely found across the ancient world, with examples attested from the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia....
. Other windows show Baruch Spinoza
Baruch Spinoza
Baruch de Spinoza and later Benedict de Spinoza was a Dutch Jewish philosopher. Revealing considerable scientific aptitude, the breadth and importance of Spinoza's work was not fully realized until years after his death...
and Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi; both images were planned before the chapel was built.
In several places the chapel's iconography includes images of figures associated with Princeton University:
- Jonathan Edwards, Princeton's third presidentPresident of Princeton UniversityPrinceton University is led by a President selected by the Board of Trustees. Until the accession of Woodrow Wilson, a political scientist, in 1902, they were all clergymen, as well as professors. President Tilghman is a biologist; her two predecessors were economists.-Presidents:# Reverend...
: in the Theology window in the nave's south wall and again among the Protestant leaders carved into the woodwork in the choir behind the altar. - Joseph HenryJoseph HenryJoseph Henry was an American scientist who served as the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, as well as a founding member of the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, a precursor of the Smithsonian Institution. During his lifetime, he was highly regarded...
, a professor and TrusteeTrustees of Princeton UniversityThe Trustees of Princeton University is a 40-member board responsible for managing Princeton University's endowment, real estate, instructional programs, and admission...
of Princeton: in the Science window in the nave's south wall. - James MadisonJames MadisonJames Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
, a 1771 graduate of Princeton and its first graduate student: in the Law window in the nave's south wall. - Adlai Stevenson II, a 1922 graduate of Princeton: in a dedicated stained glass window near the vestry.
- John WitherspoonJohn WitherspoonJohn Witherspoon was a signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New Jersey. As president of the College of New Jersey , he trained many leaders of the early nation and was the only active clergyman and the only college president to sign the Declaration...
, Princeton's sixth president: in the Great South Window, among the Christian teachers.
Current use
The chapel operates within university's Office of Religious Life. It is overseen by the Dean of the Chapel. The current Dean of the Chapel is Alison Boden, who is also Dean of Religious Life at Princeton.The Office of Religious Life calls the chapel "the home of regular religious services for many of the university's faith groups, including the 264-year-old ecumenical Christian worshiping community [...] that founded Princeton in 1746." Though the university was once closely associated with the Presbyterian Church, it has never been affiliated with any religious denomination. In keeping with this tradition, the chapel hosts ecumenical Christian services each Sunday. Roman Catholic mass is celebrated daily.
The chapel also hosts several annual special events.
- Opening Exercises: The ceremony marking the beginning of the university's academic year has been held in the chapel since 1929.
- Service of Remembrance: On Alumni Day, the chapel hosts a service remembering members of the Princeton University community who died during the preceding calendar year.
- Westminster Choir CollegeWestminster Choir CollegeWestminster Choir College is a residential college of music, part of Rider University, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States.Westminster Choir College educates men and women at the undergraduate and graduate levels for musical careers in music education, voice performance, piano...
commencement: The nearby conservatory has held its commencementGraduationGraduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
ceremonies in the chapel for decades. - Baccalaureate: Princeton University's graduating senior class attends an interfaith baccalaureate serviceBaccalaureate serviceA baccalaureate service is a celebration which honors a graduating senior class from a college or high school...
in the chapel on the Sunday prior to Commencement.
The Princeton Chapel Choir rehearses, provides music for the weekly service, and performs occasional concerts in the chapel.
Relative size
The Office of Religious Life calls the chapel the third-largest university chapel in the world. According to Milliner, Princeton's is the second-tallest by height of the nave at the crossing; the tallest is King's College ChapelKing's College Chapel, Cambridge
King's College Chapel is the chapel to King's College of the University of Cambridge, and is one of the finest examples of late Gothic English architecture, while its early Renaissance rood screen separating the nave and chancel, erected in 1532-36 in a striking contrast of style, has been called...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. The tower of the Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
Chapel
Duke Chapel
Duke University Chapel is a chapel located at the center of the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. It is an ecumenical Christian chapel and the center of religion at Duke, and has connections to the United Methodist Church...
, the tower of the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
's Rockefeller Chapel
Rockefeller Chapel
Rockefeller Chapel is, by order, the tallest building on the campus of the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. It was meant by patron John D...
, and the campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
of Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University, known colloquially as Valpo, is a regionally accredited private university located in the city of Valparaiso in the U.S. state of Indiana. Founded in 1859, it consists of five undergraduate colleges, a graduate school, a nursing school and a law school...
's Chapel of the Resurrection
Chapel of the Resurrection
The Chapel of the Resurrection is the centerpiece structure on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. It has been described as the largest collegiate chapel in the United States and the second largest collegiate chapel in the world...
are all taller than Princeton's chapel, which does not have a tower or other appendages.
Works cited
- Milliner, Matthew J. (2007). "The Princeton University Chapel". Pamphlet. The Educational Technologies Center of Princeton University. Hypertext; PDF.