Rosary Cathedral (Toledo, Ohio)
Encyclopedia
Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located at 2535 Collingwood Boulevard in the Old West End
of Toledo, Ohio
. The cathedral is the mother church of the 163 parishes in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo
. This cathedral is unique architecturally in that it was designed in the Spanish Plateresque
style. It was designed with Toledo's Sister City, Toledo, Spain
in mind. Finished in 1931, it was built in the spirit of the great European cathedrals of the Middle Ages.
. Ground breaking for the cathedral occurred in 1925 and the cornerstone was placed in 1926. The building was structurally completed amidst the Great Depression
in 1931 at a cost of $3.25 million. It was not until October 1940, at the end of the depression, that Bishop Karl Joseph Alter (1931-1950), the third bishop of the diocese, dedicated the church as The Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral.
floorplan and is constructed of Massachusetts granite with Indiana limestone accents. The main facade has a single entry that is recessed in a barrel-vault arch framed by carved limestone details. Above the doorway is a statue of the Virgin Mary
in a carved niche. Above the statue is a 28 ft (8.5 m) rose window with limestone tracery set into a larger arch. The window depicts scenes from the life of Mary and was financed through the donation of pennies by children throughout the diocese. Framing the entry are two octagonal towers which bear carvings of Sts. Peter and Paul on either side of the rose window. Above the window, on the pediment
, are the diocesan coat of arms. The entire facade is surmounted by a crucifix. A frieze which encircles the exterior depicts notable events in the history of the church.
The nave of the cathedral is topped by a barrel vault that is divided into seven bays and elaborately painted with figures from both the Old and New Testaments executed by artist Felix Lieftuchter. The paintings use the Keim process which utilizes mineral paints that does not evaporate or interfere with acoustics. Each bay holds a triple window measuring 26 ft (7.9 m) high and 8 ft (2.4 m) wide. Along the nave are altars dedicated to St. Theresa of Lisieux and Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
The main altar is carved from Florido marble imported from Spain and was before the renovation covered with an oak baldachin
supported on marble columns. The pulpit is carved from white oak by German artisan August Schmidt. Around the apse are statues of the eight authors of the New Testament. Each statue stands under a carved flèche
.
pipe organ
, their opus 820 (1930). The instrument was formerly dedicated in 1931 by Palmer Christian, professor of organ at the University of Michigan. It contains 5,500 pipe ranging in length from 7 inches to over 32 feet. According to the Cathedral Music page on the Holy Rosary Website this fine Skinner organ represents the culmination of his career and reflects the influences of Willis, Cavaille-Coll, and G. Donald Harrison. In 2009 the instrument received an historical citation from the Organ Historical Society
.
Its sister organ resides in the peristyle concert hall in the Toledo Museum of Art
.
Old West End
The Old West End is a historic neighborhood in Toledo, Ohio and is considered to be "the largest neighborhood of late Victorian, Edwardian , and Arts & Crafts homes east of the Mississippi."...
of Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. The cathedral is the mother church of the 163 parishes in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo is a Roman Catholic diocese covering nineteen counties in Ohio. It was established April 15, 1910. Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral is the mother church of the diocese.-Bishops:...
. This cathedral is unique architecturally in that it was designed in the Spanish Plateresque
Plateresque
Plateresque, meaning "in the manner of a silversmith" , was an artistic movement, especially architectural, traditionally held to be exclusive to Spain and its territories, which appeared between the late Gothic and early Renaissance in the late 15th century, and spread over the next two centuries...
style. It was designed with Toledo's Sister City, Toledo, Spain
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
in mind. Finished in 1931, it was built in the spirit of the great European cathedrals of the Middle Ages.
History
The second bishop of the diocese of Toledo, Ohio, Samuel Stritch (1921-1930), made the final selection of plans approving the architectural drawings of William Perry of Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. Ground breaking for the cathedral occurred in 1925 and the cornerstone was placed in 1926. The building was structurally completed amidst the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
in 1931 at a cost of $3.25 million. It was not until October 1940, at the end of the depression, that Bishop Karl Joseph Alter (1931-1950), the third bishop of the diocese, dedicated the church as The Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral.
Architecture
The cathedral has a basilicaBasilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
floorplan and is constructed of Massachusetts granite with Indiana limestone accents. The main facade has a single entry that is recessed in a barrel-vault arch framed by carved limestone details. Above the doorway is a statue of the Virgin Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
in a carved niche. Above the statue is a 28 ft (8.5 m) rose window with limestone tracery set into a larger arch. The window depicts scenes from the life of Mary and was financed through the donation of pennies by children throughout the diocese. Framing the entry are two octagonal towers which bear carvings of Sts. Peter and Paul on either side of the rose window. Above the window, on the pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
, are the diocesan coat of arms. The entire facade is surmounted by a crucifix. A frieze which encircles the exterior depicts notable events in the history of the church.
The nave of the cathedral is topped by a barrel vault that is divided into seven bays and elaborately painted with figures from both the Old and New Testaments executed by artist Felix Lieftuchter. The paintings use the Keim process which utilizes mineral paints that does not evaporate or interfere with acoustics. Each bay holds a triple window measuring 26 ft (7.9 m) high and 8 ft (2.4 m) wide. Along the nave are altars dedicated to St. Theresa of Lisieux and Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
The main altar is carved from Florido marble imported from Spain and was before the renovation covered with an oak baldachin
Baldachin
A baldachin, or baldaquin , is a canopy of state over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over high altars in cathedrals, where such a structure is more correctly called a ciborium when it is...
supported on marble columns. The pulpit is carved from white oak by German artisan August Schmidt. Around the apse are statues of the eight authors of the New Testament. Each statue stands under a carved 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...
.
Ernest M. Skinner organ
The cathedral houses a large 4 manual Ernest M. SkinnerErnest M. Skinner
Ernest M. Skinner was one of the most successful American organ builders of the early 20th century.-Early years:...
pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, their opus 820 (1930). The instrument was formerly dedicated in 1931 by Palmer Christian, professor of organ at the University of Michigan. It contains 5,500 pipe ranging in length from 7 inches to over 32 feet. According to the Cathedral Music page on the Holy Rosary Website this fine Skinner organ represents the culmination of his career and reflects the influences of Willis, Cavaille-Coll, and G. Donald Harrison. In 2009 the instrument received an historical citation from the Organ Historical Society
Organ Historical Society
The Organ Historical Society is an international organization primarily composed of pipe organ enthusiasts and those who enjoy its music, and professional restorers. The main activities of the Society include promoting an active interest in the organ and its builders, particularly those in North...
.
Its sister organ resides in the peristyle concert hall in the Toledo Museum of Art
Toledo Museum of Art
The Toledo Museum of Art is an internationally known art museum located in the Old West End neighborhood of Toledo, Ohio, United States. The museum was founded by Toledo glassmaker Edward Drummond Libbey in 1901, and moved to its present location, a Greek revival building designed by Edward B....
.
Recent Restoration
The interior of the church was restored in 2000 and many decades of accumulated soot from coal-fired and oil-fired boilers were removed bringing back the many beautiful mosaics in their original brilliance and luster.Dimensions
- Overall Length - 285 feet
- Overall Width - 215 feet
- Height from floor to peak - 96 feet
- Normal Seating - 1400
- Rose Window - 28 feet in diameter
- Tabernacle - 5 feet in height