Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral ofOur Lady of the Angels |
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Exterior view 
Nave view Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles
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| 34°3′30″N 118°14′45″W / 34.05833°N 118.24583°W | |
| Location | 555 W. Temple St. Los Angeles, California |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Dedication | September 2, 2002 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Rafael Moneo |
| Style | Modern architecture; deconstructivist elements |
| Completed | 2002 |
| Construction cost | $189.7 million |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 3,000 people |
| Length | 333 feet (101 m) ; nave |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Los Angeles |
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (Spanish: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles), informally known as the COLA or the Los Angeles Cathedral (Spanish: Catedral de Los Ángeles), is the metropolitan cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles, California, United States. It opened in 2002 and serves as the mother church for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as well as the seat of Archbishop José Horacio Gómez.
The structure replaced the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, which was severely damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Under Roger Cardinal Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, Our Lady of the Angels was begun in 1998 and formally dedicated on September 2, 2002. There was considerable controversy over both its deconstructivist and modern design, costs incurred in its construction and furnishing, and the archdiocese's decision to build a crypt under the cathedral.
The cathedral is named in honor of the Virgin Mary under the patronal title of "Our Lady of the Angels", echoing the full name of the original settlement of Los Angeles (Spanish: El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles, or "The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels"). The cathedral is widely known for enshrining the relics of Saint Vibiana and tilma piece of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is the mother church to approximately five million professed Catholics in the archdiocese.
Contents
History
The Cathedral of Saint Vibiana had served as the cathedral of the Los Angeles see since its completion in 1876. Soon after its completion, the diocese noted it to be of inferior construction quality and also too small for Los Angeles' rapidly growing population. In 1904, Bishop Thomas James Conaty gained permission from the Holy See to build a new cathedral to be named after Our Lady of the Angels. However, an economic downturn in 1907 put a stop to the project; a Catholic parish church was later built on the site. In the 1940s, plans were drawn up for a new cathedral on Wilshire Boulevard that would seat 3,000 people, and in 1945 Archbishop John Joseph Cantwell announced that the Holy See approved the name "Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels". That cathedral was never built, however, as Cantwell died in 1947 and his successor, James Francis McIntyre, decided instead that building new parish churches and schools in the expanding metropolis was a more pressing need for the archdiocese. McIntyre gained permission from donors to redirect money donated for the Cantwell cathedral fund to those needs.
The 1994 Northridge earthquake severely damaged the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, which led the archdiocese to close the cathedral due to safety concerns. In January 1995 the archdiocese announced plans to build a new cathedral on the Saint Vibiana site, plans which necessitated the demolition of the old cathedral. This led to a lengthy legal battle between the archdiocese and preservationists, who argued that the cathedral was a city landmark and that it should be either incorporated into the new cathedral or otherwise saved. The archdiocese contended that restoring the old cathedral to carry out its functions safely would cost $18–20 million, and had not received any pledges or donations for this purpose.
This legal battle prompted the archdiocese to look to build the cathedral on a new site. In December 1996, the archdiocese announced it was purchasing a 5.6-acre (2.3 ha) site between Temple Street and the Hollywood Freeway from Los Angeles County at a cost of $10.85 million. The archdiocese chose to retain the "Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels" name approved by the Vatican in the 1940s. The initially proposed budget for the project was $150 million, rising to a final cost of $189.7 million. The construction was supervised by Father Richard S. Vosko, a liturgical design consultant and priest of the Diocese of Albany who has overseen the design and renovation of numerous churches and cathedrals in the United States. Construction began in 1998 and was completed in September 2002.
Design
The architect was Pritzker Prize-winning Spaniard Rafael Moneo. Using elements of postmodern architecture, the church and the Cathedral Center feature a series of acute and obtuse angles while avoiding right angles. Contemporary statuary and appointments decorate the complex. Prominent of these appointments are the bronze doors and the statue called The Virgin Mary, all adorning the entrance and designed by Robert Graham. Other features include three fountains and a bronze sculpture by Johnny Bear Contreras dedicated as a Native American memorial. The building is equipped with solar panels for generating 15% of its electricity.
In addition to the church, the cathedral grounds also include a mausoleum, gift shop, cafe, children's garden, conference center, and clergy residences. The relics of Saint Vibiana are interred in the mausoleum, as are the remains of several past bishops, archbishops, and auxiliary bishops of Los Angeles. The size of the cathedral is 6,038 square metres (64,990 sq ft).
Organ
The organ is Opus 75 of Dobson Pipe Organ Builders of Lake City, Iowa, and is a 105 rank four-manual instrument that incorporates pipes from the 1929 Wangerin organ of St. Vibiana's Cathedral. The St. Vibiana instrument had been rebuilt in 1988 by Austin Organs. The Dobson instrument has a total of 6,019 pipes and was dedicated in 2003. It is the 89th largest pipe organ in North America and the 143rd largest in the world. The organ case is approximately 60 feet (18 m) high, and is located approximately 24 feet (7.3 m) above the floor. To meet earthquake-stability requirements, the pipes and case are supported by a massive internal steel frame.
Mausoleum
The cathedral features a mausoleum in its lower level, containing 1,270 crypts and 4,746 columbarium niches for burials. Proceeds from the sale of memorials and burial spaces are placed in an endowment fund to support the cathedral.
All past ordinaries of the archdiocese are memorialized in the mausoleum, including a future burial site for Cardinal Roger Mahony, and the remains of several ordinaries and auxiliary bishops who died before the cathedral was built were transferred there. The tomb of Saint Vibiana was transferred to the cathedral from its previous location above the altar at the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana; the tomb is the centerpiece of the St. Vibiana Chapel located adjacent to the mausoleum.
The crypt mausoleum features a number of stained glass windows that were originally installed in Saint Vibiana's Cathedral. This idea was suggested by Mario Agustin Locsin, a renowned Liturgical Artist and consultant on the renovation. The old cathedral windows were restored and two new windows featuring guardian angels created by the Judson Studios were placed at the entrance to the crypt mausoleum.
List of notable persons interred at the cathedral
Clergy
- Bishop Juan Alfredo Arzube
- Thaddeus Amat y Brusi, first Bishop of Los Angeles
- John Cantwell, first Archbishop of Los Angeles
- Bishop Thomas James Conaty
- Bishop Carl Anthony Fisher
- James Francis McIntyre, second Archbishop of Los Angeles, who was created cardinal
- Bishop David G. O'Connell
- John J. Ward, auxiliary bishop
Laity
- Bernardine Murphy Donohue, philanthropist and papal countess
- Daniel J. Donahue, philanthropist and papal gentleman
- Victor and Loretta Baron Mahony, parents of Cardinal Roger Mahony
- June Marlowe, actress
- Gregory Peck, actor
- Veronique Peck, wife of Gregory Peck
- Saint Vibiana, patron saint of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles
- Adelina Naccarelli de Koenig, "Della Koenig," philanthropist, patron of the arts, former singer and actress.
Events
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On September 3, 2011, the cathedral played host to a Votive Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Mass marked the conclusion of the First Annual Grand Marian Procession organised by the Queen of Angels Foundation.
The cathedral is a popular Catholic wedding venue on a year-round basis.
The cathedral hosts occasional musical performances, including concerts by Libera.
On the first Wednesday of every month, the cathedral holds an organ recital at 1:00 in the afternoon. It is free and open to the public.
Pastor History
- Msgr. Kevin Kostelnik 2002-2017
- Fr. David Gallardo 2017-2022
- Msgr. Antonio Cacciapuoti 2022-
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles (Los Ángeles) para niños
- List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
- List of cathedrals in the United States
- Roman Catholic Marian churches
