Blessed Sacrament Cathedral (Greensburg, Pennsylvania) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Blessed Sacrament Cathedral

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40°18′23″N 79°32′46″W / 40.3065°N 79.5462°W / 40.3065; -79.5462
Location	300 N. Main St. Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
History
Status	Cathedral/Parish
Founded	1789
Architecture
Architect(s)	Comes, Perry and McMullen
Style	Gothic Revival
Completed	1928
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone Indiana Limestone
Administration
Diocese	Greensburg

The Blessed Sacrament Cathedral is a very important church in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. It's like the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, which is a special area for Catholic churches. This beautiful building was also recognized in 1999 as part of the Academy Hill Historic District, a historic neighborhood.

History of the Cathedral
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History of the Cathedral

This church building is actually the third one built in this exact spot. The church community, called a parish, started way back in 1789. It was first known as Most Holy Sacrament.

Early Buildings

In 1789, the very first church building for the parish was a simple log cabin. Later, in 1846, a new church made of brick was built to replace the log cabin. Around that time, a group of monks called the Order of Saint Benedict from Saint Vincent Archabbey started looking after the parish.

Building the Current Church

The church you see today was built in a style called English Gothic. This style often features tall arches, large windows, and strong stone walls. The famous architectural firm Comes, Perry and McMullen from Pittsburgh designed it.

The church was officially opened in May 1928. It's made from strong materials like sandstone and Indiana limestone. A tall, square tower stands above the center of the church, reaching about 125 feet (38 meters) high. The church looks very solid and grand, similar to many old churches found in Northern Europe.

Inside, you'll find amazing stained glass windows. These colorful windows were made by a famous company called Franz Mayer & Co. in Munich, Germany.

Becoming a Cathedral

The church became the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral on March 10, 1951. This happened when the Diocese of Greensburg was created. A diocese is like a special region for churches, led by a bishop. When it became a cathedral, the Benedictine monks passed on their responsibility for the church.

In 1971, the inside of the cathedral was updated. This was done to follow new changes in church services that came from the Second Vatican Council. The same architectural firm also redesigned the rectory, which is where the priests live, in the 1980s.

More recently, from 2010 to 2011, the inside of the cathedral was carefully restored. This big project involved several companies. Celli-Flynn Brennan Architects and Planners from Pittsburgh were the architects. The designs for the restoration came from EverGreene Architectural Arts in New York City. Volpatt Construction Corp. from Pittsburgh was the main builder for the project.