Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Newark) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral Basilica of theSacred Heart |
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The Great Rose Window over the entrance to the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey is the largest of any Catholic church in the Western Hemisphere.
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| Location | 89 Ridge Street Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral, minor basilica |
| Consecrated | October 19, 1954 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | French Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1898-1954 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 365 feet (111 m) |
| Width | 165 feet (50 m) |
| Number of towers | 2 |
| Tower height | 232 feet (71 m) |
| Number of spires | 1 |
| Spire height | 260 feet (79 m) |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Newark |
The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart is a very important church in Newark, New Jersey. It's the main church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. This huge building is one of the largest cathedrals in North America. It's led by Cardinal Tobin. People can attend Catholic mass here every day, and three times on Sunday, in both English and Spanish.
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About the Cathedral Basilica
Many people think this building is the best example of French Gothic architecture in the Western Hemisphere. It faces Branch Brook Park, a beautiful park in Newark.
Construction started in 1899 and took a long time to finish, finally opening in 1954. The original plan was for an English-Irish Gothic Revival style. But later, the design was changed to a French Gothic Revival style.
The cathedral has amazing stained glass windows. Many art experts believe they are the second finest in the world, after those in the Chartres Cathedral in France. The large, round rose windows are especially beautiful. The one above the main entrance is 36 feet wide! It's the biggest rose window in any Catholic church in the Western Hemisphere.
This cathedral is about the same size as Westminster Abbey in London. Its towers are even taller than those at Westminster Abbey and Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Inside, you'll find the largest pipe organ ever built by the Schantz Organ Company. It's also the biggest church organ in all of New Jersey. The cathedral has many small chapels inside. These chapels honor saints who are important to different Catholic groups in the Newark area. These groups helped build the cathedral.
The church is named after the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is a special Catholic devotion that represents Jesus Christ's great love and kindness for everyone.
Music and Special Events
Music at the Cathedral Basilica
The cathedral basilica hosts a free concert series that is open to everyone. It has been running for over 55 years!
The huge pipe organ has 154 different sounds, called stops. You can play it from two different control panels, called consoles. When it was first put in place in 1953, it had 144 stops. It was made even bigger and improved in 1989.
Other musical events include the New Jersey Symphony's yearly performance of Handel's famous Messiah during the Advent season. You usually need tickets for this special concert.
Holy Week Celebrations
During Holy Week, which is the week before Easter, the cathedral basilica holds many special religious events. These include a Palm Sunday mass, the Chrism Mass, and services on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil before Easter Sunday.
Black History Month Mass
Every year, the cathedral celebrates Black history with a special mass. The church is decorated with pictures of Black Catholic people who are being considered for sainthood. People often wear traditional African, African-American, and Caribbean clothing to this mass.
Hispanic Heritage Mass
The church also celebrates Hispanic heritage with an annual mass. This event features Spanish-language music, and many people wear traditional clothing from their home countries.
Golden Anniversary Mass
Each spring, often when the cherry blossoms are blooming in Branch Brook Park across from the cathedral, Cardinal Tobin holds a mass. This mass honors and blesses couples who are celebrating 50 years of marriage.
Blue Mass
The cathedral basilica hosts the Blue Mass every year. This mass honors police officers and other law enforcement personnel from New Jersey. Many important people, like the Governor, often attend this event.
Red Mass
A red mass is held once a year for people who work in the legal field and for government officials.
Pope John Paul II's Visit
In 1995, Pope John Paul II visited the United States. During his visit, he celebrated an evening prayer service at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Because of this special visit, the cathedral was given a higher title. It became a minor basilica, and its name changed to the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
Recent Events
In 2017, Cardinal Tobin welcomed a group of LGBTQ Catholics on a special visit to the cathedral basilica.
Building the Cathedral
Early Plans
The idea for the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart started way back in 1859. This was just six years after James Roosevelt Bayley became the first Bishop of Newark. In 1870, Bishop Bayley sent an architect named Jeremiah O'Rourke and Monsignor George Hobart Doane to Europe. They went to look at different cathedrals to get ideas.
They looked at a few possible places for the new church. But they chose the current spot, next to Branch Brook Park. Monsignor Doane liked this location because it had great views of the mountains and even New York City. The land was bought on January 2, 1871, for $60,000.
Over the years, the project was passed to new bishops. In 1875, they started digging the ground for the foundation. In 1896, the City of Newark wanted to buy the land for a new high school, but the bishop said no. A fundraiser to build the cathedral began in 1897. O'Rourke was chosen to design an English-Irish gothic style church. He promised to work on it out of love, not just for money.
Construction Begins
Work officially started in January 1898. The first stone, called the cornerstone, was laid on June 11, 1899. O'Rourke wanted to build the walls and towers first. He chose a special granite stone from Vermont for the outside. By 1902, the walls were 50 feet high.
In 1910, O'Rourke was replaced as the main architect. The new architect found a problem with the weight of the building. They had to remove and reset many large pillars. This change also made the church wider. To make sure the building was strong, they added extra steel beams.
Design Changes
The original English/Irish-gothic style was changed to a French-gothic style in 1913. Some of the changes included:
- Making the towers shorter.
- Removing the tall, pointed spires to make the towers lighter.
- Taking away some outside supports and decorations.
- Using three rose windows instead of a different design.
- Adding more sculptures at the entrances.
Finishing Touches
By 1918, construction moved faster. The steel roof was finished in 1919. The carved stone decorations above the doors and the round medallions were completed by 1924. This meant the building was finally protected from the weather.
Officials hoped to finish the cathedral by December 1926. But there were more delays. Work on the limestone, the arched ceilings, and the floor of the sanctuary continued.
When Bishop O'Connor died in 1927, they focused on finishing the crypt where he would be buried. After that, work started again. An Italian Botticino-marble altar was installed, which was a big step.
Opening the Cathedral
The new bishop, Thomas Joseph Walsh, decided to open the cathedral even though it wasn't completely finished. He believed it was time for people to use it.
The first special event was his own ordination as Bishop of Newark on May 1, 1928. Nearly 4,000 people attended the mass that followed.
Bishop Walsh later became the Archbishop of Newark in 1938. He celebrated many important anniversaries of his time as a priest and bishop in the cathedral. During his time, he ordained six new bishops in the cathedral.
Official Dedication
After almost 95 years of planning and building, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart was finally officially dedicated. This happened on October 19, 1954, by Thomas Aloysius Boland, who was the Archbishop of Newark at the time.
After the dedication, Father Monsignor Joseph A. Doyle became the first rector of the cathedral. Archbishop Boland ordained many priests in this church. He also showed how much people had contributed to building it.
Thousands of people came to celebrate his 50th anniversary as a priest in 1972. In 1974, Pope Paul VI chose Peter Leo Gerety to be the next Archbishop.
See also
