Cathedral Church of Saint Paul the Apostle (Springfield, Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Cathedral |
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| The Cathedral Church of Saint Paul the Apostle | |
Cathedral Church of St. Paul
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 Location in Illinois
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| 39°47′37.42″N 89°39′15.07″W / 39.7937278°N 89.6541861°W | |
| Location | 815 S. 2nd St. Springfield, Illinois |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal Church |
| History | |
| Founded | June 19, 1835 |
| Dedication | Saint Paul |
| Consecrated | May 13, 1913 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1913 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Springfield |
The Cathedral Church of Saint Paul the Apostle is a special church called a cathedral in Springfield, Illinois, USA. It belongs to the Episcopal Church. This cathedral is the main church for the Springfield Diocese. The building you see today is actually the third church for this group, finished in 1913.
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How St. Paul's Cathedral Started
The story of St. Paul's began in 1832. A man named John Batchelder from a church in Jacksonville, Illinois, would visit Springfield. He held church services for the local Episcopal people.
The official church group, called a parish, was started on June 19, 1835. This was done by Philander Chase, who was the first Bishop of Illinois. In the same year, the larger church area, the Diocese of Illinois, was also created.
The very first service for the new St. Paul's group happened at George Forquer's house. This house later became a home for children called the Orphanage of the Holy Child. Bishop Chase put his nephew, Samuel Chase, in charge of the new church group.
Early Meeting Places
At first, the small church group did not have its own building. So, they held their services in other churches. They used Presbyterian, Methodist, and Christian churches.
They also met in the State Supreme Court Chamber. This was because Chief Justice Samuel L. Treat helped start the church. He was a church leader, called a warden, for 52 years.
First Church Building
Construction on the first church building for St. Paul's began in the summer of 1838. It was built on Washington Street. Charles Dresser became the first main pastor, or rector, in May 1838.
He lived in a house that later belonged to Abraham Lincoln. It was Charles Dresser who witnessed the wedding vows of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd.
Building a New Church
As more people joined the church, a bigger building was needed. Henry Dresser, who was the rector's brother, designed the new church. This second building was located at Fourth and Adams Streets.
It was officially opened by Bishop Chase on June 24, 1848. This church was built in the Gothic Revival style. It had a square tower with special decorative tops called battlements and pinnacles. The outside walls were made of rough stone. They had tall, narrow windows called double lancet windows.
Becoming a Cathedral
In 1877, the Diocese of Springfield was formed. St. Paul's was later named the pro-cathedral of this new diocese. This meant it served as the Bishop's main church. However, it still worked as a regular parish church for its local members.
The Current Cathedral Building
In 1908, the church bought land at the corner of Second and Lawrence Streets. This cost $10,000. The current cathedral building was designed by an architect from England named John B. Sutcliffe.
Bishop Edward Osborne officially opened the new building on May 13, 1913. Even though St. Paul's Church was seen as a cathedral early on, there was some confusion. People in the diocese were not completely clear about its official status.
Finally, on December 11, 1979, new rules were put in place. These rules officially made it clear that the Cathedral Church of St. Paul was indeed a cathedral.
See also
