Cathedral Church of St. Luke (Portland, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Luke's Cathedral |
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| The Cathedral Church of Saint Luke | |
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| 43°39′8.25″N 70°15′52.37″W / 43.6522917°N 70.2645472°W | |
| Location | 143 State St. Portland, Maine |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 1851 |
| Founder(s) | Rt. Rev. Horatio Southgate |
| Dedication | Saint Luke |
| Consecrated | October 18, 1877 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Charles Coolidge Haight |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1867 |
| Completed | 1868 |
| Construction cost | $115,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 130 feet (40 m) |
| Nave width | 60 feet (18 m) |
| Height | 60 feet (18 m) |
| Materials | Limestone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Maine |
| Province | New England |
| District | Presumpscot |
The Cathedral Church of St. Luke is a special church in Portland, Maine, United States. It's an Episcopal cathedral, which means it's the main church for the Diocese of Maine. Think of it as the "headquarters" church for the Episcopal community in Maine!
Contents
The Story of St. Luke's Cathedral
St. Luke's Church started its journey in 1851. It was founded by a man named Horatio Southgate. He was from Portland and had served as an Episcopal Missionary Bishop in a faraway place called Constantinople. The first church building was on Congress Street in Portland's West End.
By 1866, St. Luke's had grown quite a lot. It became the biggest church in Maine. Because of its size, it was chosen to be the main cathedral church for the diocese. The first stone for the new cathedral was placed on August 15, 1867.
Building the Cathedral
The cathedral was designed in the Gothic Revival style. This style looks like old European churches with pointed arches and tall windows. The architect was Charles Coolidge Haight from New York. The first church services in the new building were held on Christmas Day in 1868. The old church building was then sold to another church.
The cathedral was officially "consecrated" on October 18, 1877. This means it was formally dedicated for religious use after all its building costs were paid off. Two years later, in 1879, the cathedral became an official organization through a law passed by the Maine legislature.
Changes and Additions Over Time
Over the years, many beautiful additions have been made to the cathedral.
- In 1898, the Augustus R. Wright Memorial Rose Window was installed. This is a large, round stained-glass window.
- From 1904 to 1905, the Emmanuel Chapel was built. This is a smaller chapel within the cathedral.
- In 1925, the Incarnation Reredos, which is a decorated screen behind the altar, was added. A new high altar, silver cross, and candlesticks were also put in place.
- A large pipe organ was built by Skinner in 1928.
- The deWolfe Belfry was added in 1957. This provided a new entrance for the cathedral. It was designed by the architectural firm Cram & Ferguson.
- In 1985, the parish house, which is a building next to the church, was badly damaged in a fire. Repairs were finished two years later, in 1987.
- A new free-standing altar table was installed in 1990.
- Most recently, a big renovation project was completed in 2003. This project cost $1.2 million and helped update parts of the cathedral.
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