Cathedral of Christ the Light (Oakland, California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Christ the Light |
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Exterior view of The Cathedral of Christ the Light
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 Cathedral of Christ the Light
Location in Oakland, California
Cathedral of Christ the Light
Location in California
Cathedral of Christ the Light
Location in the United States
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| 37°48′38″N 122°15′47″W / 37.8105°N 122.2631°W | |
| Location | 2121 Harrison St. Oakland, California |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Membership | 530,000 |
| Website | www.ctlcathedral.org |
| History | |
| Dedication | September 25, 2008 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Craig W. Hartman Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Tom Milholland Aryan Sarkar Kendall/Heaton Associates |
| Architectural type | Modern architecture Late 20th century abstract |
| Groundbreaking | 2005 |
| Completed | 2008 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 1,800 |
| Number of floors | 17 |
| Floor area | 343,000 sq ft |
| Materials | ceramic frit, concrete, Douglas fir, glass frit, steel |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Oakland |
The Cathedral of Christ the Light, also known as Oakland Cathedral, is a very important church in Oakland, California. It's the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland. This cathedral is special because it was the first one built completely in the 2000s! It replaced an older church, the Cathedral of Saint Francis de Sales, which was badly damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
The Cathedral of Christ the Light is more than just a church. It's a whole center! This complex includes the main church, offices for the bishop, a conference area, and a home for priests. There's also a special clinic that helps people who don't have health insurance.
The complex also has a mausoleum, which is a building where people can be buried. It has special spots for the bishops of Oakland. Other members of the church can also be buried there. You can also find a cafe and a shop, plus a public garden.
The cathedral was designed by a famous architect named Craig W. Hartman. His company, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, helped build it. Construction started on May 21, 2005. The church was officially opened on September 25, 2008. The mausoleum was opened later that year, and the first Bishop of Oakland, Floyd Lawrence Begin, was buried there.
The cathedral is located at 2121 Harrison Street in Oakland. It serves about 530,000 Catholics in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
Designing the Cathedral
The church leaders held a contest to pick the best design for the new cathedral. At first, a Spanish architect named Santiago Calatrava won. He is famous for designing the train station at the World Trade Center in New York City. His design for the Oakland Cathedral was chosen before they even had a place to build it.
Later, when a building site was found, Calatrava's design was no longer preferred. Instead, the design by Craig W. Hartman was chosen. Hartman had been the runner-up in the design contest.
Hartman also designed the international terminal at San Francisco International Airport. He created a modern building using lots of steel and glass. His idea for the cathedral looked like a bishop's special hat, called a mitre. It was made of steel and filled with special glass.
The main worship area inside the cathedral has a unique shape. It's called a "vesica piscis," which means "fish bladder" in Latin. This shape is made when two circles cross over each other. The walls are made of wood and glass panels that overlap. They rise up like the scales of a fish. This design was inspired by the Bible story of the loaves and fishes.
Hartman said the design lets light come in, like sunlight filtering through tall redwood trees. A large window, 58 feet high, shows a picture of Jesus Christ. It's made with tiny holes in aluminum panels, based on a very old sculpture from the Chartres Cathedral.
Just like the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, the Cathedral of Christ the Light is built to be safe during earthquakes.
The Grand Organ
The cathedral has a very large and impressive pipe organ. It was built by Orgues Létourneau Limitée and is called Opus 118. The organ has 92 "ranks," which means groups of pipes that make different sounds. In total, it has 5,298 pipes!
The pipes are located on both sides of the main worship area. This amazing instrument can make many different kinds of music. It has sections like the Great Organ, Solo Organ, Swell Organ, Choir Organ, Bombarde Organ, Echo Choir Organ, and Pedal Organ. Each section has many different types of pipes that create unique sounds.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Cristo de la Luz (Oakland) para niños
