Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Baltimore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Mary Our Queen |
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View of the front of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
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| 39°21′31″N 76°37′34″W / 39.35861°N 76.62611°W | |
| Location | 5200 North Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland  |
| Country |  United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Dedication | Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Consecrated | October 13, 1959 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Cathedral |
| Style | English Gothic/Neo-Gothic Art Deco |
| Groundbreaking | October 1954 |
| Completed | 1959 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 2,000 sitting |
| Length | 373 feet (114 m) |
| Width | 132 feet (40 m) |
| Number of spires | 2 |
| Spire height | 163 feet (50 m) |
| Materials | brick, limestone |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Baltimore |
The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen is a large Roman Catholic church in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It was finished in 1959.
It is the main church for the Archbishop of Baltimore. Before this cathedral, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was the main church. Now, the Basilica is a co-cathedral, meaning it shares the role.
You can find this cathedral in northern Baltimore, close to Loyola University Maryland and St. Mary's Seminary and University.
History of the Cathedral
In the middle of the 1900s, church leaders in Baltimore decided they needed a bigger church. They wanted to replace the older Cathedral of the Assumption.
A wealthy merchant named Thomas J. O'Neill helped make this possible. He left $20 million in his will for the church. He believed that a miracle saved his department store from a huge fire in Baltimore in 1904.
Work on the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen began in October 1954. On October 13, 1959, Auxiliary Bishop Jerome Sebastian officially dedicated the new cathedral. Pope St. John Paul II visited Mary Our Queen twice, in 1976 and again in 1995.
Cathedral Design and Look
Mary Our Queen is built in a style called Gothic Revival. This means it looks like older Gothic churches but was built more recently. It also has some Art Deco touches, which was a popular design style in the 1920s and 30s.
The church is made of brick covered with limestone. It has a classic cross shape when you look at it from above.
The cathedral is about 373 feet (114 meters) long and 132 feet (40 meters) wide. Its two tall spires reach up 163 feet (50 meters). Inside, there's enough space for 2,000 people to sit. Many beautiful sculptures by Joseph Coletti can be seen throughout the cathedral.
The Crypt Below
Underneath the main floor of Mary Our Queen is a special crypt. This is a burial place for the archbishops and auxiliary bishops of Baltimore.
Some of the church leaders buried here include:
- Auxiliary Bishop Jerome Sebastian, who passed away in 1960.
- Archbishop Francis Keough, who passed away in 1961.
- Cardinal Lawrence Shehan, who passed away in 1984.
- Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Murphy, who passed away in 1991.
- Auxiliary Bishop Philip Murphy, who passed away in 1999.
- Archbishop William Borders, who passed away in 2010.
- Auxiliary Bishop William Newman, who passed away in 2017.
The Organs
The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen has two large organs. One is in the main gallery at the back of the church, and the other is in the chancel area near the altar.
The original organs were built by the M. P. Moller Company in 1959. After 46 years, they needed a lot of repair due to water and smoke damage. In 2005, the church decided to have them restored.
The Schantz Organ Co. from Ohio was chosen for the job. They worked on the Great Gallery organ first, then the chancel organ. They added new pipes and parts.
Schantz also built two new control panels, called consoles. One is for the gallery organ, and the other is for the chancel organ. An organist can control both organs from either console. The chancel console can even be moved around for different events.
After the restoration, the Great Gallery organ has 100 "ranks" (sets of pipes), and the sanctuary organ has 27.
The first concert on the restored organ was on July 5, 2007. Cherry Rhodes played it as part of a big organ convention in Baltimore. The organ was also played in a recital during the Organ Historical Society Convention in July 2024.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de María Nuestra Reina para niños
- List of churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
- List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
- List of cathedrals in the United States
