Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour facts for kids

For other churches named Church of Our Saviour see Church of Our Saviour.

Quick facts for kids
Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour Guild House and Bishop's Residence
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The cathedral in 2021
Location	515 Second Ave NW
Nearest city	Faribault, Minnesota
Built	1862-1869
Architect	James Renwick Jr.
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.	79001253; 82003009
Added to NRHP	August 10, 1979; February 19, 1982

The Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour in Faribault is the oldest cathedral in Minnesota. Built 1862–1869, it was the first church in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America designed as a cathedral. The architect was James Renwick Jr., who also designed St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, the Smithsonian Institution Building in Washington, D.C., and a very similar church, the Christ Church by the Sea in Colón, Panama. On August 10, 1979, the cathedral and its guild house were added to the National Register of Historic Places. On February 19, 1982, there was a boundary increase to add the bishop's residence to the National Register.

Our Merciful Saviour was founded by Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple, who is buried beneath the altar. In 1941 St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis was dedicated as the seat of the bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota, but the Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour retains its status as a full cathedral as well.

National Register listings

The cathedral altar

Original

• Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour **(added 1979 - Building - #79001253)
• Also known as See Also: Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour and Guild House
• 515 2nd Ave., NW, Faribault
• Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
• Architect, builder, or engineer: Renwick & Co.
• Architectural Style: Gothic Revival
• Area of Significance: Architecture, Religion
• Period of Significance: 1850-1874
• Owner: Private
• Historic Function: Religion
• Historic Sub-function: Religious Structure
• Current Function: Religion
• Current Sub-function: Religious Structure

Boundary increase

The Guild House from the northwest

• Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour and Guild House (Boundary Increase) **(added 1982 - Building - #82003009)
• Also known as See Also:Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour
• 515 2nd Ave., NW, Faribault
• Historic Significance: Person, Event, Architecture/Engineering
• Architect, builder, or engineer: Unknown
• Architectural Style: Late Victorian
• Historic Person: Whipple, Bishop Henry Benjamin
• Significant Year: 1894
• Area of Significance: Architecture, Religion
• Period of Significance: 1875-1899
• Owner: Private
• Historic Function: Religion
• Historic Sub-function: Church Related Residence
• Current Function: Religion
• Current Sub-function: Church Related Residence

• Alan K. Lathrop. Churches of Minnesota: an Illustrated Guide. University of Minnesota Press. Minneapolis: 2003.

Images for kids

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  The cathedral altar