Cathedral of Saint Helena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Cathedral of Saint Helena
|
|
 |
|
| Location | 530 N. Ewing St. Helena, Montana, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Built | 1908 |
| Architect | A.O. Von Herbulis (Albert Olszewski) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 80004270 |
| Added to NRHP | April 30, 1980 |
The Cathedral of Saint Helena is a beautiful church in Helena, Montana, USA. It's the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena. An architect named A.O. Von Herbulis designed it. He based his design on a famous church in Vienna, Austria, called the Votivkirche. Building the Cathedral started in 1908. The first church service was held there in November 1914. Bishop John Patrick Carroll worked very hard to get money for the building. The church was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1935. This meant it needed a lot of repairs. In 1980, the Cathedral was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historical building.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
How the Cathedral Was Built
The land for the Cathedral was bought in 1905. A man named Thomas Cruse gave $25,000 for it. A.O. Von Herbulis, an architect from Washington, D.C., was chosen to design the church. He had studied in Europe and knew a lot about old European cathedrals.
He drew plans in two styles: Romanesque and Gothic. The building committee chose the Gothic style. Von Herbulis designed the Cathedral to look like the Votivkirche in Vienna. He knew this church well from his time studying there.
Construction began in 1908. The first stone was laid on October 4 of that year. On November 8, 1914, the first church service was held in the new building. The first funeral was for Thomas Cruse, who had donated the land. The Cathedral was still being built for another ten years. It was officially finished and blessed in June 1924. The total cost to build it was $645,000.
The beautiful stained glass windows were made in Germany. A company called F.X. Zettler Firm from Munich created them. When the Cathedral was first opened, 46 of the 59 planned windows were in place. These windows told stories from the Bible, from Adam and Eve to the early 1900s. The company said these windows were their best work in 50 years. The rest of the windows were added by 1926. They were made by Charles J. Connick from Boston.
Repairs and Updates
In 1935, a series of earthquakes hit Montana. The Cathedral was damaged, especially its south tower. The tower was almost completely destroyed. It had to be rebuilt and made stronger to prevent future problems. The repairs were finished by 1938.
The inside of the Cathedral stayed the same until the mid-1950s. Bishop Joseph M. Gilmore oversaw new additions. A bronze altar canopy was installed. New metalwork behind the altar and gold decorations were also added. These updates were completed in April 1959. This was in time for the Cathedral's 50th birthday and the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Helena.
More updates happened in 1982-1983. Bishop Elden F. Curtiss led this work. The changes were made to follow new church rules from the Second Vatican Council. The stained glass windows also received extensive repairs.
In 1999-2000, repairs were made to the inside columns. These columns had been damaged in a train crash in February 1989.
The most recent renovation started in 2002. Bishop Robert C. Morlino began the work, and Bishop George Leo Thomas continued it. Both the upper and lower parts of the Cathedral were updated. The lower level was completely redone. It now has two new social halls and a full kitchen. This lower level was named after the first bishop of Helena, John B. Brondel.
The upper level updates included the main worship area and a new baptistry. An elevator was also installed for easier access between levels. Other improvements included a new heating system and a renovated chime system. The pipe organ was also repaired and improved. The stained glass was restored, and their outside surfaces were covered. A new sound system was put in. A new confessional was built. An old school building was removed, and a new parking lot was created. The office building also got an exterior upgrade.
Cathedral's Special Features
The most noticeable parts of the Cathedral are its two tall spires. They are 230 feet (70 meters) high. These spires were directly inspired by the Votivkirche in Vienna. On top of the spires are gold crosses. Each cross is 12 feet (3.7 meters) tall. The North tower holds fifteen hand-cast bells. These bells represent the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.
The inside of the Cathedral is filled with amazing stained glass. There are 59 windows in total. They cover 11,693 square feet (1,086.3 square meters). These windows show different scenes from the Old and New Testament. The outside of the church is made of limestone. It also has 29 statues of saints and other important figures.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Santa Helena (Helena) para niños
Images for kids
-
Cathedral of St. Helena, around 1915.
-
View from the southeast side.
