Cathedral of Saint Helena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cathedral of Saint Helena
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| Location | 530 N. Ewing St. Helena, Montana, U.S. |
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| 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 and important church in Helena, Montana, United States. It's the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena. The famous architect A.O. Von Herbulis designed it. He based his design on a 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 raise money for this huge project. The cathedral was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1935. It needed a lot of repairs after that. In 1980, the cathedral was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very special historical building.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
Building the Cathedral
The land for the cathedral was bought in 1905. A man named Thomas Cruse donated $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 cathedrals there.
Von Herbulis drew plans in two styles: Romanesque and Gothic. The building committee chose the Gothic style. They all agreed it was the best choice. Von Herbulis designed the cathedral to look like the Votivkirche in Vienna. He knew this church well from his time studying in Vienna.
Construction began in 1908. The Columbia Construction Company from New York City built it. The first stone was laid on October 4, 1908. On November 8, 1914, the first church service was held inside. The first funeral was for Thomas Cruse, who had donated the land.
The cathedral was still being built for ten more years. In June 1924, it was officially finished and blessed. 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 in Munich created and installed them. When the cathedral was first opened, 46 of the 59 planned windows were in place. The Zettler Firm said these windows were their best work ever. They showed stories from the Bible, from Adam and Eve to the early 1900s. The rest of the windows were added by 1926. These 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. Workers rebuilt and strengthened it to prevent future damage. These repairs were finished by 1938.
The inside of the cathedral stayed the same until the mid-1950s. Bishop Joseph M. Gilmore led some updates. A bronze canopy was added over the altar. New metalwork was put behind the altar, and parts of the interior were gilded (covered in a thin layer of gold). These updates were done by April 1959. This was just in time for the cathedral's 50th birthday and the Diocese of Helena's 75th anniversary.
More renovations happened in 1982-1983. Bishop Elden F. Curtiss oversaw this work. The changes helped the church follow new rules from the Second Vatican Council. The stained glass windows also received many repairs. Father Daniel Hillen did a lot of this important work.
In 1999-2000, the columns inside the cathedral were repaired. They had been damaged in a train crash in February 1989.
The most recent updates started in 2002. Bishop Robert C. Morlino began them, and Bishop George Leo Thomas continued the work. Both the upper and lower parts of the cathedral were updated. The lower level was completely changed. 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 Saint Joseph's Chapel. A new baptistry was added. An elevator was installed in the north transept. This makes it easier for everyone to move 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 windows were restored and covered on the outside. A new sound system was installed. A new confessional was built. The old St. Helena Grade School building was removed. A new main parking lot was built and landscaped. The Faith Formation/Office building also got an exterior upgrade.
Cathedral 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-leafed crosses. These crosses are 12 feet (3.7 meters) tall and 6 feet (1.8 meters) long. The North tower holds fifteen bells. Each bell was cast by hand. They represent the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.
The inside of the cathedral is amazing. It has 11,693 square feet (1,086.3 square meters) of stained glass. There are 59 windows in total. These windows show different scenes from the Old and New Testament. The outside of the church is made of limestone. It features 29 statues of saints and other important figures.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Santa Helena (Helena) para niños
