Cathedral of Saint Peter (Rockford, Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Saint Peter |
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Cathedral of St. Peter in 2023
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 Location in Illinois
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| 42°17′06″N 89°04′58″W / 42.2851°N 89.0828°W | |
| Location | 1243 N. Church Street Rockford, Illinois |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral/Parish church |
| Founded | 1922 |
| Dedication | St. Peter the Apostle |
| Dedicated | May 15, 1960 |
| Consecrated | October 11, 1978 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Italianate |
| Groundbreaking | 1958 |
| Completed | 1960 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 676-834 |
| Number of spires | One |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Rockford |
The Cathedral of Saint Peter is a very important church in Rockford, Illinois. It is the main church for the Catholic community in the Rockford area. It is called a "cathedral" because it is where the bishop has his special chair. This church is the second one to be the main cathedral for the Rockford Diocese.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
The story of this church began in 1915 with a small chapel called St. William's. It was a "mission" church, meaning it was connected to a larger church downtown. In 1920, land was bought on a hill known as Council Hill for a new church. A building that was both a church and a school was built there in 1921.
Building the New Cathedral
Work on the current church building started in 1958. Bishop Loras Lane blessed the first stone, called a cornerstone, in August 1958. The church was officially opened on May 15, 1960.
On October 11, 1970, Bishop Arthur O'Neill made St. Peter's the official cathedral for the diocese. Before this, another church, St. James, had been the temporary cathedral since 1908. Bishop Lane had once planned to build a very large, pyramid-shaped cathedral. However, he passed away, and the project was too expensive to continue.
Official Consecration
Bishop O'Neill officially "consecrated" St. Peter's on October 11, 1978. To consecrate a church means to dedicate it in a very special religious ceremony. The main altar in the church was later blessed by Cardinal Francis George from Chicago on September 29, 1998.
The Pipe Organ
The Cathedral of Saint Peter has a large and beautiful pipe organ. It was built in 1978 by the Wicks Organ Company. This organ is located at the back of the cathedral, high up in a special area called the rear gallery.
Organ Features
Some of the organ's pipes can be seen in a big case that frames a rose window. A pipe organ makes music using air that flows through many pipes. This organ has 5 main sections, called "divisions." It also has 45 "stops," which control different sounds, and 47 "ranks," which are sets of pipes. In total, it has 2,707 pipes! The "manual compass" means the keyboards for the hands have 61 notes. The "pedal compass" means the foot pedals have 32 notes.
See also
Images for kids
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Former school building and first church
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Interior of the Cathedral of St. Peter
