Cathedral of Saint Peter (Wilmington, Delaware) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Saint Peter
39°44′34″N 75°33′12″W / 39.7428°N 75.5532°W / 39.7428; -75.5532
Location	West 6th Street Wilmington, Delaware
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
Website	www.cathedralofstpeter.com
History
Founded	1869
Consecrated	1905
Architecture
Architect(s)	Pierre Bauduy
Style	Romanesque Revival
Completed	1818
Specifications
Length	60 feet (18 m)
Width	30 feet (9.1 m)
Materials	Brick
Administration
Diocese	Wilmington

The Cathedral of Saint Peter is a very old and important church in Wilmington, Delaware. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington. You can find it on West 6th Street. The cathedral is part of the Quaker Hill Historic District in the city.

History of the Cathedral Building

Building the First Church

Saint Peter's Church was designed in 1816 by Pierre Bauduy. He also planned the Wilmington town hall. The first stone of the church was laid in 1816. The building was made of brick and built in the Romanesque style. It was about 30 feet wide and 40 feet long.

Saint Peter's was officially opened on September 12, 1818. The first church service, called a Mass, was held the next day. This was on September 13, 1818, led by Father Patrick Kenny. In 1829, the church added a bell tower. They also made the building longer, reaching its current length of 60 feet (18 m).

Becoming a Cathedral

In 1868, Pope Pius IX created the Diocese of Wilmington. A diocese is an area managed by a bishop. This meant Saint Peter's Church would become a cathedral. A cathedral is the main church of a diocese.

To prepare for this, the church was updated starting in 1870. They added beautiful frescoes, which are paintings on wet plaster. They also added a marble baptistery (where baptisms happen) and three altars. A special chair for the bishop, called a cathedra, was also put in. The church got a new barrel-shaped roof.

Around 1900, amazing stained glass windows were added. These windows were made in a special "Munich-style." They were likely created by Franz Xavier Zettler or his student, Franz Mayer. These artists were famous for their work for the Royal Court of Bavaria.

A Temporary Cathedral

The church upgrades were finished in 1905. Saint Peter's was ready to be officially named a cathedral. An important church leader, Archbishop Diomede Falconio, came to do this.

However, when he arrived, he saw that Saint Peter's was connected to a rectory (where priests live) and a school. According to the rules from the Vatican, a cathedral needed to be a separate building. So, Archbishop Falconio decided to call Saint Peter's a "pro-cathedral." This meant it was serving as a cathedral temporarily. Later, the diocese made more changes, and Saint Peter's was fully consecrated as a cathedral.

Updates in the Late 1900s

The church was renovated again in 1981. This was to fix any damage and to change the sanctuary (the main area around the altar). These changes followed new rules from the Second Vatican Council. In 1991, flying buttresses were added to support the walls. These are strong supports on the outside of the building. A steel structure was also added to support the pillars and choir loft.

Renovations in 2007

By 2007, the cathedral had new problems. A decorative plaster rosette fell from the ceiling. There were also leaks in the roof. The church also wanted to fix an older problem. During past renovations, two metal poles were added to support the arches. These poles now blocked the view of the tabernacle, which is a special place for the Blessed Sacrament.

With help from a grant, the diocese was able to replace the roof. The church stayed open for services during this time. With Father Joseph Cocucci, the church's rector, more renovations were done:

• The bishop's chair (cathedra) was moved to the side of the sanctuary.
• The tabernacle was moved back to the center, behind the altar.
• A special area for Mary, mother of Jesus was created. This area could be reached by people with physical disabilities.
• The baptismal font (where baptisms happen) was placed near the church entrance.

On November 22, 2007, Bishop Michael Saltarelli thanked Father Cocucci for these important changes during a Thanksgiving Day service.

Rectors of Saint Peter's

St. Peter's Rectory

The Cathedral of Saint Peter has had many rectors since it was founded in 1804. A rector is a priest who leads the church parish. Here are the sixteen rectors:

1. Rev. Patrick Kenny (1804–1840)
2. Rev. Patrick Reilly (1840–1850)
3. Rev. Jeremiah O'Donohoe (1851–1855)
4. Rev. Patrick Prendergast (1855–1859)
5. Rev. Patrick O'Brien (1859–1867)
6. Rev. Matthew McGrane (1867–1868)
7. Most Rev. Thomas A. Becker (1868–1886)
8. Msgr. John Lyons (1887–1916)
9. Msgr. John J. Dougherty (1916–1948)
10. Msgr. Joseph Sweeney (1949–1968)
11. Rev. John P. McLaughlin (1968–1977)
12. Rev. James E. Richardson (1977–1982)
13. Msgr. Paul J. Taggart (1982–1994)
14. Rev. William B. Kauffman (1995–2001)
15. Rev. Michael J. Carrier (2001–2005)
16. Rev. Joseph M. P. R. Cocucci (2006–present)

See also

In Spanish: Catedral de San Pedro (Wilmington) para niños

• List of churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington
• List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
• List of cathedrals in the United States