Cathedral of Saint Thomas More (Arlington, Virginia) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Saint Thomas More
Cathedral in 2024
Location in Virginia Show map of Virginia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
38°52′14.4″N 77°6′12.2″W / 38.870667°N 77.103389°W / 38.870667; -77.103389
Location	Arlington, Virginia
Country	United States
Denomination	Catholic Church
Membership	1,400 (2024)
History
Founded	1938
Dedication	St. Thomas More
Architecture
Architectural type	Modern (1961-2023) Tudor (2024-Present)
Completed	1961
Administration
Diocese	Arlington

The Cathedral of Saint Thomas More is a very important church in Arlington, Virginia. It is the main church, called a cathedral, for the Diocese of Arlington. This means it's where Bishop Michael F. Burbidge has his special chair and leads the church community. The church is located at 3901 Cathedral Lane.

The main priest, called the rector, is Very Reverend Patrick L. Posey. He started this role in June 2019. The cathedral also has other priests and staff who help with religious education, youth activities, and music.

What the Cathedral Looks Like
History of the Cathedral
Images for kids
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What the Cathedral Looks Like

The Cathedral of Saint Thomas More has a beautiful and classic look. After a big update in 2023 and 2024, it now looks like a Neo-Gothic building. Before this, it had a more modern style from the middle of the 20th century.

The church is shaped like a Latin cross. The main altar, where services are held, is at the center of this cross shape. Above the altar, there is a large pipe organ. This organ was first put in place in 1961 and was made by M.P. Moeller. It was later made even bigger and better in 1980.

History of the Cathedral

The church community, or parish, for Saint Thomas More started in 1938. It was named after St. Thomas More, a famous saint. For many years, church services were held in what is now the school gym.

Building the Church

The first part of the church building was finished in 1950. The current main church building was built on top of this older part in 1961. The church became a cathedral on August 13, 1974. This happened when the northern parts of Virginia separated from the Diocese of Richmond to form the new Diocese of Arlington. The first bishop for the new diocese was then installed. Today, about 1,400 people are members of this church community.

Original facade of the cathedral

The Cathedral School

In 1944, the parish started the St. Thomas More Cathedral School. This school teaches students from pre-kindergarten all the way up to eighth grade. About 400 students attend the school today.

Nuns from the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary helped run the school for many years. They started a community at the church on August 25, 1945. However, because there were fewer nuns, the order left the parish in June 1998.

Recent Renovation

To celebrate the Diocese of Arlington's 50th anniversary, Bishop Michael Burbidge announced a major renovation for the cathedral. Jim O’Brien was the architect for this project, and Forrester Construction built it.

The renovation changed the building's look from its original Mid-century style. It now looks like a Tudor style building. This style was popular during the time St. Thomas More lived. A beautiful round window, called a rose window, was added to the north side. This window shows a picture of The New Jerusalem.

Other new stained glass windows show scenes from the life of the Holy Family. There are also windows showing the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, and the special saints of other churches in the diocese. Several new statues and special prayer areas were also added inside the church. The renovation was completed, and the cathedral reopened in September 2024.