Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul (Providence, Rhode Island) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul |
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| Location | 30 Fenner Street Providence, Rhode Island |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Consecrated | June 30, 1889 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Patrick C. Keely |
| Style | Romanesque Revival Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1878 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of towers | 2 |
| Tower height | 156 feet (48 m) |
| Bells | 4 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Providence |
| Province | Hartford |
The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul is a large and important Roman Catholic church in Providence, Rhode Island. It is the main church for the Diocese of Providence. The church was designed in 1873 by Patrick Keely. It features a Neo-Romanesque style. In 1975, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
History of the Cathedral
The first Mass was held in a small church dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul on November 4, 1838. Over the next five years, the number of Catholic people in the area grew a lot. In 1844, a new diocese was created. Its main office was in Hartford, Connecticut. However, Bishop William Tyler chose to live in Providence. This was because most Catholics lived there. The first church building became too small for the many new Irish Catholic immigrants.
By 1872, the Catholic population in the diocese reached 200,000 people. Bishop Francis Patrick McFarland wanted to build a new, bigger cathedral. But he could not get enough support. In 1871, he asked for a smaller area to manage due to his health. So, Pope Pius IX created the Diocese of Providence. This new diocese included Rhode Island, southeastern Massachusetts, and Martha's Vineyard.
In April 1872, Father Thomas Francis Hendricken became the first bishop of this new Diocese of Providence. At that time, the new diocese had 125,000 Catholics. It also had forty-three churches and fifty-three priests. There were six academies and nine parish schools with 4,225 students. There was also one orphan asylum.
Like the bishop before him, Bishop Hendricken also wanted a new cathedral. The old church was falling apart and too small. First, the parish had to pay off a $16,000 debt. Bishop Hendricken worked very hard to get the cathedral built. In 1872, he paid off the debt. Then, he could start planning the construction.
In 1873, Patrick Keely was chosen to design the church. It was meant to be one of the finest churches in the country. The next year, work began on the foundation for a temporary church. Bishop Hendricken signed a contract for this work, costing $18,950. The old rectory (priest's house) was torn down. A new one was built at Fenner and Pond Streets. It is still there today.
The first stone of the current cathedral was placed in 1878. Bishop Hendricken saved $10,000 each year for the building. He also started many fundraising efforts. He only allowed work to continue if money was available. By 1882, the roof was finished. Work then began on the inside of the church.
However, Bishop Hendricken's health started to get worse that year. He passed away before the cathedral was finished. His funeral Mass was the first service held in the unfinished cathedral in 1886. When he died, the building costs were $300,000. On June 30, 1889, the completed cathedral was finally dedicated. Bishop Matthew Harkins led the ceremony.
After almost 80 years, the cathedral had a big renovation starting in 1968. Church leaders wanted to finish the work by 1972. This was the 100th anniversary of the diocese. Bishop Russell J. McVinney started the work. But like Bishop Hendricken, he also passed away before it was completed. He died in August 1971.
In 2006, the basement of the cathedral was updated. It now holds the church hall. This space is used for parish meetings and diocese events. The old crypt (underground burial place) was removed. A new stone tomb was placed in the main church. This is the final resting place for Bishop Hendricken. Church leaders felt he deserved a more important spot. The cathedral is seen as his lasting gift. Other bishops buried in the crypt were moved to a cemetery in Cranston.
Important Services Held Here
The cathedral's first funeral Mass was on June 16, 1886. This was even before the building was finished. Bishop Thomas Francis Hendricken of Providence worked hard to get the cathedral built. He raised money and support. But he passed away before seeing it completed.
On September 8, 1947, Knut Ansgar Nelson became a bishop. He was a monk from Portsmouth Priory. He was named a special leader for Sweden. Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, a representative from the Pope in the United States, led the ceremony.
On September 17, 2001, a special memorial Mass was held. It was for Rhode Island native David Angell and his wife Lynn Edwards Angell. They passed away on September 11, 2001. David Angell was a famous television writer and producer. He was known for shows like Cheers and Frasier. His older brother, Bishop Kenneth Angell, led the Mass.
A funeral Mass for former Providence mayor Buddy Cianci was held on February 8, 2016. Bishop Thomas Joseph Tobin led this service.
Inside the Cathedral
The inside of the cathedral looks like a Gothic revival style. It is very similar to Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. The outside, made of brownstone, looks a lot like the original Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, CT. That church was finished in 1889. The famous church architect Patrick Keely designed all three of these buildings. He designed hundreds of others across the United States and Canada.
The tabernacle is a special container. It was made from bronze by X. Corberro and Sons in Barcelona, Spain. The small decoration on top took 58 hours to make. The main altar is built from Verde Issoire. This is a green marble from the French Alps. Green marble also decorates the lower parts of the walls. It forms the columns inside the nave (the main part of the church).
The nave and transepts (the parts that cross the main church) have a ceiling with Gothic vaulting. These are carved wooden ribs. The spaces between the ribs are painted with different scenes. Stained glass windows show stories from the Bible. They are made from old Munich Glass. This includes the large circular windows on the west and east sides. The windows were made in Innsbruck, Austria. A large granite coffin rests in the west transept. It holds the remains of Bishop Thomas Francis Hendricken. He was the first Bishop of Providence.
Outside the Cathedral
The building is made of Connecticut Brownstone. It is one of the most important buildings in Providence. There are two towers, each 156 ft (48 m) tall. These towers hold four church bells. Each bell represents one of the Four Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The bells were made in a Dutch factory. They were dedicated in 1968 by Bishop McVinney.
Cathedral Square
Cathedral Square is an open public area in front of the cathedral. From 1878 until World War II, this square was a busy center in downtown Providence. Shops and businesses were all around it. Hundreds of people would gather there after church. After the war, this busy life slowed down. Many people moved to the suburbs.
In the late 1960s, the City of Providence hired architect I. M. Pei. He was asked to redesign Cathedral Square. This was part of a bigger plan to redesign downtown. Pei's new plaza opened in 1972. It was designed like the ancient Greek Agora marketplaces. Sadly, the city ran out of money. So, Pei's full plan was never finished. Also, new housing and Interstate 95 changed the neighborhood. In 1974, The Providence Evening Bulletin newspaper called the new plaza a "failure." By 2016, news reports called it a forgotten "hidden gem."
Doyle Statue
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A statue of Providence mayor Thomas A. Doyle was put in Cathedral Square in 1889. It was moved in 1967. It now stands at the corner of Broad and Chestnut Street.
The Organ
The large organ in the cathedral was built by the Casavant Frères company. They are from Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada. It was finished in July 1971. The famous American organ builder Lawrence Phelps designed it. This organ, called Casavant's Opus 3145, was placed in the north transept. It cost $217,500.
The organ has four keyboards with 56 keys each. It also has a pedalboard with 32 keys. It has 74 stops and 126 ranks. There are 6,616 pipes in total. These pipes range from 6 inches to 32 feet long. This is one of the largest organs in North America that uses a mechanical action. It is also one of the biggest ever built by Casavant Frères.
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Images for kids
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The cathedral towers looking north
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Exterior photograph published in 1891
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An interior photograph, published in 1891
See Also
In Spanish: Catedral de los Santos Pedro y Pablo (Providence) para niños
