Cathedral of St. John (Providence, Rhode Island) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Saint John
Religion
Affiliation	Episcopal Church in the United States of America
District	Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island
Status	Closed
Location
Location	Providence, Rhode Island
State	Rhode Island
Architecture
Architect(s)	John Holden Greene
Architectural type	Cathedral
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
Founder	Gabriel Bernon
Date established	1722
Completed	1810
Materials	Stone

The Episcopal Cathedral of St. John is a historic church in Providence, Rhode Island. It is located at 271 North Main Street. The current building was finished in 1810. It was designed by John Holden Greene. The church was built in the early Gothic Revival style. It replaced an older wooden church from 1722 that stood on the same spot.

Over the years, parts of the church were added or changed. A small chapel was built in 1856. The south part of the church was added in 1866. The inside of the church was updated in 1905 and again in 1967. In 1929, this church became the main church, or "seat," for the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island.

The church closed in 2012. This was because fewer people were attending. Also, the building needed many expensive repairs. Today, the church is being fixed up. It will become a special "exhibition and reconciliation center." This center will focus on the history of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. It will explore how people were affected by it. The church partly reopened in 2018.

History of the Cathedral

How the Church Started

The church began in 1722. It was first called King's Church. This name honored King George I of Great Britain. The first church building was made of wood. It was built on land given by Nathaniel Brown. Important people like Colonel Joseph Whipple and Gabriel Bernon helped start the church. They also gave money to build it.

The first wooden church was quite large. It was about 62 feet long and 41 feet wide. It stood 26 feet tall. Around 1771, a tall, pointed steeple was added to the front. In December 1772, an organ was put into the church.

The church's name changed in 1794. It became "St John's Church." The original wooden building was used until 1810. That's when work started on the current stone building. The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island was formed in 1790. But St John's Church did not become the main church until 1929. At that time, it was renamed the "Cathedral of St. John."

The Current Building

The first stone for the current St. John's Church was laid in 1810. The church was officially opened in 1811. John Holden Greene designed the building. He was a famous architect who designed many buildings in Providence.

A special group called a "Cathedral corporation" was formed in 1909. In 1929, the church was chosen as the main Episcopal church. The building was repaired and updated several times. This happened in 1855, 1866, 1906, and 1967. Even with these updates, the building started to show its age.

The Providence Preservation Society listed it as one of the 10 most endangered properties. This happened in 2007, 2008, and 2010. Because of fewer members and high repair costs, the church closed in 2012.

New Purpose: A Museum and Center

In November 2014, the church leaders shared exciting news. They wanted to use part of the cathedral for a museum. This museum would explore Rhode Island's history with the trans-Atlantic slave trade. It would show how some people gained from it. It would also highlight those who fought against it.

This "museum and reconciliation center" is very special. It is expected to be the first museum in the United States. It will focus on the history of slavery in New England. It will also share the role of the Episcopal Church in this history. The center began to open in 2018. It aims to help people learn and understand this important past.

Images for kids

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  The original King's Church—a wood building constructed in 1722

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  An engraving of the church from 1886

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  A 1914 picture of the church from its graveyard

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  The cathedral's cemetery

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  The cathedral seen from the north side