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 church was built in 1810. It was designed by John Holden Greene. The building shows the early Gothic Revival style. It replaced a smaller wooden church that stood on the same spot since 1722.

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

The church closed in 2012. This was because fewer people were attending. Also, the building needed many repairs. Since then, the church has been fixed up. It reopened partially in 2018. It is now becoming a special center. This center will focus on the history of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

History of the Cathedral

Early Beginnings

The church started in 1722. It was first called King's Church. This name honored George I of Great Britain, who was king at the time. The first church building was made of wood. It was built on land given by Nathaniel Brown, a ship builder. 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 62 feet long and 41 feet wide. It was 26 feet high. Around 1771, a tall, pointed steeple was added to the front. In December 1772, an organ was put into the church. In 1794, the church's name was changed to "St John's Church".

This first building was used until 1810. That's when work began on the current Cathedral of St. John. The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island was formed in 1790. But St John's Church did not become its main church until 1929. At that time, it was renamed the "Cathedral of St. John".

The Current Building

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

A special group for the Cathedral was formed in 1909. In 1929, the church was chosen to be the main Episcopal church. The building has been renovated several times. These updates happened in 1855, 1866, 1906, and 1967. The church still looks much like it did when it was first built. However, it started to show signs of wear.

Because of fewer members and high repair costs, the church closed in 2012.

A Center for History

In November 2014, the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island shared exciting news. They wanted to use part of the cathedral for a special center. This center would teach about Rhode Island's role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. It would show how some people profited from it. It would also show how others fought against it.

This "museum and reconciliation center" is important. It is the first museum in the United States to focus on the history of slavery in New England. It also explains the role of the Episcopal Church in this history. The center opened in 2018.

Gallery

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

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  An 1886 picture of the church

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  A 1914 drawing 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