Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (Boise, Idaho) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of St. Johnthe Evangelist |
|
|---|---|
View from south in September 2009
|
|
 Location in the United States
Location in Idaho
|
|
| 43°37′17.4″N 116°11′54.9″W / 43.621500°N 116.198583°W | |
| Location | Boise, Idaho |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral/Parish church |
| Founded | 1870 |
| Dedication | St. John the Evangelist |
| Dedicated | March 27, 1921 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Tourtellotte & Hummel |
| Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1906 |
| Completed | 1921 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 170 feet (52 m) |
| Width | 95 feet (29 m) |
| Nave width | 65 feet (20 m) |
| Materials | Sandstone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Boise |
The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, often called St. John's Cathedral, is a Catholic church in Boise, Idaho. It is the main church for the Boise Diocese. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Later, in 1982, other buildings on the church property were also added to the Register.
Contents
History of St. John's Cathedral
The first Catholic church in Boise was built in 1870. Sadly, it burned down just 18 days later. A new wooden church was then built. This church became the main church for the Catholic community in Idaho.
As Boise grew, a bigger church was needed. Bishop Alphonse Glorieux bought land for the new cathedral. He laid the first stone, called the cornerstone, in 1906. To avoid financial problems, the church was built in stages. The lower part was finished first, and people worshipped there. The main walls and roof were completed in 1912. The entire cathedral was finished in 1921. Bishop Daniel Gorman dedicated it on March 27, Easter Sunday.
The house for the priests, called the rectory, was finished in 1906. It cost $12,000. This house is built in the Tudor Revival style. It has large gabled roofs and exposed wooden beams. The first floor is made of brick veneer and stone. The second floor has decorative half-timbering.
The current school building, St. Joseph's School, was finished in 1925. This two-story brick building cost $35,000. A gymnasium was added to the school in 1948. The school is named after St. Joseph's church in Idaho City. That church was the first Catholic church in the area, but it was destroyed by fire in 1867.
Architecture and Design
St. John's Cathedral was designed by Tourtellotte & Hummel. This was one of the first architecture firms in Boise. The church is built in the Romanesque Revival style. The architects were inspired by the Cathedral of Mainz in Germany and the Basilica of Saint-Sernin in France.
The outside of the church is made of Boise Sandstone. This stone was taken from Table Rock, just above the city. The building has a cruciform shape, like a cross. It is about 170 feet (52 m) long and 95 feet (29 m) wide at the arms of the cross, called the transepts. The main part of the church, called the nave, is 65 feet (20 m) wide.
The original plan included two tall towers with spires at the front. However, these towers were never fully built. A beautiful rose window is at the front of the church. A statue of St. John the Evangelist sits on top of the main entrance. Small decorative arches, called corbeling, go around the building at the roofline. A small spire, called a fléche, rises above the center of the church where the cross shape meets.
The stained glass windows in the nave show scenes from the life of Jesus. In the north transept, a large window shows the Adoration of the Magi. It is surrounded by windows of St. Alphonsus Ligouri and St. Theresa of Avila. The south transept window shows the Ascension. It has windows of St. Patrick and St. Rita next to it.
In the front part of the church, called the sanctuary, windows show St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the curved area at the very front, called the apse, there are windows of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. These are next to windows showing the Four Evangelists. Most of the stained glass was made by the John J. Kinsella Company in 1920. A window showing the Holy Spirit was added in 1979. Above the pipe organ, there is a window depicting St. Cecilia.
The church has a large pipe organ with 3 manuals and 2900 pipes. It was installed in 1921 by Tellers-Kent.
Restoration and Remodel Projects
The inside of the church was cleaned in 1952. In 1960, a big remodeling project began. The church hired Charles Hummel Jr., the grandson of one of the original architects. Charles Hummel Jr. also worked on a restoration in 1979. He focused on four main goals:
- Restoring all the stained glass windows.
- Adding more seating for visitors.
- Renewing the canvas decorations inside.
- Adding modern lighting that still fit the church's classic look.
To do this, Hummel made some important changes. He also made sure that key architectural details were not changed. These details include the decorative gargoyles and the restored windows.
To celebrate the church's 100th birthday, Rob Thornton remodeled the downstairs chapel. He worked with Hummel on this project. Thornton removed plaster from the walls to show the stone underneath. He also kept some of the wood panels that Hummel added in 1979. Thornton added a dome-shaped hole in the chapel ceiling. He also worked on the reception hall, removing carpet and exposing the stone walls.
The baptismal font was redesigned to be like a pool. The old font was reused to hold the holy oils. A special altar for the tabernacle was created in the south transept. The canopy above it came from the old main altar. In 1981, St. John's received an Orchid Award for its excellent restoration work.
Images for kids
-
An early photo of the cathedral
-
Detail of the cathedral apse in 2009
-
The architecture of the building features Romanesque Revival
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San Juan Evangelista (Boise) para niños
