Cathedral of the Assumption (Louisville, Kentucky) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cathedral of the Assumption
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| Location | Louisville, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1852 |
| Architect | William Keely; D.X. Murphy & Bros |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000623 |
| Added to NRHP | September 21, 1977 |
The Cathedral of the Assumption is a beautiful Catholic church in Louisville, Kentucky. It is the main church for the Archdiocese of Louisville, which means it's where the Archbishop, Shelton J. Fabre, has his official seat. Think of it as the "mother church" for many other Catholic churches in the area.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
The First Church: St. Louis
In 1811, a small group of Catholic people in Louisville started Saint Louis Church. It was located at 10th and Main Streets. Before this, a priest named Father Stephen Badin traveled around to serve Catholics in many parts of the early United States. He was known as the "circuit rider priest."
In 1821, Father Philip Hosten became the first full-time pastor of Saint Louis Church. Sadly, he died a year later during a yellow fever outbreak. By 1830, a bigger Saint Louis Church was built on Fifth Street. This is the exact spot where the Cathedral of the Assumption stands today!
Moving to Louisville
The Diocese of Bardstown was the first Catholic diocese (a church district led by a bishop) created inland in the United States in 1808. It covered a huge area, including most of Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. Benedict Joseph Flaget was its first Bishop.
In 1841, the diocese moved from Bardstown to Louisville. Saint Louis Church then became Saint Louis Cathedral. Bishop Flaget, now the Bishop of Louisville, decided in 1849 that a brand new cathedral was needed. He passed away in 1850, just a few months after the first stone for the new building was laid. His resting place is now in a special chapel under the cathedral.
Bishop Martin John Spalding finished the project that Bishop Flaget started. On October 3, 1852, the new cathedral was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was named the Cathedral of the Assumption. The new cathedral was built around the old St. Louis Church. Once the new building was ready, the old church was carefully taken apart, piece by piece, and carried out the front doors!
In 1937, the Diocese of Louisville became the Archdiocese of Louisville. This made it the main center for all Catholic dioceses in Kentucky and Tennessee.
A Difficult Day: Bloody Monday
Soon after it was built, the new Cathedral of the Assumption faced a big threat. On August 6, 1855, there was a lot of anger and prejudice against immigrants and Catholics in Louisville. A local newspaper editor, George D. Prentice, wrote an article that worried people about immigrants, especially German and Irish newcomers.
This led to a sad day where people with anti-immigrant views attacked immigrant workers. About 22 German and Irish immigrants were killed across the city. Some people also thought that the cathedral and another new church, St. Martin of Tours, were hiding weapons. They were threatened with being burned down. However, the mayor at the time, John Barbee, inspected the churches and confirmed they were safe. This helped protect the buildings.
Making it New Again
When Thomas C. Kelly became the Archbishop of Louisville in 1982, the Cathedral of the Assumption started a new chapter. It became an important center for the archdiocese again.
In 1985, the Cathedral Heritage Foundation was started. This group (now called the Center for Interfaith Relations) began a big effort to fix up the cathedral, add new parts, and help it serve the community even more.
Renovations began in 1988. The main part of the cathedral was worked on for almost two years, starting in 1993. The grand reopening of the cathedral happened in 1994, showing off a completely new and improved space.
In 1994, Archbishop Kelly moved into the cathedral's house, becoming the first bishop to live downtown in 120 years! In 1998, the tall spire and bell tower of the cathedral were also fully renovated.
In 2005, work began on the cathedral school building, which now holds the church offices. Future plans include creating modern practice spaces for the cathedral's famous choirs.
Today, the cathedral complex includes the main church, a special chapel, a dining room for people experiencing homelessness, an education center, church offices, and housing for the Archbishop and staff.
Inside the Cathedral
During a big renovation, the walls of the cathedral were painted to look like stone blocks. It's so well done that many visitors are surprised to learn the walls aren't actually stone!
The colorful stained glass windows that used to be on the sides were moved. This allows people inside to see the buildings around the cathedral, helping them feel more connected to the community. These old stained glass panels are now displayed in the Patterson Education Center.
The nave is the main part of the church where people sit during services. It can hold 966 people! Instead of long benches (pews), the nave has individual, movable chairs. These chairs can be arranged in straight rows, or even facing each other for special services. During the renovations, engineers had to add strong steel beams to the nave to keep the building from cracking and falling apart.
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The Baptistry
The baptistry is a very important part of the church. It's where people are baptized, which is how they officially join the Church. People can choose to be fully immersed in a pool or have water poured over them from a font. The old baptismal font was moved, and a new immersion pool was added. It is made of beautiful red granite, bronze, and marble.
The Altar
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The altar is the central point of worship in the church. It has a base of gray marble and a top made of red granite, similar to the baptismal pool. The gray marble came from the original main altar.
You'll see a brass Lamb of God on the altar. This symbol, called Agnus Dei in Latin, represents Jesus. On the altar's base, there are carvings. On the right, you'll see an open book and keys. The book stands for God's word, and the keys remind us of Jesus' words to Peter: "I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven." On the left, there's a bishop's mitre (hat) and crozier (staff). The crozier looks like a shepherd's crook, showing the bishop's role as a shepherd guiding his flock.
The Coronation Window
The stunning Coronation Window shows the cathedral's special dedication to the Virgin Mary, Jesus' mother. It shows her being crowned as Queen of Heaven.
This window was made in 1883 by the Blum Art Company of Louisville. It's one of the oldest American-made stained glass windows! It was moved around over the years, but during the recent restoration, it was put back in its original place. This delicate process caused a crack in the building, which temporarily stopped work. Experts carefully repaired the window, even painting missing parts on thin glass to restore its original look.
Catholics believe that after the Virgin Mary died, Jesus took her body into heaven. She is seen as a special example for all believers.
The Ceiling Fresco
The Ceiling Fresco is a large painting on the ceiling. It shows cherubs (angel-like figures) surrounding the Virgin Mary as she is taken into Heaven.
This fresco was painted around 1900. It was later painted over in 1964 when some plaster fell. But when more plaster fell years later, the beautiful painting underneath was rediscovered! It has been carefully restored to its original beauty.
The Cathedra
The cathedra is the Archbishop's official chair, located behind the altar. It's a very old symbol of the bishop's leadership and teaching role in the Church. The word "cathedral" actually comes from the Latin word cathedra, meaning "chair."
The cathedra is covered in red suede. On its back, you can see the coat of arms for the Archdiocese of Louisville. This coat of arms has symbols important to Louisville and the Church:
- The fleur de lis, which represents Louisville's French history.
- A crozier, the bishop's staff.
- A Star of David, an old symbol for the Virgin Mary.
- A stockade (a fence of stakes) and flowing water, representing Fort Nelson and the Ohio River.
- Arrowheads, representing the native peoples who lived in this area.
The priest's chair, where he leads the Mass, was bought from an antique store because it looked similar to the cathedra.
The Organ
Above the entrance, you'll find the choir loft and a magnificent pipe organ. It was built in 1983 by Steiner-Reck, Inc., a company from Louisville. The organ has many pipes and features, including special "fanfare trumpets" added in 1994. It also has a beautiful Gothic style case made of hand-carved mahogany.
The Ambo
The Ambo, also called the pulpit, is made of gray marble and red granite. This is where parts of the Bible are read, songs are sung, and the priest gives his sermon (talk) to the people.
The Cathedral's Role in the Community
Like many old cathedrals in Europe, the Cathedral of the Assumption has always tried to help its community. It has served as a place for the sick, an orphanage, and a shelter for those in need. For example, Presentation Academy and Saint Joseph Infirmary all started from the cathedral's lower level.
This tradition continues today with many programs that help people in the community, such as:
- A Daily Lunch Program that serves about 125 people experiencing homelessness.
- Dress for Success: This group helps women who are looking for jobs by providing clothes, grooming tips, and training.
- The Healing Place: Offers overnight shelter, health care, meals, and clothes for people experiencing homelessness. It also helps mothers and children who have left difficult home situations.
- Housing Initiative: Volunteers help with projects like Repair Affair and Habitat for Humanity to improve homes.
- Hunger and Poverty: The cathedral participates in events like the AIDS Walk and Hunger Walk, and organizes special dinners for people experiencing homelessness, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The Center for Interfaith Relations
Started in 1985 as the Cathedral Heritage Foundation, this group changed its name to the Center for Interfaith Relations in 2006. Their first goal was to restore the cathedral, which they achieved! Now, they continue to help the community by offering spiritual, educational, and cultural experiences. They also work to help people from different cultures and religions understand each other better.
Music at the Cathedral
The cathedral choirs are very talented! They have traveled to Europe three times, singing in famous places like Gloucester Cathedral in England. They have also recorded music and performed many times with the Louisville Orchestra.
The main cathedral choir has about 45 volunteer singers. There's also a choir for boys and girls aged 12-17, along with adult singers. Both choirs sing a wide variety of music, from old church chants to modern pieces. They also come together for special events like Holy Week services and their international tours.
The cathedral also has many skilled singers called cantors who lead the singing during weekend and Holy Day Masses. There are also cantors who sing for the weekday noon Masses.
The clock and bell tower of the cathedral is home to many bells from the Netherlands. It's one of the few places in Kentucky with a full carillon (a set of bells played like a musical instrument).
A Special Friendship: Covenant Community
The Cathedral of the Assumption has a special friendship with Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral in Louisville. They have formed a "covenant relationship." This means they work together and visit each other's churches. They hold an annual service together during Lent. A highlight of their friendship is the joint Service of Light on Holy Saturday. Both congregations meet between their churches to bless the new fire used to light the Paschal candle, then each group goes back to their own cathedral.
Sister Parish
In November 2000, the Cathedral of the Assumption formed a "sister parish" relationship with St. Louis Parish in Jérémie, Haiti. This means they share gifts, talents, and spiritual support with each other. A special committee helps keep the two parishes connected and communicating.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de la Asunción (Louisville) para niños
- Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral
- List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
- List of cathedrals in the United States
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky
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