Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (New Ulm, Minnesota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of the Holy Trinity |
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 Location in Minnesota
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| 44°19′05″N 94°28′06″W / 44.3181°N 94.4682°W | |
| Location | 605 N. State Street New Ulm, Minnesota |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral/Parish |
| Founded | 1858 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Neo-Baroque |
| Completed | 1893 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | One |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | New Ulm |
The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is a Roman Catholic cathedral in New Ulm, Minnesota, United States. It is the main church for the Diocese of New Ulm.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
Early Beginnings (1850s-1860s)
The Catholic community in New Ulm started in the mid-1800s. This was thanks to the work of a missionary named Rev. Franz Weninger. The first church building was made of wood. It was started in 1858.
However, construction was slow. This first church was destroyed before it was finished. This happened during the Dakota War of 1862. People defending New Ulm tore it down. They did this to stop members of the Dakota tribe from using it as a shield.
Building the Second Church
After the conflict ended, Michael Lauterbach gave two pieces of land to Bishop Thomas Grace. These were for building a new church. The first stone for this new church was placed on September 1, 1866.
In 1868, Rev. Alexander Berghold became the first priest to live in New Ulm. The new church was dedicated (officially opened) on December 11, 1870. Bishop Grace led the dedication. This church was 36 feet wide and 97 feet long. Sadly, a powerful tornado destroyed it on July 15, 1881.
Constructing the Current Cathedral
People started raising money for a new church. By September 1888, they had enough funds. A.C. Ochs signed a contract to build the church we see today. This happened on March 29, 1890. The first stone was laid on May 4, 1890.
The church's tall steeple was finished in 1893. The inside decorations were completed in 1903. The walls of this Baroque style building are covered with paintings. These show many saints, angels, and scenes from the life of Christ. The colors are dark, with bright gold accents. A special area called an apse shows a picture of the Holy Trinity and the Twelve Apostles. Alexander Schwendinger led the team that decorated the inside. Christ Heller and Anton Gag helped him. Two side entrances were added to the church in 1940. A new terrazzo floor was also put in then.
Becoming a Cathedral
The Diocese of New Ulm was created by Pope Pius XII on November 18, 1957. Holy Trinity Church was chosen to be the diocese's new cathedral. A cathedral is the main church of a diocese. Msgr. Alphonse Schladweiler was named the first Bishop of New Ulm. He was officially made a bishop at Holy Trinity.
In 1987, the cathedral was updated again. The lower part of the church was changed into a community hall. It was named after a past leader, Msgr. Antony Leifeld.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de la Santísima Trinidad (New Ulm) para niños
Images for kids
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Interior in the 1970s
