Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Memphis, Tennessee) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Location in Tennessee
35°07′33″N 90°00′19″W / 35.12588°N 90.00515°W / 35.12588; -90.00515
Location	1695 Central Ave. Memphis, Tennessee
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
History
Founded	1921
Architecture
Architect(s)	Richard J. Regan
Style	Spanish Colonial Revival
Completed	1938
Specifications
Capacity	1,200
Length	173 feet (53 m)
Width	106 feet (32 m)
Number of domes	Two
Materials	Brick
Administration
Diocese	Memphis

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a beautiful Catholic church located in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. It is the main church for the Diocese of Memphis. This means it's where the Bishop of Memphis has his special chair. The buildings around the church are part of the Central Gardens Historic District. This area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 because of its important history.

History of the Cathedral

Starting the Parish

The Immaculate Conception parish was created in 1921. Bishop Thomas Sebastian Byrne of the Diocese of Nashville started it. This was the ninth Catholic parish in the city of Memphis.

Msgr. Dennis J. Murphy became the first leader, or pastor, of the parish. He oversaw the building of a three-story brick structure. This building was special because it served as both a church and a school. Today, it is still used as the school building for the parish. The first teachers at the school were the Sisters of Mercy.

Building the Church

Work on the main church building began in 1927. Richard J. Regan, an architect from Regan and Weller Architects, designed the church. First, the lower part of the church, called the crypt, was built. For ten years, this crypt was used as the main church.

The upper part of the church was finished later. The entire church was officially opened on July 31, 1938. Msgr. Francis D. Grady, who was the second pastor, made sure the inside of the church was beautifully decorated. Later, in the 1950s and 1960s, Msgr. Merlin F. Kearney had high school buildings constructed. These buildings are located east of the church. This is also when Immaculate Conception High School for girls started.

Becoming a Cathedral

On January 6, 1971, a new Catholic area called the Diocese of Memphis was created by Pope Paul VI. The Immaculate Conception church was chosen to be the main church, or cathedral, for this new diocese.

The cathedral underwent a big update and repair project in 2001. Bishop J. Terry Steib, from the SVD, officially dedicated the newly renovated church on December 8, 2001. In 2011, the parish had about 800 families. The school also had 430 students attending classes.

Architecture and Design

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is built in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. This style often features elements from Spanish colonial buildings. The church has a cross shape, which is called "cruciform." It measures about 173 feet (53 meters) long and 106 feet (32 meters) wide.

The building has a strong steel frame. It is covered with light brown brick and decorated with Indiana limestone. The front of the church, called the main facade, has three arched doorways. Above these doors, there is a round window with a design like a rose. A stone cross sits on the central triangular part, known as the pediment.

Two tall towers stand on either side of the main front. These towers have copper-covered domes on top. Each dome is topped with a cross, reaching a height of 115 feet (35 meters). There are also two other rose windows. One of these windows is located in each "transept," which are the parts of the church that stick out like the arms of a cross.

See also

In Spanish: Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción (Memphis) para niños

• List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
• List of cathedrals in the United States
• Immaculate Conception Cathedral School