Cathedral of the Incarnation (Garden City, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Cathedral of the Incarnation |
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| Denomination | The Episcopal Church |
| Website | www.incarnationgc.org |
| History | |
| Founded | 1876 |
| Consecrated | 1885 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | National Register of Historic Places |
| Architect(s) | John Kellum, Henry G. Harrison |
| Architectural type | Neo-Gothic |
| Style | 13th-century floriated English Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1876 |
| Completed | 1885 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Belville Brownstone (exterior facade), cast iron/iron (structural), rare marble (interior appointments) |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Central Nassau |
| Diocese | The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island |
The Cathedral of the Incarnation is a very important church for the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. It is also the main building in Garden City, New York, which was America's first town built around a cathedral. This special church was built to honor Alexander Turney Stewart, a rich merchant from the 1800s. He dreamed of turning a large area of Long Island into a beautiful town with affordable homes for his workers.
The Cathedral of the Incarnation is unique because it's the only cathedral in the United States built in memory of just one person. It's also a great example of 19th-century Gothic Revival architecture, which means it looks like old Gothic churches.
Contents
History
How the Cathedral Started
The idea for the cathedral came from Alexander Turney Stewart (1803-1876). He was a very successful Irish-American businessman. He became one of the richest people in American history. Stewart was born in Northern Ireland and moved to New York in 1818. He built a huge retail business, including the famous "Iron Store" in Manhattan. This store was like America's first department store.
In 1869, Stewart bought about 7,000 acres of land on the Hempstead Plains. He paid $55 for each acre. This land became Garden City. It was one of the first planned communities in the United States. It had imported trees, nice landscaping, and train connections to New York City. Garden City was an early example of the "garden city movement" in city planning.
After Stewart passed away in 1876, his wife, Cornelia Clinch Stewart, decided to build a church to remember him. She talked with Abram N. Littlejohn, who was the first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. They agreed that this memorial church would become the main church, or cathedral, for the diocese. This moved the center of Episcopal life from Brooklyn to Garden City.
The architect Henry Harrison designed the cathedral. The windows were planned by Rev. Dr. Th. Stafford Drowne. Construction began in 1876, and the first stone was laid in 1877.
On June 2, 1885, the Cathedral was officially opened and blessed by Bishop Littlejohn. Mrs. Stewart gave the church to the diocese. She also gave $300,000 to help take care of the building. The project included not only the cathedral but also two schools: the Cathedral School of St. Paul for boys and the Cathedral School of St. Mary for girls. There was also a large 32-room house for the Bishop. St. Paul's School opened in 1879 and could hold 300 boys. The Cathedral School of St. Mary was built in 1892.
Architecture
Design and Look
The Cathedral of the Incarnation is a great example of 13th-century English Gothic Revival style. It looks like the beautiful churches built in England long ago. The building is 175 feet long and 96 feet wide. It has an 80-foot bell tower with a 130-foot spire on top, making it 210 feet tall in total. A nine-foot shining brass cross sits on top, which used to be seen from far away.
The cathedral is made from brownstone, a type of stone from New Jersey. It was built using advanced techniques from the 1800s, like iron beams and cast iron columns. This made it possible to have thin columns inside, a very tall 53-foot ceiling, and lots of natural light. It also meant they didn't need as many outside supports called flying buttresses.
The decorations inside the cathedral show plants and flowers found on Long Island. These include flowers, fruits, nuts, and leaves. The building sits on 23 acres of park-like land. Inside, you can see many rare marbles that Mr. Stewart collected from England, France, and Belgium.
Inside the Cathedral
The inside of the cathedral follows the traditional layout of Gothic churches. Here are some special parts:
Narthex: This is the entrance area. It has 60 windows made by Clayton & Bell of London. These windows show important people from the Old Testament. The floor has a brass design of the Stewart family's symbol with the words "Prudentia et Constantia," which means "Prudence and Perseverance."
Nave: This is the main part of the church where people sit. It used to not have fixed seats, like old churches. The upper windows show angels singing. The main windows, also by Clayton & Bell, show scenes from Jesus Christ's birth and early life. They use a beautiful mix of red, blue, gold, and green colors. In 2020, the old wooden pews were replaced with movable benches and chairs.
Transepts: These are the parts of the church that stick out on the sides, making the building look like a cross. The south transept has the Jesse Window, which shows Jesus's family tree. The north transept has the Te Deum window, which shows scenes from an old hymn called "Te Deum Laudamus."
Sanctuary: This is the area around the main altar. The high altar is carved from Italian marble by Cox & Co. of London. It has pictures showing important events in Jesus's life. Above the sanctuary, there is a special picture of Christ called "Pantocrator," which was put there in 2001.
Stained Glass
The cathedral has many beautiful stained glass windows. Most were made by Clayton & Bell of London, with some by Heaton, Butler & Bayne. The 70 windows in the entrance, main area, and altar area all use similar colors. They tell stories from Christ's life and the Christian faith. Like old churches, they act as a "Bible in glass" to teach people.
High Altar
The cathedral's High Altar was designed by Henry Harrison and carved in Belgium. It's the main focus point for worship and also helps teach about Jesus's life, death, and resurrection. This amazing 19th-century altar has carvings on all four sides. The south and north sides show the Annunciation (when an angel told Mary she would have Jesus) and Jesus appearing at Emmaus. The east side shows three scenes from Christ's life: his birth, his crucifixion, and his visit to the underworld. The west side shows three scenes from the Hebrew Bible: Adam and Eve's temptation, Abraham sacrificing Isaac, and Moses with the Bronze Serpent.
In the late 1950s, some changes were made to the altar that changed its original design. But in early 2024, as part of ongoing restoration work, the High Altar was brought back to its original 1885 look. Workers carefully took apart, cleaned, and fixed the stone carvings. They put the side panels back in their original north and south positions. This restoration made the area around the altar more spacious and useful again.
Undercroft and Crypt
Below the main church, the undercroft has different rooms. These include areas for choir practice, changing rooms, and the Chapel of the Resurrection. This chapel has 16 sides and a 20-foot domed ceiling. It is where Cornelia Clinch Stewart is buried. It is also believed to be where Alexander Turney Stewart is buried, though there was a historical mystery about his body being stolen in the 1870s. Several bishops of Long Island are also buried here.
Worship
The Cathedral has one of the largest groups of worshipers in the diocese. It holds regular Sunday and weekday services, plus many special events and celebrations.
Program Year (Mid-September through May)
On Sundays, services are held at 8:00 AM, 9:15 AM, and 11:15 AM. The 8:00 AM service is a simpler one using traditional language. The 9:15 AM "Cathedral for Kids" service is for all ages. It has kid-friendly sermons and music sung by the Cathedral's boy and girl choirs. The 11:15 AM Choral Mass is a full Anglican service with incense, chanting, and a full choir.
During the week, Daily Mass is offered Monday through Friday at noon. On Wednesdays, this service includes prayers for healing.
Summer Season (June through Early September)
The summer schedule changes to 8:00 AM, 9:15 AM, and 10:15 AM. The 8:00 AM service stays the same. The 9:15 AM "Neighborhood Mass" is held outdoors under a tent and is even dog-friendly! It's a relaxed service with singing without instruments. The 10:15 AM Sung Mass keeps the Anglican music tradition alive with congregational singing and organ music.
In the summer, Daily Mass is only on Wednesdays. It is held in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd.
Special Services
Besides the regular services, the Cathedral hosts many special events for the diocese, such as:
- Ordinations (when people become deacons or priests)
- Confirmation (when people confirm their faith)
- The Feast of St. Francis and Blessing of the Animals
- Feast of Blessed Absalom Jones
- The Chrism Mass (a special service for blessing oils)
- The Juneteenth Jubilee
Incarnation Chapel
Incarnation Chapel is a part of the Cathedral, located in Carle Place, New York. It's a community that gathers on Saturday evenings at 5 PM for a service to welcome the Sabbath. Everyone is encouraged to join in the prayers and songs. After the service, there's a potluck dinner and time to socialize.
Other special days and festivals also add to the church's life, including:
- Burial Vespers for the Lord on Good Friday
- The Vigil of the Feast of Pentecost
- Día de los Muertos - a special family event celebrating the Mexican festival of the Day of the Dead
- St. Nicholas Day - the feast day of Nicholas of Myra
The Chapel also helps adults learn more about Christian faith and grow spiritually.
Music Ministry
History
The cathedral is well-known for its music. Canon Lawrence Tremsky has led the music program since 2000. The Men & Boys Choir, which is like the choirs in English cathedrals, started practicing even before the building was finished in 1885. In the early days, not many people lived near the cathedral. So, a train station was built in Garden City to bring the boys from Brooklyn or Manhattan for rehearsals and services. In the 1930s, the cathedral started the first American cathedral girls' choir. In the 1990s, a group called the Schola Cantorum was formed for adult women to sing in the cathedral.
Current Program
The music program has changed over the years. The Cathedral Choir now has professional singers and volunteers from the church. The Cathedral Choristers, made up of boys and girls, sing at the Cathedral for Kids Mass. Older choristers also join the adults for a monthly evening service called Evensong. The chorister program is doing very well, with over 25 young singers.
The cathedral choirs sing many different types of choral music, from old plainsong to modern songs. The music is chosen to fit the themes of the church season. Evensong is sung on the first Sunday of each month, following the traditional English cathedral style. Special services include A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols before Christmas, a Tenebrae service on Holy Wednesday, and full choirs during the Triduum (the three days before Easter).
Organs and other instruments
The Cathedral has had four organs in its history. The first one was installed in 1883. In 1925, it was updated by Casavant Frères Limitée. In 1963, a new organ was built. The current organ was also built by Casavant Frères in 1986. It is based on French Romantic styles and is the largest pipe organ on Long Island. In 2022, the organ was updated with new features, including digital stops.
The music program also uses a smaller continuo organ (2020) and a 1932 Steinway concert grand piano. The piano was fully restored in 2018.
Bells
The cathedral's bells were made by the McShane Bell Company for the 1876 U.S. Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. Cornelia Stewart bought them after visiting the exhibition. They were installed for the cathedral's opening. In the 1960s, the bells were made to ring automatically. They still play hymns, patriotic songs, and Christmas carols today.
Fellowship in Faith
The Cathedral's Christian education program, called Fellowship in Faith, runs on Sundays from September through May. Classes for all ages are held from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. This time is between the 9:15 AM Cathedral for Kids Mass and the 11:15 AM Choral Mass.
Programs and Activities
The program includes lessons for young people. These lessons teach about the Bible, Christian traditions, and the natural world. Young people in grades 6-12 meet monthly to work on community service projects.
The Dean's Forum is for adults. Clergy and guest speakers lead discussions on topics like Bible studies, sacred art, and different parts of Christian tradition.
Confirmation and Eucharist Education
The Cathedral offers annual Confirmation programs for both young people and adults. The Confirmation ceremony usually happens during the Great Vigil of Easter. There is also a spring course for parents and children that teaches about the Church's understanding of the Eucharist (Holy Communion).
Community Events
The program organizes several community events throughout the year for the wider Long Island area:
- An annual All Hallows Eve event
- A diocese-wide Harry Potter Banquet
- Advent Wreath Making workshops
- A 4:00 PM Christmas Eve Pageant
- The MLK Jr. Community Kitchen
- An annual Easter Egg Hunt with thousands of candy-filled eggs hidden on the cathedral grounds
All Fellowship in Faith courses and activities are free and open to everyone.
Outreach Programs
Helping the Community
The Cathedral of the Incarnation has several programs to help the community. These programs are based near its location on Jackson Street in Hempstead, New York. The cathedral's outreach ministries provide weekly services to local residents. This includes serving meals twice a week and special meals on holidays. The programs also offer street-based prayer services. They work with other organizations in Nassau County to provide support and help to the community.
Prison Ministry
The cathedral has an active program at the Nassau County Correctional Center. This program includes visiting people in prison, prayer sessions, worship services, and meditation programs. The ministry also expanded to include services at the facility's Women's Unit. The Rev. Denise Galloway coordinates this program.
Food Security Programs
The cathedral helps with food security through its partnership with the Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN). This partnership includes:
- Volunteering at the Mary Brennan INN soup kitchen in Hempstead
- Collecting toiletries in the spring and school supplies in the fall
- Holding fundraising events to support INN programs
Campus Ministry
The cathedral's clergy serve as chaplains at nearby Adelphi University. They provide care, spiritual guidance, and religious programs to the university community. Chaplains offer counseling, help with discussions between different faiths, lead worship services, and support students during difficult times. They also help students think about important life questions.
The cathedral has a special campus ministry called Meditation and Justice. This program combines quiet reflection with learning about social fairness. It hosts public events on campus and creates spaces for peaceful practice and meaningful conversations. The chaplains mentor students one-on-one and connect them with service opportunities. This helps students live out their spiritual values by "hearing the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth."
The Meditation and Justice program encourages students to find sacred moments in their daily lives. It helps them express their desire for a meaningful life and deal with worries about today's social and environmental challenges. Students learn spiritual tools from Christian traditions. They are encouraged to become leaders on campus and work for justice. The program helps students connect with their faith community and find their purpose as "healers, reconcilers, and ambassadors of God in the world."
Center for Spiritual Imagination
The Center for Spiritual Imagination is a special part of the Cathedral. It teaches how to use quiet reflection for living a fair and just life. Started in 2020, the center follows old traditions, builds community, and focuses on working for justice. It is deeply connected to the church, and the Bishop of Long Island is its Episcopal Visitor.
The Center for Spiritual Imagination is a spiritual group run by the Community of the Incarnation.
The center especially helps people who say they are "Spiritual But Not Religious." These people are open to Christian spiritual practices but sometimes find traditional church rules don't fit their spiritual journey. The center sees its work as a way to rethink how Christian communities can grow as traditional church attendance changes in America.
The organization offers different experiences, programs, and services. These are designed to combine spiritual practice with working for social justice and being involved in the community.
History
The Center for Spiritual Imagination was created in 2020. It is part of the Cathedral of the Incarnation's work within the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. Its founders include The Very Rev. Canon Dr. Michael T. Sniffen, Dean of the Cathedral; The Rev. Canon Morgan Mercer-Ladd, former Sub Dean; The Rev. Canon Adam Bucko, Director of the Center; and Canon Kris Vieira Coleman, Program Director.
The center's work is based on "spiritual ecology." This means it keeps old traditions while focusing on building community and working for justice in the world. This approach combines quiet spiritual practices with actions for social change.
The organization says its approach is rooted in "spiritual ecology" with a focus on community building and social justice. The center aims to serve those who might not fit into traditional church structures. It welcomes people who are searching, who have doubts, and people of all faiths.
Programs
The Community of the Incarnation - The center's main program is a three-year training program for a New Monastic community called the Community of the Incarnation. This program helps members live by a "Rule of Life." This rule includes daily prayer, always trying to improve their lives, and a commitment to live spiritually by responding to "the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth."
Those who feel called to join the Community go through a detailed process. This includes figuring out their calling, spiritual training, experiencing monastic life, and studying theology. They are then invited to make seasonal promises and commit to "ongoing conversion of life," which might lead to permanent promises later. The training program focuses on quiet spiritual practice, theological education, and spiritual direction. It also helps with challenges in prayer and the importance of mentors. The community structure includes ways for members to support each other and be accountable. The training combines quiet practices with social action and justice work. It also emphasizes celebration and joy as important parts of spiritual life.
Public Programs - The center's public programs have attracted thousands of people. They include:
- Spiritual Imagination Speaker Series - featuring well-known guests like Fr. Richard Rohr
- Socially Engaged Mysticism - courses that explore how quiet spiritual practice connects with social justice
- Black Lives and Contemplation - programs that address racial justice through a quiet, reflective approach
Verger Ministry
As the main church for the Diocese of Long Island, the Cathedral of the Incarnation hosts many diocesan events each year. It has a large group of vergers who help with these services and provide support for major church occasions. The Dean's Verger leads this group and is a paid staff member. Other vergers, like the Sub Dean's Verger and Wedding Verger, are volunteers from the church.
Vergers' Guild of the Episcopal Church - Diocese of Long Island Chapter
The Cathedral of the Incarnation is the main location for the Long Island Chapter of the Vergers' Guild of the Episcopal Church (VGEC). This chapter recently started in the Diocese of Long Island. Its motto comes from the last sermon of St. David: "Be joyful, keep the faith, do the little things."
The Long Island Chapter helps train and develop vergers throughout the diocese and the wider church. Vergers at the cathedral and in the chapter do traditional jobs that have been around for centuries. These include helping clergy plan services, training other people who help in services (like altar servers and ushers), managing church property, and coordinating services. Today, their jobs also include helping with live-streaming technology and welcoming visitors.
The chapter offers workshops to teach about different parts of verger ministry. Members must meet certain requirements to serve at diocesan events held at the cathedral. The verger ministry at the cathedral focuses on service and attention to detail. People who become vergers often have experience in other church roles.
Stewart Historic Buildings Preservation Fund
The Stewart Historic Buildings Preservation Fund is a group that works to keep up the old buildings built by Alexander T. Stewart and Cornelia Stewart in Garden City, New York. The fund mainly focuses on the Cathedral of the Incarnation. It also helps preserve several other important historical buildings nearby that are connected to the cathedral.
The organization aims to protect both the buildings themselves and the history they represent for future generations. The Bishop of Long Island, the Dean of the Cathedral, the Cathedral Chancellor, and the Cathedral Treasurer are all on the board of this fund.
Buildings Supported
The fund helps maintain several key historic buildings, besides the Cathedral of the Incarnation:
- See House (36 Cathedral Avenue): This is a historic home that now holds the Office of the Dean, cathedral staff offices, and the diocesan finance and real estate offices.
- The Carriage House (71 4th Street): This building is part of the A.T. Stewart Era Historic District. It shows the consistent building style of Stewart's planned community. The Carriage House is located west of See House. In 2025, Bishop Lawrence Provenzano renamed it the Newby Carriage House. This was to honor Stewart Newby, who worked for the diocese for 50 years and whose family lived in the house for many years.
- Apostle House (32 Cathedral Avenue): This was one of the original "Apostle Houses" built during Stewart's time. It shows the Victorian architectural style common in Garden City. This property now serves as the Deanery, which is the Dean's official residence.
See also
