Christ Church Cathedral (New Orleans) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church Cathedral |
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Christ Church Cathedral building on St. Charles Avenue in 2008
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 Christ Church Cathedral
Location in Louisiana
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| 29°55′49″N 90°5′16″W / 29.93028°N 90.08778°W | |
| Location | New Orleans |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal Church |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 10 June 1886 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Cathedral |
| Architect(s) | Lawrence B. Valk |
| Style | Neo-Gothic |
Christ Church Cathedral is a famous church in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is located at 2919 St. Charles Avenue. This church was the very first non-Roman Catholic church built in the huge area known as the Louisiana Purchase territory. It started in 1803 as Christ's Church by Protestant people living in New Orleans. Today, it is the main church for the Bishop of Louisiana in the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana.
Contents
How the Church Began
In June 1803, 53 Protestants in New Orleans wanted to start their own church. New Orleans was mostly Roman Catholic at that time. They held a meeting to decide what kind of Protestant church it would be.
They voted, and the results were:
- Episcopal: 45 votes
- Presbyterian: 7 votes
- Methodist: 1 vote
Because of this vote, the Episcopal church called Christ's Church was created. They then looked for a good minister. On November 16, 1805, a young minister named Philander Chase arrived. He was from Poughkeepsie. The church founders liked him, and he preached his first sermon the next day. This happened at The Cabildo, a historic building in New Orleans.
For a while, services were held in different public buildings. Then, in 1816, the first Christ Church building was built. It was located at the corner of Canal and Bourbon streets. This first church was designed by Henry Sellon Boneval Latrobe. It was shaped like an octagon, about 60 feet (18 meters) wide, with a dome on top.
The Second and Third Church Buildings
By 1833, the first church building was too small for the growing number of people attending. So, in 1835, plans were made for a new church on the same spot. Famous architects James Gallier Sr. and James H. Dakin designed it. This new building looked like a Greek Temple, with six tall columns at the front. It was officially opened on March 26, 1837.
In 1845, Francis Lister Hawks became the church's leader. He suggested plans for a third church building. One of the plans was drawn by Thomas Wharton. In 1846, the church hired James Gallier Jr., whose father designed the second church, to build the new one. It cost $56,000.
This third church was built in the Gothic style, with strong supports called buttresses and a central tower. It was located at the corner of Canal and Dauphine streets. The second church building was sold and became a synagogue. The Gothic-style church served the Christ's Church community for 40 years. People at the time thought it was one of the most beautiful churches in New Orleans. Sadly, neither this church nor the earlier ones still exist today.
The Fourth and Current Church Building
By the late 1800s, New Orleans had grown a lot. Many church members lived in the uptown area. So, the church decided to move there. The old location on Canal and Dauphine streets was very valuable for businesses. The church bought its current property at the corner of St. Charles Avenue and Sixth Street.
The first stone for the current Christ Church was laid on June 10, 1886. This fourth building is also in the Gothic style. It was designed by architect Lawrence B. Valk from New York. In 1889, a chapel was added next to the church. It was designed by New Orleans architect Thomas Sully and matched the church's style.
In 1959, the church expanded again. They added space for offices, a church school, a library, and meeting rooms. The architects, Freret and Wolf, made sure the new parts matched the Gothic design of the Cathedral and chapel.
Christ Church has had many leaders over the years. Some notable ones include Philander Chase, who became the first Bishop of Ohio. Another was Francis L. Hawkes, who became the first president of the University of Louisiana (now Tulane University). William Thomas Leacock served the church for 30 years. David Sessums later became the 4th Bishop of Louisiana.
Christ Church Becomes a Cathedral
In 1891, under the leadership of Bishop Sessums, Christ Church officially became a cathedral. A cathedral is the main church for a bishop. Quincy Ewing was the first dean of the new cathedral. A dean is the head priest of a cathedral.
Christ Church has always helped not just its members, but the whole community. It helped start a chapel for French Protestants and began St. Peter's Mission, which later became St. Anna's Episcopal Church. It also opened a children's home in 1860 and helped start other Episcopal churches like Trinity, Calvary, and St. Andrew's. The church also has a special connection to the University of the South in Tennessee. This university was founded by the first Bishop of Louisiana, Leonidas Polk.
The Church Today
Today, Christ Church Cathedral offers several Sunday services. They also have daily prayers and weekday Holy Eucharist celebrations. This provides many ways for people to worship in the Anglican tradition.
The cathedral made history by being the first Episcopal church to ask a jazz musician to create a special piece of music. They asked New Orleans jazz musician Irvin Mayfield to compose a piece to remember Hurricane Katrina. Mayfield's music, called "All the Saints", was first performed on November 17, 2005. This was part of the celebration of 200 years of Episcopal ministry in New Orleans.
The current leader of the cathedral is the Very Reverend David Allard duPlantier. He is the dean and rector. The cathedral is also the main church for the twelfth bishop of Louisiana, the Right Reverend Shannon Rogers Duckworth.
See also
