Epiphany Cathedral (Venice, Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Epiphany Cathedral |
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| 27°06′04″N 82°26′56″W / 27.1012°N 82.4488°W | |
| Location | 310 Sarasota St. Venice, Florida |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Modern |
| Completed | 1980 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Venice in Florida |
Epiphany Cathedral is a big Roman Catholic church in Venice, Florida, United States. It's special because it's the main church, called a cathedral, for the Diocese of Venice. This means it's where the bishop of the area has his official chair.
Contents
History of Epiphany Cathedral
Starting as a Mission Church
The story of Epiphany Parish began in 1935. It started as a small "mission station" of St. Martha Parish in Sarasota, Florida. People from the Kentucky Military Institute had to travel far to attend church. So, this new mission was created to help them.
The very first church service, called Mass, was held in the Gulf Theatre. Only 20 people attended. The first building for Epiphany Church was actually an old chapel from the Venice Army Airfield. It was moved in 1947 and cost about $11,000 to buy and set up.
Becoming a Parish and Building New Churches
Epiphany officially became its own parish on March 7, 1955. The Rev. Michael M. Reynolds was named its first pastor. Over time, new parishes like St. Raphael's (1958) and San Pedro (later) started from Epiphany.
In 1959, work began on a new church building, which was finished in 1960. The old church was then used as a parish hall. As more people joined, a larger building called Marian Hall was built in 1978. This helped with more church services and events.
The current church building started construction in February 1979. It was officially opened on June 29, 1980, by Bishop W. Thomas Larkin. The church building before this one was then changed into a parish hall.
Epiphany Becomes a Cathedral
A very important event happened on June 16, 1984. Pope John Paul II created the Diocese of Venice. Because of this, Epiphany Church became the main church, or cathedral, for the new diocese. Bishop John J. Nevins became the first bishop of this new diocese.
Later, other parishes like Our Lady of Lourdes (1986) and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (2001) were started from Epiphany Cathedral. In 2006, Frank J. Dewane became a bishop right there in the cathedral. He was the first bishop to be ordained in that specific church.
Epiphany Parish School
Early Years and Growth
Epiphany School began in 1959. It was started by Msgr. George W. Cummings. There were 66 students in four different grades. At first, classes were held at the Kentucky Military Institute. Soon, the school got its own building, which was a single story.
In 1966, a second story was added to the school building. Different groups of nuns, like the Benedictine Sisters and Franciscan Sisters, taught at the school in its early years. Later, other Sisters joined the teaching staff.
Expanding the School Facilities
In 1978, a kindergarten class was added. A large multi-purpose building called Marion Hall was built in 1979. The next year, grades 6-8 were grouped together to form a middle school.
The school continued to grow. A computer lab and a new playground were added in 1983. Pre-Kindergarten classes started in 1987. More additions were made to the building as more students enrolled.
An annex building was added in 1990. Between 1991 and 1993, new areas for the cafeteria, media center, pre-school, and music room were built. In 1996, another annex building replaced older structures. A special chapel, Santa Maria Chapel, was added to the school in 1998. It was given by someone who wanted to help the school.
In the early 2000s, the number of students changed. The annex building was then used by the parish for offices. In 2007, Epiphany School received a special honor. It was given a Blue Ribbon of Excellence Award. This award recognizes schools that are very good.
Pastors and Rectors
These priests have led Epiphany Parish. Since 1984, they have been called the cathedral rector:
- Msgr. Charles Elslander (Mission from Sarasota; 1935-1955)
- Rev. Michael M. Reynolds (1955)
- Rev. Noah E. Brunner (administrator; 1955-1956)
- Msgr. George W. Cummings (1956-1976)
- Rev. Esteban G. Soy (1976-1999)
- Rev. Robert R. Cannon (1999-2003)
- Rev. George Ratzmann (2003-2008)
- Rev. John F. Costello (2008-2021)
- Very Rev. Msgr. Patrick Dubois (2021-Present)
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de la Epifan%C3%ADa (Venice) para ni%C3%B1os
