Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral (Alaska) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Our Lady of GuadalupeCathedral |
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Interior in 2024
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 Location in Anchorage
Location in Alaska
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| 61°11′5.74″N 149°56′38.56″W / 61.1849278°N 149.9440444°W | |
| Location | 3900 Wisconsin St. Anchorage, Alaska  |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Co-cathedral/Parish |
| Dedication | Our Lady of Guadalupe |
| Dedicated | 2005 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Architects Alaska |
| Style | Mission Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | Two |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Anchorage-Juneau |
Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral is a Catholic church located in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It serves as the main church, or cathedral, for the Archdiocese of Anchorage–Juneau. An archdiocese is a very large area managed by the Catholic Church. This cathedral is where the archbishop (a high-ranking church leader) has his official seat.
History of the Cathedral
Our Lady of Guadalupe parish (a local church community) started in the 1970s. At first, the community met in a Methodist church. They did this until they could afford to build their own multi-purpose building. This building included a space for worship.
The current church building was designed by Architects Alaska. It was built in the Spanish Mission Revival style. This style looks like old Spanish missions. The construction of the church was finished in 2005.
Becoming a Co-Cathedral
Over time, the Catholic community in Anchorage grew a lot. The original main church, Holy Family Cathedral, became too small. It was not practical for many of the large church events anymore.
Because of this, the archbishop asked the Holy See (the Pope's office in Rome) for permission. He wanted Our Lady of Guadalupe Church to become a "co-cathedral." This meant it would share the role of the main church with Holy Family. In October 2014, the Holy See approved this request.
On December 12, 2014, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church officially became a co-cathedral. During this special ceremony, a unique chair was placed in the church. This chair, called a cathedra, was actually used by Pope John Paul II when he visited Anchorage in 1981! A new special cross, carved from a linden tree, was also made for the co-cathedral at this time.
Becoming the Main Cathedral
In 2020, a big change happened for the Catholic Church in Alaska. Pope Francis decided to combine two church areas: the Archdiocese of Anchorage and the Diocese of Juneau. They became one new, larger area called the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau.
During a special ceremony on September 17, 2020, an important document from the Pope, called a Papal bull, was read. This document officially named Our Lady of Guadalupe as the main cathedral for this new, combined archdiocese. The church in Juneau became its co-cathedral.
See also
In Spanish: 