Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral (Brooklyn) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral |
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 Location in New York City
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| 40°41′39.23″N 73°59′39.14″W / 40.6942306°N 73.9942056°W | |
| Location | 113 Remsen St. Brooklyn, New York |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Previous denomination | Congregational Christian Church |
| History | |
| Founded | February 17, 1903 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Richard Upjohn |
| Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1844 (Church of the Pilgrims) |
| Completed | 1846 (Church of the Pilgrims) |
| Construction cost | $65,000 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn |
Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral is a special Maronite Catholic church in Brooklyn, New York. It is called a cathedral because it is the main church for the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn. An eparchy is like a diocese, which is an area managed by a bishop. This beautiful church is located in Brooklyn Heights, a historic neighborhood. It is very close to the East River, right across from Manhattan. The building was first built for a different church called the "Church of the Pilgrims."
Contents
History of the Cathedral
How the Maronite Community Started
The Maronite Catholic community in New York began with St. Joseph's Church in Manhattan. Father Khairallah Stephen was the first priest for this community. He arrived in New York in the year 1900.
Finding a Home in Brooklyn
In 1902, Father Stephen bought a large brownstone building in Brooklyn. He used some of his own money and donations to buy it. On February 17, 1903, the church was officially named "The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lebanon." Services started in the building the next year. The church was on the main floor, and the priest's home was on the second floor. In January 1906, the church was made bigger and dedicated.
Moving to a Larger Church
As more people joined the church, a bigger building was needed. Father Mansour Stephen, who was Father Khairallah Stephen's nephew, bought the old Church of the Pilgrims building. This happened on December 8, 1943. The new Our Lady of Lebanon church was dedicated on Sunday, November 26, 1944. A house behind the church was also bought by a church member.
Becoming a Cathedral
On June 27, 1977, the main office for the Eparchy of St. Maron-USA moved from Detroit to Brooklyn. On the same day, Our Lady of Lebanon was chosen to be the main church, or cathedral, for the eparchy.
The Original Church Building
Building the Church of the Pilgrims
The building where Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral now stands is older than the Maronite community there. It was built for the Church of the Pilgrims. The cost to build it was $65,000. The church was designed by Richard Upjohn. He was famous for designing churches in the Gothic Revival style. This church, however, was built in the Romanesque Revival style.
Construction and Changes
The first stone for the building was placed on December 22, 1844. The first church service was held there on May 12, 1846. During construction, some changes were made. A special bridge-like structure was added to support the roof. Extra seating areas were also added on the sides. In the 1850s, ten more columns were put in to help hold up the roof. In 1869, more additions were made, adding 450 seats and other rooms.
A New Chapter for the Building
In the early 1900s, fewer people attended the Church of the Pilgrims. In 1934, it joined with another church, Plymouth Church. They used the Plymouth Church building. This meant the Church of the Pilgrims building became available. This is how the Maronite community was able to buy it in 1943.
Special Features of the Cathedral
Unique Doors
The main doors of the church are very special. They were once the dining hall doors of a famous French luxury ship called the SS Normandie. These doors have ten round decorations called medallions. Nine of them show cities in Normandy, France. One medallion shows the SS Ile de France, which was a sister ship to the Normandie. The doors were changed to fit the church's entrances. Six medallions are on the main entrance on Henry Street. The other four are on the Remsen Street doors. Inside the church, there are also special mahogany doors and marble pillars. These came from the New York City home of a wealthy man named Charles M. Schwab.
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
When the Church of the Pilgrims merged with Plymouth Church, its original stained glass windows were moved. New windows were made for Our Lady of Lebanon by a Swiss artist named Jean Crotti. He used a special method called Gemmaux. This method uses pieces of colored glass held together by clear enamel. Ten of these windows were made in France in 1953. Later, a Lebanese artist named Sabiha Douaihy made more windows and fixed some of the existing ones.
Other Interesting Furnishings
The floor in the main worship area, called the sanctuary, is made of marble and onyx. This beautiful flooring was originally used in the French and Lebanese displays at the 1939 New York World's Fair. The solid bronze gates at the baptistery (where baptisms happen) are very old. They were made in Europe in the 1600s. In the Saint Rafqa Chapel, there is a special carving called a bas relief of Our Lady in Chains from around 1526. Behind the altar, there is a large painting, or mural. It shows Our Lady of Harissa standing on top of Lebanese mountains, looking down at the sea. A Lebanese artist named Saliba Douaihy finished this painting in 1952.
The Pipe Organ
The church has a large pipe organ. It was first built in 1870 by E. & G. G. Hook. It was later rebuilt in 1909 by the Austin Organ Company. This organ has three keyboards, 25 stops (which control different sounds), and 1,525 pipes. After the Maronite community took over the church, the organ's control panel was moved. In 1987, there was an attempt to move it closer to the organ pipes, but a cable was damaged during the project.
Gallery
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Interior, Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral
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Stained Glass on the left side of the cathedral
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Stained Glass on the right side of the cathedral
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See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Líbano (Brooklyn) para niños
