St. Joseph Cathedral (Buffalo, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Joseph Cathedral |
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St. Joseph Cathedral in 2022
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 Location in New York
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| 42°52′58″N 78°52′42″W / 42.8828°N 78.8782°W | |
| Location | 50 Franklin St. Buffalo, New York |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Dedicated | July 1, 1855 |
| Consecrated | August 21, 1863 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Patrick Keely |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | February 6, 1851 |
| Completed | 1862 |
| Construction cost | US$150,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 120 feet (37 m) |
| Width | 73 feet (22 m) |
| Materials | local stone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Buffalo |
Saint Joseph Cathedral is a beautiful church located at 50 Franklin Street in downtown Buffalo, New York. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. This means it's where the bishop of Buffalo has his special seat.
Contents
Building the Cathedral
The first bishop of Buffalo was named John Timon. He decided to build St. Joseph's in 1847. This church would be the main church for the new diocese.
Money was tight in Buffalo at that time. So, Bishop Timon traveled to Europe to raise funds. He wanted to make sure the church could be built.
The first stone of the church, called the cornerstone, was laid on February 6, 1851. This was an important step in starting construction.
A Stormy Start
While the church was being built, a big storm hit Buffalo. It came from Lake Erie and damaged many homes. Bishop Timon let people set up tents inside the cathedral's unfinished walls. They stayed there for several weeks until they could find new homes.
The cathedral was ready enough to be used on July 1, 1855. But it was not fully finished yet. The south tower was completed in the summer of 1862. Bishop Timon officially dedicated the finished cathedral on August 21, 1863.
The "New" Cathedral and Its Return
In 1902, another bishop, James Edward Quigley, thought the diocese needed a new, bigger cathedral. He bought land for it. An Italian architect designed a new Gothic Revival church. It was built between 1912 and 1915.
This new church was also called St. Joseph's. So, the original church became known as St. Joseph's Old Cathedral. The new cathedral had two tall towers, each 260 feet (79 m) high.
However, the new cathedral's design was better for a warm place like Rome. It did not handle Buffalo's weather well. By 1924, parts of the church needed big repairs. By 1927, the tall towers were so shaky they had to be removed.
The outside marble also started to pull away from the brick. In 1976, Bishop Edward D. Head decided it would cost too much to fix the "new" St. Joseph's. So, in 1977, the new cathedral was taken down. The "old cathedral" once again became known simply as St. Joseph's Cathedral.
Church Design
Bishop Timon chose an architect from New York named Patrick Keely. Keely designed the church in the Gothic Revival style. This style looks like old European cathedrals.
The church is 120 feet (37 m) long and 73 feet (22 m) wide. The first plan was to have two towers. One tower would be on the north side and one on the south. But only the south tower was ever finished.
The Carillon Bells
The south tower once held a huge set of 43 bells. These bells were made in France. When they were finished in 1869, this set of bells was the largest in the U.S. It was the third largest in the world!
The bells were put in St. Joseph's in 1870. But they were too big for the tower. They never worked correctly. Today, all but two of these bells have been taken out of the tower.
Special Features
In 1873, Bishop Stephen V. Ryan added the Lady Chapel. This is a smaller chapel at the back of the cathedral.
The three tall, narrow windows above the altar are very special. They were made for a big art show in Paris in 1855. King Ludwig II of Bavaria had them made. Bishop Timon saw them during his trips to Europe. He asked the King to give them to the new church. After asking more than once, the King agreed!
The cathedral has been updated several times. This happened in 1882, 1903–05, 1937–47, and most recently in 1977.
The Cathedral Organ
The church has a very large organ with 3,627 pipes! It is located in the choir loft. This organ was built in 1876 for a big exhibition in Philadelphia. It was played often for concerts there.
After the exhibition ended, the organ was moved to St. Joseph's Cathedral. This happened on February 13, 1877. The organ was updated in 1925 and 1976. But by 1996, it stopped working.
In 1998, the church leaders decided to fix and improve the organ. A company called Andover Organ Company did the work. They put the restored organ back in 2001. It now has three keyboards, called manuals, and 90 different sounds, called stops.
Gallery
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Façade detail looking northwest
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East Rectory façade
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Identification plaque at the entrance
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Marker commemorating Bishop John Timon at the entrance
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A 1914 view of the cathedral and rectory
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The north transept in 1914
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Sanctuary in 2017
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The Lady Chapel
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Marker denoting the burials of Bishop Timon and Bishop Ryan
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Bishop Richard J. Malone and Msgr. David S. Slubecky beneath a calendar reliquary (tapestry) of 365 saints and icon of Saint Caesarius of Terracina
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See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San José (Búfalo) para niños
