St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral |
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| 47°37′55″N 122°19′17″W / 47.63194°N 122.32139°W | |
| Location | Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal Church in the United States of America |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded | 1889 |
| Dedicated | 25 April 1931 |
| Architecture | |
| Designated | 1926 |
| Groundbreaking | 1928 |
| Completed | Never completed |
| Closed | 1941–1943 (reopened as a cathedral in 1944) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Olympia |
St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral is a very important church in Seattle, Washington. It is the main church for the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia. A "cathedral" is like the home base for a bishop, who is a leader in the church. St. Mark's started out as a smaller "mission church" connected to another church called Trinity Parish Church.
Contents
The Story of St. Mark's Cathedral
How the Cathedral Was Built
Plans for St. Mark's Cathedral were first made in 1926. The church is located on Capitol Hill in Seattle. People worked hard to raise money for two years. Building started on September 30, 1928.
However, a big economic problem called the Great Depression hit. This made it very hard for the church to finish building. The cathedral was dedicated on April 25, 1931, even though it wasn't fully built. The church also had trouble paying its building loan throughout the 1930s.
Tough Times and a New Beginning
In 1941, the church lost the building because it couldn't pay its loan. It was closed for two years. From 1943 to 1944, the United States Army used the cathedral. They used it as a place to train soldiers to shoot down airplanes. You can still see paintings from this time in the church's basement!
In 1944, a church leader named Bishop S. Arthur Huston talked with the bankers again. Over the next three years, more money was raised. In 1947, the church finally paid off its loan. This was a huge moment for the church community.
Recent Leadership Changes
In March 2008, the church's leader, Dean Robert V. Taylor, left his job. He said that he and the church's board had different ideas for the future. After some time with temporary leaders, Steven Lynn Thomason became the new dean in the summer of 2012.
Where is St. Mark's Cathedral?
St. Mark's Cathedral sits on top of a very steep hill. Below it is Lakeview Boulevard East. The wooded area on this hillside is known as the St. Mark's Greenbelt.
The Amazing Organ
St. Mark's has one of the biggest pipe organs in Seattle. It is located in the choir loft, which is a raised area where the choir sings. This special organ was built in 1965 by a company called D. A. Flentrop from the Netherlands.
The organ has been fixed and improved several times since then. It has 58 different sounds, called "stops," and 3,944 pipes! Imagine all those pipes making music. The current organ players are Michael Kleinschmidt and John Stuntebeck.
Gallery
- Outside the Cathedral
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A door outside the Thomsen Memorial Chapel at St. Mark's Cathedral.
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The east entrance of the cathedral.
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St. Mark's Cathedral (top right) seen from Gas Works Park.
- Inside the Cathedral
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The altar, a special table, inside the cathedral.
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The inside of the main part of the cathedral, called the nave.
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A view of the nave, organ, and choir loft from the front of the church.
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An example of a lamp and window design inside the nave.
See also
