St. Peter Cathedral (Marquette, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Peter Cathedral |
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St. Peter Cathedral - southwest view
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 Location in Michigan
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| 46°32′28″N 87°23′56″W / 46.54111°N 87.39889°W | |
| Location | 311 West Baraga Avenue Marquette, Michigan |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | 1881 |
| Completed | 1890; post-fire restoration completed 1938 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Marquette |
St. Peter Cathedral is a very important Roman Catholic church in Marquette, Michigan. It is the main church for the Diocese of Marquette. This means it is like the "mother church" for many Catholic churches in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The cathedral was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. This list includes places important to history.
Contents
History of St. Peter Cathedral
The church building you see today is very different from its first version. A Jesuit priest named Father Jean-Baptiste Menet started holding services here. He used a small log cabin as the first church.
Building the First Church
Later, Bishop Frederic Baraga visited the site. He decided that a bigger, more impressive church was needed. He also thought the main church office, called the Episcopal see, should move to Marquette. It was previously in Sault Ste. Marie.
Construction of the first larger church began in 1864. Bishop Baraga himself helped lay the first stone. He officially opened the building two years later. Sadly, he passed away before the church caught fire.
Fires and Rebuilding
The first fire happened on October 2, 1879. Some people thought the fire was not an accident. Even though the building was destroyed, the church members were determined. They continued to meet in the basement. They planned to build a new cathedral. It took nine years to finish this new building.
The church faced another sad fire on November 3, 1935. This fire started early in the morning. It destroyed almost everything inside. Only the strong sandstone walls were left standing. The church community held their services in a high school auditorium. They did this for several months. They waited until the cathedral could be fixed.
Restoration and Artistry
A lot of hard work and money went into rebuilding the cathedral. They also made it more beautiful. They added fancy marble designs. They also put in Romanesque columns. These are a type of old Roman art. The main part of the church, called the nave, was made longer. Domes were added to the tops of the steeples.
This church is special because it features the work of architectural sculptor Corrado Parducci. He was an artist who created sculptures for buildings. St. Peter Cathedral is one of about 200 buildings with his art.
Important Burials
Several important people are buried at St. Peter Cathedral. Many of them were bishops who led the church in this area.
- Frederic Baraga
- Ignatius Mrak
- John Vertin
- Frederick Eis
- Francis Joseph Magner
- Thomas Lawrence Noa
- Mark Francis Schmitt
Images for kids
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St. Peter Cathedral - southeast view
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San Pedro (Marquette) para niños
