Cathedral of Saint Patrick (Charlotte, North Carolina)

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Cathedral of Saint Patrick
Cathedral Church of Saint Patrick (Charlotte, North Carolina) - exterior 3 cropped.jpg
Side view of the Cathedral
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Location in North Carolina
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Cathedral of Saint Patrick (Charlotte, North Carolina) (the United States)
35°12′20″N80°50′44″W / 35.2055°N 80.8456°W / 35.2055; -80.8456
Location1621 Dilworth Road East Charlotte, North Carolina Flag of North Carolina.svg
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Denomination Roman Catholic Church
Website www.stpatricks.org
History
Founded1938
Consecrated September 4, 1939
Architecture
Architect(s) Frank Frimmer
Style Neo-Gothic
Groundbreaking 1938
Completed1939
Specifications
Materials Limestone
Administration
Diocese Charlotte
Clergy
Bishop(s) Most Rev. Michael Thomas Martin
Rector Rev. Christopher A. Roux
Part of Dilworth Historic District (ID87000610 [1] )
Added to NRHPApril 9, 1987

The Cathedral of Saint Patrick is the sea of the Diocese of Charlotte of the Roman Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina in the United States. It is the mother church of the Diocese of Charlotte and is the seat of its bishop.

Contents

In 1987, the cathedral was included as a contributing property in the Dilworth Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [2]

As of 2025, Very Reverend Christopher A. Roux is the rector of St. Patrick Cathedral.

History

Construction of St. Patrick as a mission church in Charlotte began on March 17,1938, with funds donated by John Henry Phelan to honor his parents. Frank Frimmer, an Austrian architect, was hired to design the church. [3]

St. Patrick was consecrated on September 4, 1939, by Bishop Eugene J. McGuinness from the Diocese of Raleigh. It became the first church in North Carolina to be consecrated after it was completed. [3]

A rectory and convent were added to St. Patrick in 1941. In 1942, the Diocese designated St. Patrick as a parish, with Monsignor Arthur R. Freeman as pastor. [3]

In 1972, Pope Paul VI erected the Diocese of Charlotte and designated St. Patrick Church as its cathedral. Monsignor Richard Allen was appointed as the first rector of the cathedral. [3]

St. Patrick underwent a major renovation that closed it for six months in 1979. The original high altar installed by the Benedictines, was replaced with a freestanding altar. The parish also added artwork of local and religious significance. In June 1979, Bishop Michael J. Begley presided over the celebration of St. Patrick's reopening. [3]

In 1996, the parish repositioned the altar, baptismal font, statues and ambo within the church and installed and a hardwood floor. They removed dark oak wainscoting installed in 1979 to recreated the appearance of the interior in 1939.

A permanent copper roof was installed in 2000.In 2007, the parish installed a 700-pound bell in the bell tower.It was originally cast in 1875 in St. Louis, Missouri. A family life center was added to the church campus in 2008, [3]

In 2012, another renovation relocated the tabernacle, the cathedra and the ambo, The parish removed the marble benches and the carved marble decoration along the center of the back sanctuary wall. They also restored the cover on the baptismal font. [3]

The parish in 2013 created a new main entrance with two staircases. A Celtic cross is installed on the railing. [3] A Marian prayer grotto was constructed on the cathedral grounds in 2014.

In 2024, the diocese announced plans to build a new cathedral to replace St. Patrick. [4]

Architectural features

Cathedral of Saint Patrick, Charlotte, North Carolina (2016) Cathedral Church of Saint Patrick (Charlotte, North Carolina) - nave.JPG
Cathedral of Saint Patrick, Charlotte, North Carolina (2016)

St Patrick has a gray stucco face, a 400-seat nave, a balcony and a 77-foot (23.7m) tall tower. The church has two side chapels, serving as shrines to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. The church proper has 300 ceiling tiles. [3]

The stained glass windows were designed in Syracuse, New York They depict depicted the Annunciation, St. Patrick, St. Joseph's deathbed scene, King David with his lyre, St. Cecilia, and events in the life of Jesus. The altar contains relics of St. Jucundius and St. Justina.

The pipe organ, installed in the balcony, was designed and manufactured by W. Zimmer and Sons of Fort Mill, South Carolina. It replaced the original Moller pipe organ. [3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ↑ Virginia Oswald. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Dilworth Historic District". National Park Service . Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Humble Beginnings". Cathedral of Saint Patrick. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  4. ↑ Soloff, Katie Peralta (April 5, 2024). "New facility to be built to replace Charlotte's St. Patrick Cathedral". Axios. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
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