St. Joseph Cathedral (Buffalo, New York)

Last updated
St. Joseph Cathedral
Saint Joseph Cathedral, Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY.jpg
St. Joseph Cathedral in 2022
USA New York location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location in New York
42°52′58″N78°52′42″W / 42.8828°N 78.8782°W / 42.8828; -78.8782
Location50 Franklin St.
Buffalo, New York
Country United States
Denomination Roman Catholic Church
Website www.buffalocathedral.org
History
DedicatedJuly 1, 1855 (1855-07-01)
Consecrated August 21, 1863 (1863-08-21)
Architecture
Architect(s) Patrick Keely
Style Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking February 6, 1851 (1851-02-06)
Completed1862
Construction cost US$150,000
Specifications
Length120 feet (37 m)
Width73 feet (22 m)
Materials local stone
Administration
Diocese Buffalo
Clergy
Bishop(s) Most Rev. Michael William Fisher
Rector Rev. Seán Paul Fleming

Saint Joseph Cathedral is located at 50 Franklin Street in downtown Buffalo, New York within the Joseph Ellicott Historic District, and is currently the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.

Contents

History

Buffalo's first bishop, John Timon, established St. Joseph's in 1847 to be the seat of the new diocese. Because of the economic situation in the city he raised funds to build the church while he was in Europe. The cornerstone was laid on February 6, 1851. [1] During construction, a storm approached the city from Lake Erie and destroyed several homes in the area. Bishop Timon allowed the residents to set up tents within the cathedral's walls for several weeks. The cathedral was usable, but not complete, when it was dedicated on July 1, 1855. The south tower was completed in the summer of 1862. Bishop Timon consecrated the completed cathedral on August 21, 1863.

In 1902, Bishop James Quigley decided that the diocese required a new cathedral and purchased property at Delaware Avenue and Utica Street beginning in 1902. Italian architect Aristide Leonori designed a new Gothic Revival cathedral which was constructed between 1912 and 1915. The new edifice became known as St. Joseph's (New) Cathedral and this church became known as St. Joseph's Old Cathedral. This time both towers of the new cathedral were completed to a height of 260 feet (79 m). [2] Unfortunately, the cathedral was better suited for Rome's climate rather than Buffalo's. By 1924, the north and south transepts required major repairs and by 1927, the towers were so unstable they were removed. [2] The exterior marble started to separate from the brick and Bishop Edward D. Head determined in 1976 that repairs would be too costly for the "new" St. Joseph's and the diocese. In 1977, after the demolition of the new cathedral, the "old cathedral" once again became known as St. Joseph's Cathedral. [3]

Architecture

Bishop Timon selected New York architect Patrick C. Keely, who had worked with A. W. N. Pugin, to design the church. He created a Gothic Revival structure 120 feet (37 m) in length by 73 feet (22 m) across. [1] The original plan called for towers on the north and south corners of the facade, however only the south tower was finished. The tower contained a 43-bell carillon by Bollee & Son of Le Mans, France. At the time of its completion in 1869, the carillon was the largest in the U.S. and the third largest in the world. [4] Installed in St. Joseph's in 1870, the bells were too large for the cathedral's tower and never worked properly. At present, all but 2 of the bells have been removed from the church tower.

Bishop Stephen V. Ryan added the Lady Chapel built at the rear of the cathedral in 1873.

The three lancet windows above the altar were produced at the direction of King Ludwig II of Bavaria for the Paris Exposition of 1855. During his trips to Europe, Bishop Timon saw the windows and asked if the King would donate them to the new structure. After first being refused, the Bishop persisted and the Ludwig relented. [1]

The cathedral was renovated in 1882, 1903–05, 1937–47 and most recently in 1977.

Organ

The choir loft houses a 3,627 pipe Hook & Hastings organ, Opus 828. [1] The organ was built in 1876 for the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, where it was played frequently for concerts. It was moved to the Cathedral following the end of the Exposition February 13, 1877. [5] [6] The organ was updated in 1925 and 1976, but by 1996 had become unplayable. In 1998, the bishop and parish council engaged the Andover Organ Company to restore and expand the instrument. Andover installed the restored instrument in 2001 as its Opus R-328. It currently contains three manuals and 90 stops. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Patrick's Cathedral (Midtown Manhattan)</span> Catholic cathedral in New York City

St. Patrick's Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It is the seat of the Archbishop of New York as well as a parish church. The cathedral occupies a city block bounded by Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue, 50th Street, and 51st Street, directly across from Rockefeller Center. Designed by James Renwick Jr., it is the largest Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica (Toronto)</span> Church in Ontario, Canada

St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, Canada, and one of the oldest churches in Toronto. It is located at 65 Bond Street in Toronto's Garden District. St. Michael's was designed by William Thomas, designer of eight other churches in the city, and was primarily financed by Irish immigrants who resided in the area. The cathedral has a capacity of 1600. John Cochrane and Brothers undertook the work on the stone and stucco ornamentation of the interior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacred Heart Cathedral (Davenport, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

Sacred Heart Cathedral, located in Davenport, Iowa, United States, is a Catholic cathedral and a parish church in the Diocese of Davenport. The cathedral is located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River to the east of Downtown Davenport. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Cathedral Complex. This designation includes the church building, rectory, and the former convent, which was torn down in 2012. The cathedral is adjacent to the Cork Hill Historic District, also on the National Register. Its location on Cork Hill, a section of the city settled by Irish immigrants.

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Singapore, built in 1847. It is located in the Museum Planning Area within the Civic District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of St. Joseph (Hartford, Connecticut)</span> Historic church in Connecticut, United States

The Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, Connecticut, United States, is the mother church and seat of the Archdiocese of Hartford. Dedicated on May 15, 1962, it stands on the site of the old cathedral which had been destroyed in a fire. It is located on Farmington Avenue just outside downtown Hartford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Timon</span>

John Timon, C.M. was a prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the bishop of the new Diocese of Buffalo in Western New York and founder of the brothers of the Holy Infancy religious order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception (Peoria, Illinois)</span> Church in Illinois, United States

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception is a cathedral of the Catholic Church located in Peoria, Illinois, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Peoria, where the Catholic televangelist and sainthood candidate Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was born and raised, and ordained a priest. Since 2019, the cathedral has been his place of burial. The cathedral is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property in the North Side Historic District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Ambrose Cathedral (Des Moines, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

St. Ambrose Cathedral is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It serves as a parish church and as the seat of the Diocese of Des Moines in the Catholic Church. The cathedral, along with the adjoining rectory, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Mary's Church (Rochester, New York)</span> Historic church in New York, United States

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church and Rectory are located in downtown Rochester, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Angels Church (Buffalo, New York)</span> Church in New York, United States

Holy Angels Church is located in the lower west side of Buffalo, New York, adjacent to D'Youville College. The parish has been served by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate from 1851-2020. In October 2020, D'Youville College purchased the Holy Angels Church, Rectory, and Convent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of the Incarnation, Roman Catholic (Manhattan)</span> Building in New York, United States

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart</span> Historic church in West Virginia, United States

The Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is a cathedral church and a minor basilica located in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. Along with the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling it is the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. The parish complex is a contributing property in the Downtown Charleston Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Crookston, Minnesota)</span> Historic church in Minnesota, United States

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a Catholic cathedral in Crookston, Minnesota, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Crookston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (Indianapolis, Indiana)</span> Historic church in Indiana, United States

Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The parish's origins date to 1837, when it was first named Holy Cross parish. In 1850 it was renamed Saint John the Evangelist parish, and is the oldest Catholic parish in the city and in Marion County, Indiana. Considered the mother of the Catholic parishes in Indianapolis, it played an important role in development of the Catholic Church in the city. Saint John's Church served as the pro-cathedral of the diocese from 1878 until 1906; its rectory served as the bishop's residence and chancery from 1878 until 1892. In 1900 the church served as the site of first episcopal consecration held in Indianapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption (Trenton, New Jersey)</span> Church in New Jersey, United States

The Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, also known simply as St. Mary’s Cathedral, is the Catholic cathedral in Trenton, New Jersey, United States. Along with the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine in Freehold, it is the seat of the Diocese of Trenton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Co-cathedral of Christ the King, Belgrade</span> Church in Belgrade, Serbia

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Joseph Cathedral (Columbus, Ohio)</span> Church in Ohio, United States

St. Joseph Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral located in Columbus, Ohio, United States which serves as the seat of the Diocese of Columbus. The church building, completed in 1878, is located on Broad Street in Downtown Columbus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Innsbruck Cathedral</span> Baroque cathedral in Innsbruck, Austria

Innsbruck Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of St. James, is an eighteenth-century Baroque cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Innsbruck in the city of Innsbruck, Austria, dedicated to the apostle Saint James, son of Zebedee. Based on designs by the architect Johann Jakob Herkomer, the cathedral was built between 1717 and 1724 on the site of a twelfth-century Romanesque church. The interior is enclosed by three domed vaults spanning the nave, and a dome with lantern above the chancel. With its lavish Baroque interior, executed in part by the Asam brothers, St. James is considered among the most important Baroque buildings in the Tyrol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral (Raleigh, North Carolina)</span> Church in North Carolina, United States

Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral that is the seat of the Diocese of Raleigh, replacing Sacred Heart Cathedral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blessed Sacrament Church (Buffalo, New York)</span> Church in New York , United States

Blessed Sacrament Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in Buffalo, New York, United States. Constructed in the late 19th century, it remains the home of an active congregation and has been recognized as a historically significant building in the Linwood Historic District of Buffalo.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Napora, James (2005). "History of St. Joseph RC Cathedral". Buffalo Architecture and History. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  2. 1 2 "St. Joseph's [New] Cathedral". Preservation Ready. June 8, 2018. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  3. ↑ Hayden, Joe. "Buffalo's Faith Elevators". www.faithelevators.us. Archived from the original on 2010-01-25. Retrieved 2011-04-16.
  4. ↑ The Catholic church in the United States of America. Vol. III The province of New York, Section 1. Catholic Editing Company. 1914. pp. 460–461. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  5. ↑ Owen, Barbara (1994). "Nineteenth-Century American Concert Organ Music: Liner Notes" (PDF). New York: Recorded Anthology of American Music. LCCN   76750129.
  6. ↑ "The Centennial Organ". Diocese of Buffalo. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  7. ↑ "St. Joseph Cathedral; E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings, Opus 828; Buffalo, New York". Andover Organ Company. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.