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Cathedral of Saint Paul (Worcester, Massachusetts)

Coordinates: 42°15′42″N 71°48′15″W / 42.2616°N 71.8043°W / 42.2616; -71.8043
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Cathedral of Saint Paul
Cathedral of Saint Paul (Worcester, Massachusetts) is located in Massachusetts
Cathedral of Saint Paul (Worcester, Massachusetts)
Location in Massachusetts
42°15′42″N 71°48′15″W / 42.2616°N 71.8043°W / 42.2616; -71.8043
Location38 Chatham St.
Worcester, Massachusetts
CountryUnited States
DenominationRoman Catholic Church
Websitewww.cathedralofsaintpaul.com
History
Founded1869
Architecture
Architect(s)E. Boyden & Son
StyleGothic Revival
Completed1874
Specifications
Length168 feet (51 m)
Width91 feet (28 m)
Height96 feet (29 m)
Number of floors2
Spire height145 feet (44 m)
MaterialsGranite, wood
Administration
DioceseDiocese of Worcester
Clergy
Bishop(s)Most Rev. Robert J. McManus
RectorMsgr. Robert K. Johnson
Laity
Organist/Director of musicRichard Monroe
Organist(s)Elizabeth Marcil, Principal Organist; David M. Moulton, Assistant Organist
Business managerSindy Collazo
MPSWorcester MRA
NRHP reference No.80000604
Added to NRHPMarch 5, 1980[1]

The Cathedral of Saint Paul — informally known as Saint Paul's Cathedral — is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester. It is located at 38 Chatham Street in downtown Worcester, Massachusetts. Built between 1868 and 1889, it is one of the city's finest examples of Victorian Gothic architecture, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[1]

Architecture

The Cathedral of Saint Paul stands in downtown Worcester, facing north on the south side of Chatham Street at High Street, one block west of Main Street. It is a large stone cruciform structure, built out rock-faced granite blocks. The main facade consists of a tall square tower on the right, the gabled end of the nave at the center, and a smaller square tower topped by a round turret on the left. There are entrances in the base of the large tower, and in projecting Gothic-arched sections in front of the nave. The main roof is steeply pitched, with a cross at the front gable end, and tall Gothic windows in the gables at the nave and transepts.[2]

History

The parish of Saint Paul was founded in 1866 by John Power, the rector of Saint Anne's Parish. The church was designed by architects E. Boyden & Son, and construction began in the spring of 1868. The first services were held in the basement in 1869.[2] The superstructure, excluding the main tower, was completed by 1874, at which time the church was dedicated.[3] The building is 168 feet (51 m) in length, 91 feet (28 m) in width, and 96 feet (29 m) in height. When the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester was established, it was consecrated as the cathedral church by Bishop John J. Wright on March 7, 1950.[3]

A statue of St. Francis of Assisi occupies the small courtyard on the side of the church. During the Christmas season, the church also displays its Nativity here.

  • Nativity outside the church, 2014
    Nativity outside the church, 2014
  • Statue of St Francis outside the church
    Statue of St Francis outside the church

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ a b "NRHP nomination for Cathedral of Saint Paul". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2018-09-09.
  3. ^ a b Frost, Jack (1956). "History". The Church in Worcester New England: A Modern Diocese with an Ancient Name. Cathedral of Saint Paul. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
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