Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (Spokane, Washington)

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Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist
Cathedral of St. John in Spokane.jpg
View from southwest in 2009
Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (Spokane, Washington) is located in Washington (state)
Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (Spokane, Washington)
47°38′42″N 117°24′36″W / 47.645°N 117.41°W / 47.645; -117.41Coordinates: 47°38′42″N 117°24′36″W / 47.645°N 117.41°W / 47.645; -117.41
Location127 E 12th Avenue
Spokane, Washington
CountryUnited States
DenominationEpiscopal
Websitewww.stjohns-cathedral.org
History
Founded1929
Architecture
Architect(s)Harold C. Whitehouse
StyleGothic Revival
Groundbreaking1924; 98 years ago (1924)
Completed1954; 68 years ago (1954)
Specifications
Height180 feet (55 m)[1]
MaterialsSandstone
Administration
DioceseEpiscopal Diocese of Spokane
Clergy
Bishop(s)Rt. Rev. Gretchen Rehberg
DeanVery Rev. Heather VanDeventer

The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Spokane, Washington, is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane. Three Spokane parishes, All Saints Cathedral, St. Peter's, and St. James, merged on October 20, 1929, to form the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.[2] Construction began on the present cathedral four years previous in 1925 and was structurally completed in less than a generation under the supervision of founding architect Harold C. Whitehouse of the Spokane firm of Whitehouse & Price.[3] It is located in the Rockwood neighborhood.

Built entirely of cut stone,[4] the carvings, and the figures in stained glass, include symbols of many faiths. Especially notable are carvings by of Seattle and by Arcangelo Cascieri and of Boston, Mass. The stained glass windows, in classic Gothic style, are the work of the Charles J. Connick firm, and since its closure of the work of Willet Hauser Architectural Glass.

The Cathedral Organ, with 4,039 pipes,[5] designed, built and installed in 1957 by the Aeolian-Skinner Company (Opus 1343) to interpret the whole range of organ literature and renovated in 2000 by Marceau & Associates, is so skillfully voiced that even the smallest pipes can be heard in every corner of the building. Recitals are scheduled throughout the year.

Bishop Cross Tower, named to honor the cathedral's founder, houses a 49-bell carillon,[3] one of only a handful in the Northwest, cast and installed by the English firm of John Taylor & Sons. Carillon concerts are played at Sunday services, at times of religious and civic festivals, and other times as announced. The carillon is best heard from outside on the Cathedral Close (nearby grounds).

The first Dean of the cathedral was Richard Coombs, who relocated to Spokane in 1956 from Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Salinas, California.

The cathedral is open Monday through Friday, 9am-4pm. Guided tours are often available on Fridays, 11am-2pm. On Sundays, guided tours usually are available immediately after the last morning worship service. The tour usually lasts around 45 minutes.[6]

The elevation at street level is approximately 2,160 feet (660 m) above sea level. Grand Boulevard, which passes diagonally in front of the cathedral as seen in the image above, begins its steep descent into Downtown Spokane directly in front of the cathedral. Its location at the crest of a hill that rises more than 300 feet above downtown makes the cathedral a visible landmark from much of downtown and areas to the north.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist". Emporis. Retrieved 2014-03-04.
  2. ^ "Spokane, Diocese of". Episcopal Church. Archived from the original on 2014-03-05. Retrieved 2014-03-04.
  3. ^ a b Jesse Tinsley (2013-11-18). "Then and Now photos: Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 2014-03-04.
  4. ^ "The new cathedral of St. John the Evangeleist on Spokane's South Hill". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (photo). December 15, 1928. p. 14.
  5. ^ "Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Opus 1343, 1957". OHS Pipe Organ Database. Retrieved 2014-03-04.
  6. ^ https://stjohns-cathedral.org/tours[dead link]

External links[]

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