OUR VISIT TO ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL INCLUDED A WEDDING...

One of the chances you take when visiting a major church on a Saturday afternoon is that a wedding may be taking place. That is exactly what happened during our visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

Here is the bride walking down the aisle of the church. She must have really wanted to get married in this church because she had several hundred uninvited guests show up at her wedding. However, I can understand why she wanted to have her wedding at St. Patrick's Cathedral. It is a gorgeous church!

Start with the bronze doors...they weigh an astonishing 9,000 pounds each!

Carved into their facades are figures representing both saints as well as certain distinguished “blessed people.” They include New York’s own Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint. 

Built in the traditional Gothic style, the cathedral reminds many of the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe such as Cologne and Reims.

In the photo below, beneath the pointed arches, you can see the beautiful red Archbishop's Throne and on the right, the marble pulpit.

Beautiful stained glass windows throughout. The windows were made by renowned artists in Chartres, France; Birmingham, England and Boston, Massachusetts.

Above you can see the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony.

The Pieta here in St. Patrick's Cathedral is three times larger than the one in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

There are over a dozen beautiful side altars lining both sides of the church:

Altar of Saint Rose of Lima...

Altar of Saint John Baptist de la Salle...

Altar of Saints Brigid and Bernard...

Altar of the Holy Face...

Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa...

Altar of the Sacred Heart...The golden baldachin once stood above the Archbishops chair. Cardinal Cooke felt that it was too lavish to be a decoration for the Archbishop’s seat.

The Baptistery...

End your visit with a look above to see the beautiful Gothic architecture of the ribbed vaulting of the ceiling and more of the exquisite stained glass.

Some other facts about St. Patrick's Cathedral:

• St. Patrick’s Cathedral was opened on May 25, 1879. 
• The Cathedral seats about 2,200 people.
• The exterior length is about 405 feet.
• The width is 274 feet.
• The spires rise 330 feet from street level.
• The architect was James Renwick, an American.
• The Lady Chapel was designed by another American, Charles Mathews.
• The Archbishops of New York are buried in a crypt under the high altar. Their honorary hats, called galeros, hang from the ceiling over their tombs.
• The Cathedral has three organs.
• The baldachin over the main altar is solid bronze.
• Over 3 million people visit each year
• On April 19, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI became the first Pope to celebrate Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. 

For more information about the Cathedral, click here.

 

All photos were taken by me during my trip to New York City in September, 2012.