Blessed Sacrament Cathedral (Greensburg, Pennsylvania)

Blessed Sacrament Cathedral
Location in Pennsylvania
40°18′23″N 79°32′46″W / 40.3065°N 79.5462°W / 40.3065; -79.5462Coordinates: 40°18′23″N 79°32′46″W / 40.3065°N 79.5462°W / 40.3065; -79.5462
Location 300 N. Main St.
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Country United States
Denomination Roman Catholic Church
Website www.blessedsacramentcathedral.org
History
Status Cathedral/Parish
Founded 1789
Architecture
Architect(s) Comes, Perry and McMullen
Style Gothic Revival
Completed 1928
Specifications
Materials Sandstone
Indiana Limestone
Administration
Diocese Greensburg
Clergy
Bishop(s) Most Rev. Edward C. Malesic
Rector

Msgr. Raymond E. Riffle

Part of Academy Hill Historic District (#99000516[1])
Added to NRHP April 29, 1999

Blessed Sacrament Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. In 1999 it was included as a contributing property in the Academy Hill Historic District.

History

This is the third church that has sat at this location.[2] The parish was founded in 1789 as Most Holy Sacrament. That year, a log cabin was begun for the parish church. It was replaced in 1846 by a brick structure. The parish was placed under the supervision of the Order of Saint Benedict from Saint Vincent Archabbey at that time.

The present church was constructed in the English Gothic style. It was designed by the Pittsburgh architectural firm of Comes, Perry and McMullen.[3] It was dedicated in May 1928, and is constructed of sandstone and Indiana limestone. The square tower above the crossing at the nave rises to a height of 125 feet (38 m).[4] The massive appearance of the church building is typical of those found in northern Europe.[2] The stained glass windows were created by Franz Mayer & Co. of Munich, Germany.

The parish was designated Blessed Sacrament Cathedral with the establishment of the Diocese of Greensburg on March 10, 1951, at which time the Benedictines relinquished pastoral responsibility.[3] Maria Celli of the architectural firm Celli-Flynn & Associates redesigned the interior in 1971 to conform to liturgical changes that resulted from the Second Vatican Council. The same firm redesigned the rectory in the 1980s. From 2010 to 2011 the interior of the cathedral was restored. Celli-Flynn Brennan Architects and Planners of Pittsburgh served as the architects, the designs were provided by EverGreene Architectural Arts of New York City, and Volpatt Construction Corp. of Pittsburgh was the general contractor.

See also

References

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. 1 2 Jan Orris, Ph.D. "Academy Hill Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
  3. 1 2 "History". Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. Retrieved 2017-10-22.
  4. ↑ Lu Donnelly; H. David Brumble IV; Franklin Toker (2010). Buildings of Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press. pp. 216–217. ISBN 9780813928234.

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