Cathedral of All Saints
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of All Saints, Albany
, New York
is the central church of the Episcopal See
of the Albany
and the seat of the Episcopal Bishop
of Albany. It was the first Cathedral church in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America to be built expressly as a such, rather than a local parish
serving as the church of a bishop, and for that reason, it is also called the Pioneer Cathedral. It is built in the Gothic style
of architecture, and remains incomplete, although dedicated in 1888. It is in the Downtown Albany Historic District
and is on several registers of historic properties.
's major project, for many years, was the building of the Cathedral of All Saints, his major legacy. He got the land donated by the wealthy Erastus Corning
, and set about building the edifice starting with its incorporation in 1873, and the laying of its cornerstone, on June 3, 1884, "with impressive ceremony."
The Cathedral of All Saints was dedicated in 1888. Until that time, smaller Episcopal churches served as seats of the bishop, and the "cathedral idea" -- the concept that a bishops' main church is more than merely a parish church, but the "Mother church
" -- had not yet taken hold in the United States
. Much of the building was paid for a gift by Doane's unlikely friend, J. Pierpont Morgan.
founded the Cathedral, and was its first chief clergy
man. There followed a number of notable bishops and deans of the Cathedral, including some who became national
figures.
The dean emeritus
of the Cathedral is The Very Rev. Marshall Vang, who served for a decade as its pastor.
is the current Episcopal bishop of Albany, and has served at the Cathedral of All Saints as a Dean's Vicar in the 1980s, and since 2007, as its Bishop.
The current dean
is the Archdeacon
Ven. David Collum. The retired bishop The Right Rev. David Standish Ball
continues to serve as well.
Famous 19th century architect H. H. Richardson submitted a Romanesque Revival design for the Cathedral, but he lost out to then-unknown English-born and -trained Robert W. Gibson
's Gothic Revival plan.
The construction for the Cathedral began in 1888, and it remains unfinished, although its slate roof was recently replaced. The altar
of the old Saint Alban
's chapel in the Cathedral was moved to St. Paul's church in Salem, New York
.
The Cathedral is noted as a tourist destination for its Gothic architecture, and especially for its multi-colored stained glass windows, stone carvings, and 17th century Belgian
Choir stalls. It is richly furnished. Frank Leslie's Weekly
issued a whole booklet on the Cathedral for tourists of the late 19th century. In 2008, the Ship of Fools website gave its highest rating, a "10", for its architecture, preaching, and Anglo-Catholic worship.
and the Royal School of Church Music
in America. As an Anglo-catholic or High Church
house of worship, the music, choir, and "bells and smells" are an important part of the liturgy. In the late 19th century, Bishop Doane
created a boy's choir school (now defunct) and the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys. Doane, the first Episcopal Bishop of Albany, penned Ancient of Days
, a well-known Anglican hymn, also known by its tune, Albany, while at the Cathedral of All Saints.
The Choir sings in a wide variety of languages, including Greek (the Kyrie), "English, Latin, German, French, Italian, and Russian."
The Boys Choir at the Cathedral of All Saints also sings compline periodically, usually the first Friday of each month.
The Cathedral is also a concert venue for both secular and religious music. This is due in no small part to its architecture, and has been cited as one of the "Great Acoustic Spaces for Choral Music (in the) U.S. and Canada
."
in conjunction with its Medieval Faire.
The synod
of Province II
took take place May 7–8, 2009 in Albany, New York, near the Cathedral, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori
celebrated eucharist
at the Cathedral of All Saints when she visited the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in 2011.
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
is the central church of the Episcopal See
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of the Albany
Episcopal Diocese of Albany
The Episcopal Diocese of Albany is part of Province 2 of the Episcopal Church.-History:The Church of Englandarrived in 1674 with a chaplain assigned to the British military garrison at Albany, New York. In 1704 the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel sent two missionaries to the Mohawk...
and the seat of the Episcopal Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Albany. It was the first Cathedral church in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America to be built expressly as a such, rather than a local parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
serving as the church of a bishop, and for that reason, it is also called the Pioneer Cathedral. It is built in the Gothic style
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
of architecture, and remains incomplete, although dedicated in 1888. It is in the Downtown Albany Historic District
Downtown Albany Historic District
The Downtown Albany Historic District is a 19-block, area of Albany, New York, United States, centered around the junction of State and North and South Pearl streets . It is the oldest settled area of the city, originally planned and settled in the 17th century, and the nucleus of its later...
and is on several registers of historic properties.
History
Bishop William Croswell DoaneWilliam Croswell Doane
The Right Reverend William Croswell Doane was the 1st Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in the United States. He was bishop from 1869 until his death in 1913. As a student at Burlington College, New Jersey , he was a founding member of a chapter of the college society St...
's major project, for many years, was the building of the Cathedral of All Saints, his major legacy. He got the land donated by the wealthy Erastus Corning
Erastus Corning
Erastus Corning I , American businessman and politician, was born in Norwich, Connecticut. Corning moved to Troy, New York at the age of 13 to clerk in the hardware store of an uncle; six years later he moved to Albany, New York, where he joined the mercantile business under James Spencer...
, and set about building the edifice starting with its incorporation in 1873, and the laying of its cornerstone, on June 3, 1884, "with impressive ceremony."
The Cathedral of All Saints was dedicated in 1888. Until that time, smaller Episcopal churches served as seats of the bishop, and the "cathedral idea" -- the concept that a bishops' main church is more than merely a parish church, but the "Mother church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
" -- had not yet taken hold in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Much of the building was paid for a gift by Doane's unlikely friend, J. Pierpont Morgan.
Past clergy
William Croswell DoaneWilliam Croswell Doane
The Right Reverend William Croswell Doane was the 1st Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in the United States. He was bishop from 1869 until his death in 1913. As a student at Burlington College, New Jersey , he was a founding member of a chapter of the college society St...
founded the Cathedral, and was its first chief clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
man. There followed a number of notable bishops and deans of the Cathedral, including some who became national
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
figures.
The dean emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
of the Cathedral is The Very Rev. Marshall Vang, who served for a decade as its pastor.
Current clergy
William LoveWilliam Love (bishop)
William Howard "Bill" Love is the 9th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in the United States. A theological conservative, he is a prominent leader of conservative or traditional Anglicans at a time of disunity and disagreement in the Anglican Communion over theological interpretations of a...
is the current Episcopal bishop of Albany, and has served at the Cathedral of All Saints as a Dean's Vicar in the 1980s, and since 2007, as its Bishop.
The current dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
is the Archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
Ven. David Collum. The retired bishop The Right Rev. David Standish Ball
David Standish Ball
The Right Reverend David Standish Ball was the seventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in the United States from 1984 to 1998.-Childhood, education and calling:...
continues to serve as well.
Architecture
Robert W. Gibson
Robert W. Gibson, AIA, was an English-born American ecclesiastical architect active in late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century New York City and New York State. He designed several large Manhattan churches and a number of prominent residences and institutional buildings.Gibson studied...
's Gothic Revival plan.
The construction for the Cathedral began in 1888, and it remains unfinished, although its slate roof was recently replaced. The altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
of the old Saint Alban
Saint Alban
Saint Alban was the first British Christian martyr. Along with his fellow saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three martyrs remembered from Roman Britain. Alban is listed in the Church of England calendar for 22 June and he continues to be venerated in the Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox...
's chapel in the Cathedral was moved to St. Paul's church in Salem, New York
Salem, New York
Salem, New York is the name of two locations in Washington County, New York in the USA:* Salem , New York* Salem , New York...
.
The Cathedral is noted as a tourist destination for its Gothic architecture, and especially for its multi-colored stained glass windows, stone carvings, and 17th century Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Choir stalls. It is richly furnished. Frank Leslie's Weekly
Frank Leslie's Weekly
Frank Leslie's Weekly, later often known in short as Leslie's Weekly, was an American illustrated literary and news magazine founded in 1852 and continuing publication well into the 20th century. As implied by its name, it was published weekly, on Tuesdays. Its first editor was John Y. Foster...
issued a whole booklet on the Cathedral for tourists of the late 19th century. In 2008, the Ship of Fools website gave its highest rating, a "10", for its architecture, preaching, and Anglo-Catholic worship.
Music
The Cathedral is famous for its music program, and is affiliated with the American Guild of OrganistsAmerican Guild of Organists
The American Guild of Organists, or AGO, is a national organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the U.S., headquartered in The Interchurch Center in New York City. It was founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization...
and the Royal School of Church Music
Royal School of Church Music
The largest church music organisation in Britain, the Royal School of Church Music was founded in 1927 by Sir Sydney Nicholson and has 11,000 members worldwide; it was originally named the School of English Church Music. It seeks to enable church music in the present and invest in its future,...
in America. As an Anglo-catholic or High Church
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
house of worship, the music, choir, and "bells and smells" are an important part of the liturgy. In the late 19th century, Bishop Doane
William Croswell Doane
The Right Reverend William Croswell Doane was the 1st Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in the United States. He was bishop from 1869 until his death in 1913. As a student at Burlington College, New Jersey , he was a founding member of a chapter of the college society St...
created a boy's choir school (now defunct) and the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys. Doane, the first Episcopal Bishop of Albany, penned Ancient of Days
Ancient of Days
Ancient of Days is a name for God in Aramaic: Atik Yomin; in the Greek Septuagint: Palaios Hemeron; and in the Vulgate: Antiquus Dierum....
, a well-known Anglican hymn, also known by its tune, Albany, while at the Cathedral of All Saints.
The Choir sings in a wide variety of languages, including Greek (the Kyrie), "English, Latin, German, French, Italian, and Russian."
The Boys Choir at the Cathedral of All Saints also sings compline periodically, usually the first Friday of each month.
The Cathedral is also a concert venue for both secular and religious music. This is due in no small part to its architecture, and has been cited as one of the "Great Acoustic Spaces for Choral Music (in the) U.S. and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
."
Other programs
One of the practices revived in the Cathedral, from time to time, has been the election of a boy bishopBoy bishop
Boy bishop was a name given to a custom very widespread in the Middle Ages, whereby a boy was chosen, for example among cathedral choristers, to parody the real Bishop, commonly on the feast of Holy Innocents...
in conjunction with its Medieval Faire.
The synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of Province II
Province 2 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
Province 2 is one of nine ecclesiastical provinces making up the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It comprises the six dioceses of the State of New York, the two dioceses of the State of New Jersey, the diocese in the Republic of Haiti and the diocese in the Virgin Islands , as...
took take place May 7–8, 2009 in Albany, New York, near the Cathedral, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori
Katharine Jefferts Schori
Katharine Jefferts Schori is the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States. Previously elected as the 9th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada, she is the first woman elected as a primate of the Anglican Communion...
celebrated eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
at the Cathedral of All Saints when she visited the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in 2011.
Notable Cathedralites
Amongst the notable congregants, or "Cathedralites", besides its bishops, have been:- Eleanor RooseveltEleanor RooseveltAnna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- Martha S. LewisMartha S. LewisMartha S. Lewis was an American government official and social worker. She had a long career as a ground-breaking social worker in the metropolitan New York City area and elsewhere...
See also
- David Standish BallDavid Standish BallThe Right Reverend David Standish Ball was the seventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in the United States from 1984 to 1998.-Childhood, education and calling:...
- Derby CathedralDerby CathedralThe Cathedral of All Saints , is a cathedral church in the City of Derby, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Derby, and with an area of around is the smallest Anglican cathedral in England.-History:...
- also called the Cathedral of All Saints - William Croswell DoaneWilliam Croswell DoaneThe Right Reverend William Croswell Doane was the 1st Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in the United States. He was bishop from 1869 until his death in 1913. As a student at Burlington College, New Jersey , he was a founding member of a chapter of the college society St...
- Former All Saints Cathedral, ChicagoFormer All Saints Cathedral, ChicagoThe former Cathedral of All Saints of the Polish National Catholic Church in Chicago, referred to in Polish as Katedra Wszystkich Świętych is a historic church building located in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States...
- Wilbur Emory HoggWilbur Emory HoggThe Right Reverend Wilbur Emory Hogg was the sixth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in the United States from 1974 until 1984.-Early life:...
- Lark StreetLark StreetLark Street is a historic street in Albany, New York. It is part of the "Arbor Hill, "Center Square", "Park South", and "Hudson/Park" neighborhoods, and is located one block east of Washington Park. Lark Street is home to many independently owned shops, coffee houses, restaurants, art galleries,...
- List of cathedrals in the United States
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Albany, New YorkNational Register of Historic Places listings in Albany, New YorkThe National Register of Historic Places listings in Albany, New York represent the history of Albany from the Dutch colonial era, through the British colonial era, the American Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and World War II, in addition to various periods of immigration into New York's...
- William Love (bishop)William Love (bishop)William Howard "Bill" Love is the 9th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany in the United States. A theological conservative, he is a prominent leader of conservative or traditional Anglicans at a time of disunity and disagreement in the Anglican Communion over theological interpretations of a...