Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington D.C., most commonly known as St. Matthew's Cathedral, is the seat of the Archbishop
(currently Donald Cardinal Wuerl ) of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
. As St. Matthew's Cathedral and Rectory, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974.
It is located in downtown Washington at 1725 Rhode Island Avenue NW between Connecticut Avenue and 17th Street. The closest Metrorail
station is Farragut North
, on the Red Line
.
It is dedicated to the Apostle Matthew
, who among other things is patron saint
of civil servants, having himself been a tax collector.
St. Matthew's was originally established in 1840, the fourth Catholic parish in the District of Columbia. Originally located at 15th and H Streets, construction of the current church began in 1893, with the first Mass
being celebrated on June 2, 1895. It was finally dedicated in 1913. In 1939 the church was designated as a Cathedral
when the Archdiocese of Washington was established.
The structure is Romanesque
with Byzantine
elements. Designed by architect C. Grant La Farge
, it is shaped like a Latin cross and seats about 950 persons. The interior is richly decorated in marble and semiprecious stones, notably a 35-foot mosaic
of Matthew created by Edwin Howland Blashfield. Both structural and decorative features underwent extensive restoration by EverGreene Architectural Arts, starting in 2000 and ending September 21, 2003, the Feast day of St. Matthew.
The first notable funeral Mass offered there was for Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon
, who died on August 1, 1944, and was given a state funeral at Arlington Cemetery. In 1957 a Solemn
Requiem Mass
was offered there at the occasion of the funeral of Joseph McCarthy
; the liturgy was attended by 70 senators and hundreds of clergymen. The cathedral drew world attention on November 25, 1963, when a recited (not sung) Pontifical Requiem Low Mass was offered by Richard Cardinal Cushing, Archbishop of Boston and a Kennedy family friend, during the state funeral of President John F. Kennedy
. Other notable events have been held at the cathedral, including a Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II
during his 1979 visit to Washington, DC. The funeral of U.S. Supreme Court
Associate Justice William J. Brennan, Jr.
, was held there in 1997.
It also hosted a Lutheran Protestant
funeral service for the late Chief Justice
William Rehnquist
on September 7, 2005.
The cathedral is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. The cathedral is also the location for one of the most famous Red Mass
es in the world. Each year on the day before the beginning of the term of the Supreme Court of the United States
, Mass is celebrated to request guidance from the Holy Spirit
for the legal profession. Owing to the Cathedral's location in the nation's capital, the Justices of the Supreme Court, members of Congress and the Cabinet, and many other dignitaries (including, at times, the President of the United States
) attend the Mass.
In the passageway located between the main sanctuary and the St Francis
Chapel
is a burial chamber with eight tombs intended for Washington, D.C.’s archbishops. There are currently two former archbishops buried in this anteroom: Patrick Cardinal O’Boyle and James Cardinal Hickey.
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
(currently Donald Cardinal Wuerl ) of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It comprises the District of Columbia and Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's and Saint Mary's counties in the state of Maryland....
. As St. Matthew's Cathedral and Rectory, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1974.
It is located in downtown Washington at 1725 Rhode Island Avenue NW between Connecticut Avenue and 17th Street. The closest Metrorail
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
station is Farragut North
Farragut North (Washington Metro)
Farragut North is a Washington Metro station in Washington, D.C., on the Red Line.Farragut North serves downtown Washington and is located just north of Farragut Square. It lies at the heart of the business district on Connecticut Avenue, with two entrances at L Street and one at K Street...
, on the Red Line
Red Line (Washington Metro)
The Red Line of the Washington Metro is a rail rapid transit service operating between 27 stations in Montgomery County, Maryland and the District of Columbia, United States. It is a primary line through downtown Washington, and the oldest and busiest line in the system...
.
It is dedicated to the Apostle Matthew
Matthew the Evangelist
Matthew the Evangelist was, according to the Bible, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the four Evangelists.-Identity:...
, who among other things is patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of civil servants, having himself been a tax collector.
St. Matthew's was originally established in 1840, the fourth Catholic parish in the District of Columbia. Originally located at 15th and H Streets, construction of the current church began in 1893, with the first Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
being celebrated on June 2, 1895. It was finally dedicated in 1913. In 1939 the church was designated as a Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
when the Archdiocese of Washington was established.
The structure is Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
with Byzantine
Byzantine architecture
Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. The empire gradually emerged as a distinct artistic and cultural entity from what is today referred to as the Roman Empire after AD 330, when the Roman Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire east from Rome to...
elements. Designed by architect C. Grant La Farge
Heins & LaFarge
The New York-based architectural firm of Heins & LaFarge, composed of Philadelphia-born architect George Lewis Heins and Christopher Grant LaFarge - the eldest son of the artist John LaFarge, famous especially for his stained glass panels - were responsible most notably for the original...
, it is shaped like a Latin cross and seats about 950 persons. The interior is richly decorated in marble and semiprecious stones, notably a 35-foot mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
of Matthew created by Edwin Howland Blashfield. Both structural and decorative features underwent extensive restoration by EverGreene Architectural Arts, starting in 2000 and ending September 21, 2003, the Feast day of St. Matthew.
The first notable funeral Mass offered there was for Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel Luis Quezón y Molina served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. He was the first Filipino to head a government of the Philippines...
, who died on August 1, 1944, and was given a state funeral at Arlington Cemetery. In 1957 a Solemn
Solemn Mass
Solemn Mass , sometimes also referred to as Solemn High Mass or simply High Mass, is, when used not merely as a description, the full ceremonial form of the Tridentine Mass, celebrated by a priest with a deacon and a subdeacon, requiring most of the parts of the Mass to be sung, and the use of...
Requiem Mass
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
was offered there at the occasion of the funeral of Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
; the liturgy was attended by 70 senators and hundreds of clergymen. The cathedral drew world attention on November 25, 1963, when a recited (not sung) Pontifical Requiem Low Mass was offered by Richard Cardinal Cushing, Archbishop of Boston and a Kennedy family friend, during the state funeral of President John F. Kennedy
State funeral of John F. Kennedy
The state funeral of John F. Kennedy took place in Washington, DC during the three days that followed his assassination on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas....
. Other notable events have been held at the cathedral, including a Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
during his 1979 visit to Washington, DC. The funeral of U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
Associate Justice William J. Brennan, Jr.
William J. Brennan, Jr.
William Joseph Brennan, Jr. was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1956 to 1990...
, was held there in 1997.
It also hosted a Lutheran Protestant
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
funeral service for the late Chief Justice
Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
William Rehnquist
William Rehnquist
William Hubbs Rehnquist was an American lawyer, jurist, and political figure who served as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States and later as the 16th Chief Justice of the United States...
on September 7, 2005.
The cathedral is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The cathedral is also the location for one of the most famous Red Mass
Red Mass
A Red Mass is a Mass celebrated annually in the Catholic Church for judges, attorneys, law school professors, students, and government officials...
es in the world. Each year on the day before the beginning of the term of the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, Mass is celebrated to request guidance from the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
for the legal profession. Owing to the Cathedral's location in the nation's capital, the Justices of the Supreme Court, members of Congress and the Cabinet, and many other dignitaries (including, at times, the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
) attend the Mass.
In the passageway located between the main sanctuary and the St Francis
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
Chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
is a burial chamber with eight tombs intended for Washington, D.C.’s archbishops. There are currently two former archbishops buried in this anteroom: Patrick Cardinal O’Boyle and James Cardinal Hickey.