Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Richmond, Virginia)
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond
, Virginia
, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
. The property is located along North Laurel Street at 800 South Cathedral Place, facing Monroe Park
one block north of Main Street. Construction of the Cathedral was begun in 1903, financed by donations of Thomas Fortune Ryan
and his wife; it was the only cathedral at that time known to be constructed by the exclusive patronage of a single family.
The cathedral was completed in 1905 and consecrated on Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1906. The cathedral is a Virginia Historic Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places
.
converted to Roman Catholicism en route to Baltimore, Maryland in 1868. In Baltimore Ryan made his fortune in railroads and streetcar transit and married Ida Mary Barry, the daughter of a Catholic former employer. Ida contributed to various Catholic charities and causes, including in Virginia, but the Ryans' philanthropy in Richmond increased after they purchased a 5000-acre plot in Nelson County, Virginia
. In 1901 Ida donated money to build a church dedicated to the Sacred Heart
in Manchester (now part of Richmond) so that worshippers did not have to cross the James River
for services. She also provided funds for the construction of a school, a new chapel convent, and churches in nearby Harrisonburg and Newport News. They also funded projects in Washington, D.C. and New York. In 1901 Ida and Ryan each donated $250,000 to build a cathedral overlooking Monroe Park
near the Fan district
—in today's money, equivalent to $.
Historically, Richmond did not have a large or influential Catholic population, but it was growing at the turn of the century. Part of the plot for the church had been owned by the Diocese since 1865. The parish had planned for a $120,000 church at the location since 1882, but an effort to purchase the rest of the triangular block stalled until the Ryans' gift.
as the church's architect. The church, bishop's house and pastoral home fill the entire block. The cornerstone was laid June 4, 1903, by Father Conway of St. Ignatius, New York
; the stone block came from the Garden of Gethsemane
. According to a diocesan official, it was the only cathedral in the world erected through the "sole munificence of one family".
The building is an example of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture. The exterior is constructed from Virginia granite
and Indiana limestone
; ceramic tiles and a copper
-jacketed dome 118 feet (36 m) across complete the roof. The basilica's two front towers rise 90 feet (27.4 m). The portico is supported by fluted Corinthian columns; the entablature
features the phrase "If Ye Love Me Keep My Commandments", while the underside of the pediment
is lined with fireproof tiles designed by Rafael Guastavino
.
The cathedral was consecrated on Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1906 in a series of ceremonies throughout the day. The church's consecration began at 6 am.
.
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond is an ecclesiastical and episcopal see or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. Its current territory was created by Pope Paul VI and encompasses all of central and southern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and the eastern shore...
. The property is located along North Laurel Street at 800 South Cathedral Place, facing Monroe Park
Monroe Park
Monroe Park is a landscaped park located northwest of the Virginia State Capitol Building in Richmond, Virginia. It is named after James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States...
one block north of Main Street. Construction of the Cathedral was begun in 1903, financed by donations of Thomas Fortune Ryan
Thomas Fortune Ryan
Thomas Fortune Ryan was a U.S. tobacco and transport magnate. Part of his fortune paid for the construction of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond, Virginia.-Early days:...
and his wife; it was the only cathedral at that time known to be constructed by the exclusive patronage of a single family.
The cathedral was completed in 1905 and consecrated on Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1906. The cathedral is a Virginia Historic Landmark and is 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...
.
Background
The Virginia-born Thomas Fortune RyanThomas Fortune Ryan
Thomas Fortune Ryan was a U.S. tobacco and transport magnate. Part of his fortune paid for the construction of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond, Virginia.-Early days:...
converted to Roman Catholicism en route to Baltimore, Maryland in 1868. In Baltimore Ryan made his fortune in railroads and streetcar transit and married Ida Mary Barry, the daughter of a Catholic former employer. Ida contributed to various Catholic charities and causes, including in Virginia, but the Ryans' philanthropy in Richmond increased after they purchased a 5000-acre plot in Nelson County, Virginia
Nelson County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,445 people, 5,887 households, and 4,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
. In 1901 Ida donated money to build a church dedicated to the Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
in Manchester (now part of Richmond) so that worshippers did not have to cross the James River
James River
The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...
for services. She also provided funds for the construction of a school, a new chapel convent, and churches in nearby Harrisonburg and Newport News. They also funded projects in Washington, D.C. and New York. In 1901 Ida and Ryan each donated $250,000 to build a cathedral overlooking Monroe Park
Monroe Park
Monroe Park is a landscaped park located northwest of the Virginia State Capitol Building in Richmond, Virginia. It is named after James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States...
near the Fan district
Fan district
The Fan is a district of Richmond, Virginia, so named because of the "fan" shape of the array of streets that extend west from Belvidere Street, on the eastern edge of Monroe Park, westward to the Boulevard....
—in today's money, equivalent to $.
Historically, Richmond did not have a large or influential Catholic population, but it was growing at the turn of the century. Part of the plot for the church had been owned by the Diocese since 1865. The parish had planned for a $120,000 church at the location since 1882, but an effort to purchase the rest of the triangular block stalled until the Ryans' gift.
Construction
The Ryans chose Joseph Hubert McGuireJoseph Hubert McGuire
Joseph Hubert McGuire was an American architect practicing in New York City, where he specialized in Catholic churches and institutions.-Early life and education:...
as the church's architect. The church, bishop's house and pastoral home fill the entire block. The cornerstone was laid June 4, 1903, by Father Conway of St. Ignatius, New York
Church of St. Ignatius Loyola (New York City)
The Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola is a Roman Catholic parish located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City, administered by the Society of Jesus . The parish is under the authority of the Archdiocese of New York and was established in 1851 as St. Lawrence O’Toole’s Church....
; the stone block came from the Garden of Gethsemane
Gethsemane
Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem most famous as the place where, according to Biblical texts, Jesus and his disciples are said to have prayed the night before Jesus' crucifixion.- Etymology :...
. According to a diocesan official, it was the only cathedral in the world erected through the "sole munificence of one family".
The building is an example of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture. The exterior is constructed from Virginia granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
and Indiana limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
; ceramic tiles and a copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
-jacketed dome 118 feet (36 m) across complete the roof. The basilica's two front towers rise 90 feet (27.4 m). The portico is supported by fluted Corinthian columns; the entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
features the phrase "If Ye Love Me Keep My Commandments", while the underside of the pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
is lined with fireproof tiles designed by Rafael Guastavino
Rafael Guastavino
Rafael Guastavino Moreno was a Valencian architect and builder, creator of the Guastavino tile, a "Tile Arch System" patented in the US in 1885. It is a technique for constructing robust, self-supporting arches and architectural vaults using interlocking terracotta tiles and layers of mortar...
.
The cathedral was consecrated on Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1906 in a series of ceremonies throughout the day. The church's consecration began at 6 am.
Landmark
The cathedral is a Virginia Historic Landmark and is on the National Register for Historic PlacesNational 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...
.