St. Ambrose Cathedral (Des Moines)
Encyclopedia
St. Ambrose Cathedral is the cathedral
parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines
, and is located at 607 High Street in Des Moines
, Iowa
in the center of the city. The facility is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as St. Ambrose Cathedral and Rectory.
. At the time, Des Moines was part of the Diocese of Dubuque
, which covered the entire state of Iowa. Other priests visited the Des Moines area from time to time, including: the Revs. Timothy Mullen, John Kreckel and Louis De Cailly. In 1856, one year after the Iowa Legislature voted to move the capitol from Iowa City to its present location in Des Moines, the first St. Ambrose Church was built on land purchased by Father De Cailly. The church was built by the Rev. George Plathe, who was the first resident priest in Des Moines. It measured 40 by 24 feet. The Rev. John F. Brazil became pastor in 1861, and he built a school in 1863.
St. Ambrose remained Des Moines' only Catholic church until 1869 when the Rev. Nicholas Sassel established St. Mary's to serve the pastoral needs of the city's German
community. Des Moines became a part of the Diocese of Davenport
when it was established in 1881.
Father Brazil started construction of the present church in 1890 and it was completed by the Rev. Michael Flavin in 1891. Bishop Henry Cosgrove
dedicated the church on October 11 of the same year. The church and rectory were both designed in the Romanesque Revival style and built of Bedford stone
. The interior is a large open expanse, free of pillars
. James J. Egan
of Chicago
was the architect
. He designed Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport
at the same time. St. Ambrose Church was chosen to be the cathedral of the Diocese of Des Moines when it was established by Pope
St. Pius X on August 12, 1911.
A significant renovation of the cathedral took place in the 1940’s which added the Chapel of Our Lady to the rear of the building, and the installation of the present stained glass
windows. The windows in the cathedral depict the establishment of the Catholic faith in the United States, the State of Iowa and the Diocese of Des Moines. The rose window in the Chapel of Our Lady depict the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The altar
, ambo
and chair in the chapel were used by Pope John Paul II during a Mass he celebrated at his historic visit to Living History Farms
in 1979.
A large-scale renovation of the cathedral was begun in the 1970’s by Bishop Maurice Dingman
out of a desire for a better liturgical environment, and because the building was in need of repairs. A process of researching the liturgy
, church architecture, and accessing the needs of the parish was put in place as a part of the larger planning process. The people of the entire diocese were also invited to participate in this process. The cathedral’s interior was subsequently repainted in the early years of the 21st century.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines
Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines
The Diocese of Des Moines is the Roman Catholic diocese for the southwestern quarter of the state of Iowa.Dioecesis Desmoinensis is the Latin title of the diocese, and the Diocese of Des Moines is the corporate title of the diocese. The Cathedral parish for the Diocese is St. Ambrose's Cathedral....
, and is located at 607 High Street in Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in the center of the city. The facility is 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...
as St. Ambrose Cathedral and Rectory.
History
The first Mass in what would become the city of Des Moines was celebrated in a log hut in 1851 at Fort Des Moines by Father Alexander Hattenberger, a priest from Ottumwa, IowaOttumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census. It is located in the southeastern part of Iowa, and the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River....
. At the time, Des Moines was part of the Diocese of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
, which covered the entire state of Iowa. Other priests visited the Des Moines area from time to time, including: the Revs. Timothy Mullen, John Kreckel and Louis De Cailly. In 1856, one year after the Iowa Legislature voted to move the capitol from Iowa City to its present location in Des Moines, the first St. Ambrose Church was built on land purchased by Father De Cailly. The church was built by the Rev. George Plathe, who was the first resident priest in Des Moines. It measured 40 by 24 feet. The Rev. John F. Brazil became pastor in 1861, and he built a school in 1863.
St. Ambrose remained Des Moines' only Catholic church until 1869 when the Rev. Nicholas Sassel established St. Mary's to serve the pastoral needs of the city's German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
community. Des Moines became a part of the Diocese of Davenport
Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport is a diocese of the Catholic Church for the southeastern quarter of the state of Iowa. There are within the diocese...
when it was established in 1881.
Father Brazil started construction of the present church in 1890 and it was completed by the Rev. Michael Flavin in 1891. Bishop Henry Cosgrove
Henry Cosgrove
Henry Cosgrove was a late 19th century and early 20th century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the second bishop of Diocese of Davenport, in the state of Iowa from 1884-1906....
dedicated the church on October 11 of the same year. The church and rectory were both designed in the Romanesque Revival style and built of Bedford stone
Indiana Limestone
Indiana Limestone, also known as Bedford Limestone is a common regional term for Salem limestone, a geological formation primarily quarried in south central Indiana between Bloomington and Bedford....
. The interior is a large open expanse, free of pillars
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
. James J. Egan
James J. Egan
James J. Egan, FAIA, was an Irish-American architect and fellow of the American Institute of Architects practicing in Chicago, Illinois...
of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
was the architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
. He designed Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
at the same time. St. Ambrose Church was chosen to be the cathedral of the Diocese of Des Moines when it was established by Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
St. Pius X on August 12, 1911.
A significant renovation of the cathedral took place in the 1940’s which added the Chapel of Our Lady to the rear of the building, and the installation of the present stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows. The windows in the cathedral depict the establishment of the Catholic faith in the United States, the State of Iowa and the Diocese of Des Moines. The rose window in the Chapel of Our Lady depict the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. 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...
, ambo
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
and chair in the chapel were used by Pope John Paul II during a Mass he celebrated at his historic visit to Living History Farms
Living History Farms
Living History Farms is a 500-acre open air museum located in Urbandale, Iowa. The museum's mission is to educate visitors and demonstrate the past 300 hundred years of Iowa's agricultural history...
in 1979.
A large-scale renovation of the cathedral was begun in the 1970’s by Bishop Maurice Dingman
Maurice John Dingman
Maurice John Dingman was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Des Moines from 1968 to 1986.-Early life & Ministry:...
out of a desire for a better liturgical environment, and because the building was in need of repairs. A process of researching the liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
, church architecture, and accessing the needs of the parish was put in place as a part of the larger planning process. The people of the entire diocese were also invited to participate in this process. The cathedral’s interior was subsequently repainted in the early years of the 21st century.