THE GREAT CATHEDRAL

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 24, 1876

THE GREAT CATHEDRAL.

A HIGH ALTAR THAT WILL COST A QUARTER OF A MILLION OF DOLLARS.

At the instance of Vicar-General Quinn, a convocation of the priests of the diocese of New York was held Thursday to devise means for erecting the High Altar in the new Roman Catholic cathedral in Fifth avenue. The altar when completed will cost about $250,000, and it is proposed that the diocese of New York shall defray the entire expenses. When completed, the altar will be one of the most magnificent in the world. Its principal parts are being erected in Rome, and others in St. Brieuc, France. The design is by Mr. James R. Renwick, the architect of the cathedral. The High Altar will occupy the eastern extremity of the building and be supported by a platform to be reached by three broad marble steps rising from the floor of the sanctuary. The table will be of white marble resting on columns of precious marble, with bases and foliated capitals of the same material, and are eight in number, dividing the front of the altar into three large and four smaller niches. The larger niches will contain representations of the passion of Christ, and the smaller, statues of the apostles. The altar is to be twelve feet four inches long by two feet four inches wide.

Extending its entire width behind the altar are to be two marble steps inlaid with precious stones, on which will stand the candelabra of gilt bronze. These steps are intersected by the tabernacle resting on the altar. The tabernacle is to be three feet wide and six feet high. The tabernacle is to be of Carrara marble, inlaid with precious stones, and adorned by exquisite Roman mosaics, representing a sacred emblem and the crown of thorns. The door of the tabernacle is to be of brass, fire gilt, the arch supported by columns of the richest marble, inlaid with gems cut in faces, with the figure of an angel kneeling on each side.

The stylobate at the rear of the altar is to be thirty feet in length by ten feet in height, divided into five parts. The central division supporting the tower and spire of the reredos is six feet in width. The first divisions on each extremity, four feet six inches long each side, are seven feet six inches long, and each supporting a tower and spire. The base of the reredos is of white marble, inlaid with alabaster and ornamented on each side by a bass-relief, the gospel side representing the Agnus Dei, and the epistle side the dove. The reredos is divided into five sections, having a central tower and spire, and two flanking towers and spires.

The first story of the central tower is six feet square and sixteen feet high, having two clustered columns of red and green marble, with white marble bases and foliated capitals standing on each side of the central niche, which has a background of white marble, decorated with foliage. A marble canopy covers this tabernacle. Under this canopy will stand a splendid crucifix, with the foot resting on the roof of the tabernacle. The second story of the central tower, directly over the canopy, is five feet six inches high, supported by sixteen columns of polished marble, with bases and capitals of white marble. On the four upper angles of the columns are kneeling figures of angels. The spire of the central tower is fifteen and a half feet high, is four-sided, and filled in with the richest pierced tracery and crackets of beautiful foliage, and a finial at the top supporting the central cross, which supports the whole. The entire height of the central tower and spire, from the floor of the sanctuary to the base of the cross, is forty-eight feet. The two corner towers are four and a half feet square and eighteen and a half feet high. On the gospel side will be St. Peter, and on the epistle side, St. Paul, each nearly six feet in height.

Between the central and side towers are six niches, with traceried heads and groined ceilings, three being on each side of the central tower. The niches will contain the figures of six angels bearing shields, on which are carved the emblems of the passion of Jesus Christ. These are all of white marble, five and a half feet high. The niches are surmounted by gablets of richly pierced tracery, with finials and crackets of foliage. Over the columns are the kneeling figures of saints and martyrs. These figures crown the columns, and behind them run up pinnacles through the cornice, which finishes the whole, and is richly moulded.

The work for the altar proper and the base on which the reredos stands is done in Rome, by the well-known sculptor, Carminini; the niches, spires, and statuary of the reredos by M. Paul Guibe, of St. Brieuc, France. Most of the pieces of the altar are nearly completed, and it is proposed to set them up in the new cathedral by the latter part of next year. The main roof of the great edifice is nearly completed. The groining of the arches in the interior has already been commenced. The stained window panes are soon to be put in place.—Sel.