Founded 1881 Opened 1908 | Completed 1908 Phone +1 509-358-4290 | |
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Website www.spokanecathedral.com Architectural style Romanesque Revival architecture Similar Monroe Street Bridge, Cathedral of St John the Evan, Northwest Museum of Arts and, Avista Stadium, Riverfront Park Profiles | ||
The Cathedral of Our Lady Lourdes is a Catholic cathedral in Spokane, Washington, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Spokane.
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History
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish can trace its beginnings to the first Mass celebrated in Spokane. The Rev. Joseph Cataldo, SJ celebrated the Mass in August 1881 in a converted carpenter’s shop that he named St. Joseph. Five years later a brick church was constructed and named Our Lady of Lourdes. The Sisters of the Holy Names opened a parish school. The cornerstone for the present church building was laid in 1903. A new school building was completed three years later. On December 17, 1913, St. Pius X established the Diocese of Spokane and Our Lady of Lourdes was named the diocesan cathedral.
Architecture
The cathedral is designed in an Italian Romanesque Revival style. The exterior of the structure is faced with red brick accented with granite. The facade is framed by two square towers that reach a height of 164 ft (50 m). The interior was most recently renovated in 1971 when the altar was moved closer to the congregation in response to the II Vatican council. The old marble high altar, topped by a Calvary scene, remains in the apse. The cathedral has two organs, a W. W. Kimball pipe organ in the loft and the Druffel Memorial organ located in the transept. The stained glass windows are from Bavaria.