The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-06-30
ST. PETERS, CHURCH.
A MAGNIFICENT STRUCTURE DESCRIPTION
OF THE iNTER1OR.-THE CONSIDERATION
ON SUNDAY.

A MAGNIFICENT STRUCTURE. DESCRIPTION
or TIE INTERIOR. CONSIDERATION
oN SUNDAY.
The beauties of architecture arc never
better cXempliied than when they are APP |
piled by skillful hands in the erection of a
large and costly church. The gaudy show |
and tinsel trappings of the theatre and |
music hall may dazzle the eye for a time,
and bring ordinations of delight and
wonder from the lips of the observer at
their many rare and specious qualities, but
the grandeur and sublimity of well or
dered and symmetricaly built sanctuary is
one of the most beautiful things the eye
can rest upon, and proves to the mind of
all the greatness of power possessed by the
true architect. Our large cities would look
tame and unprctcndng from adistant view,
were it not for the tall and stately spires of
her churches that point their fingers up
ward to the sky, and lift the mind of the
observer to things above. America has
upon her shores many magnificent church
structures, that serve not only to adorn the
community around them, but also to prove
the artistic skill of her architects in design
as well MS the hand of the workmen in ex-
ccuting. Vermont is blessed with numer-
Gus fine churches. extensive in their APP
pointments, costly in their erection. and
elegant in their interior and exterior APP
peaiancc. of which the state may well be
proud.
Rutland has lately completed her best
specimen of churches, las well as archi
lecture, in the structure of St Peters
Church, erected by the Roman Catholic
society, and consccratcd on Sunday last
This edifice was contemplated four years ago
and on July 4th, 1869, its corner stone was
laid and the building of the same duly in
auguratcd and begun The location is on
Meadow street, a block and half south
cast of the old church. The superinten-
dence of the work of erection was put in
to the able and willing hands of Rev. Faith
er Boylan, the pastor, to whose dilgcnt
labors and unceasng care much of the sue
cess of the enterprise is justly due. Spec
ifcations and plans for the structure were
drawn up by Mr. p. c. Keely, well
known architect of New York city, and
the same have been duly carried on by d
force under the supervision of the reverend
Father, during the meantime until the
present. We essay brief description of
the church as it now stands, designing to
give some little idea of its many exccllen-
cies as house of worship.
TIE CHURCH
itself is built of stone, quarried upon the
spot. with marble trimming and erected
after the Gothic style of the thirteenth CEN
tury Its extreme length is 100 feet and Il
width of II feet its frontage, comprising
the tower and entrance porch, is 10 feet,
with vestry on the west side 90 by 80.
The tower is surmounted by an elegant and
beautiful spire 200 feet high, and which
presents an imposing appearance from
every part of our town and surrounding
country as does the church itself, which is
the most striking feature of our village as
seen in every direction and from every
avenue of travel to the town. The grand
appearance of the exterior is only to be eX-
ceeded and eclipsed by the beauties of its
interior. This is gained by three different
entrances all in front, affording ample fa-
cilities for the access of large congre-
CATION at one and the same time The YES
tibule of the church is wide roomy and
well arranged and gives the means of
entrance to the body of the house IN the
same number of doors as upon the outside,
each of which leads up separate aisle.
Over this vestibulc is the gallery from
which stairs lead you from either side.
When once inside the church a splendid
panorama of beauty and architectural
wonders are spread out before you.
Spacious and lofty in area, grand and ar
tistic in finish and general effects,
IT'S INTERIOR
is not to be equalled by any church in
| Vermont, while but very few excel it in
wide New England The special beauty
is displayed in the frescoing of the walls
Of the chancel and chapel itself. The oil
paintings, five in number, are of extra
ordinary excellence and must be seen to be
appreciated. The centre painting in the
chancel is one of the largest in the United
States and is made to represent the scene
of "The Last Judgment The dimensions
are 60X2S and it contains two hundred and
sXty-four figures life-size, some of which
are six feet in circumference. On the east
side of the church and just outside of the
chanccl rail is the representation of 'The
Annunciation' while on the opposite side
is picture of "The Holy Family" repre-
senting Christ as child engaged at his
fathers trade and seated ut the feet of his
parents. Inside of the chancel on the
east side is the painting of "l'he Nativity
and on the west side is the figure of ''The
Resurrection of Christ from the Sepulchre''
These paintings are executed by Mcssrs.
Lang & Kinkeln of New York, and are of
superior order of merit, outrivalng any
thing of the kind in any church of our
country. The figures represented stand
out so prominently they are easily seen
across the church, while nearer view adds
to the correctness of form and figure, as
but few such paintings do. The frescoing
of the walls and ceilings was performed by
Mr. A. Forester of New York and finely
executed throughout, adding greatly to the
beautifuf effects of the church.
well executed figures, the centre representing
the ascension of Christ unto Heaven on
the east window are the figures of Saints
JOACHIM and Ann, and on the west the figures
of Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin.
The east chapel window bears the figure of
Saint Patrick and the west window the
picture of St. Peter, the patron saint of the