Kentucky Irish American., 1906-12-22
Magnificent Edifice of Which
Indiana Catholics Are
Proud.
Right Rev. Bishop ChataTd's
CrOwning and Lasting
Work.
DESCRIPTION OF HANDSOME CHURCH

magnificent new Cathedral of SS.
Peter and Paul, which is to be ded-
icated with imposing ceremonies on
December 25. Right Rev. William
George McCloskey, Bishop of Louis
Vile; Right Rev. Edward NJ.
Obrecht, Abbott of Gethsemane, and
other dignitaries of the Church in
Kentucky have received invitations
to attend the ceremonies which will
be very elaborate. The edifice is To-
Gated at Meridian and Fourteenth
streets, in the heart of the city.
Work on the building was begun
in April, 1905, and collections have
been taken up in the diocese several
times to aid in it's construction, New
Albany and Jeffersonville Catholics
contributing literally
Kentucky Catholics have an in
terest in the affairs of the diocese
of Indianapolis, which was formerly
the diocese of Vincennes. Bishop
Flaget, the first Bishop of Kentucky,
visited Vincennes on his missionary
tours over 100 years ago. The first
Catholic church in the Western coun-
try was built at Vincennes by the
French over 100 years ago and on
this site afterward was built the
Cathedral of st. Francis.
When Bishop Chatard came to
Indiana more than twenty-five years
ago he removed his see to Indianapo-
lis, and since then has been striv-
ing to build new Cathedral. While
the building will be dedicated at
Christmas 1t will not be completed
for two years and much more money
will have to be raised before IL can
be finished as designed.
The interior of the Cathedral was
completed December Is, for at that
time a chorus of 200 voices, includ-
ing some of the best singers in the
country, gave a concert in the build
ing under the auspices of the La
dies of IS. Peter and Paul Chapel
Club for the purpose of raising mon
ey to be applied upon the debt. Large
forces Of plasterers, marble workers,
frescoers and painters erected scat
folds and have been very busy trans
forming the interior of the Cathed
raj into a palace of beauty, the like
of which has heretofore never been
seen in Indiana.
The big edifice is 256 feet long
by eighty feet wide and was planned
by w. w. Renwick, an architect of
New York Citw. 1t is built of buff
pressed bricks with stone trimmings
and has a green glazed roof. The
style is of the Renaissance, and is
strictly adhered to throughout.
The magnificent and costly stone
front to the Cathedral will be erect
ed within the next two years. 1t will
be built of Bedford stone and will
cost 100000. A year or more will
be required for its completion. The
foundation for the front has already
been laid and temporary veranda
erected for the dedicatory services.
That portion of the front wall left
open has also been covered by
temporary layer of cement. The
front will be eighty feet by twenty
eight feet. The magnificent towers.
each 145 feet high, with belfries
for chimes, will rise upon each side
of the main arch. These towers
will be ornamented and supported
at the front by eight massive stone
columns, each thirty feet high and
three in diameter. The main arch
in the front will be sixty feet high.
1t will be highly ornamental and will
be surmoun.ed at the top by figure
of the Virgin Mary and the wise men
who came to offer gifts to the newly
born Savior. Each. of the columns
at the sides of the arch will be sur
mounted by stone figures of st.
Peter, st. Paul, st. Joseph and others
of the saints. plaster model of
the front has been prepared and
gives an idea of the appearance of
the completed building. The con-
tract for the building Of the front
and the sculpture work for 1t has
not yet been let.
The interior of the Cathedral is
more elaborately arranged than the
exterior. The main auditorium or
nave is so large that a five-story Of
fee building sixty by ninety feet
could be placed inside of 1t, and
would not touch the ceiling. Around
the walls there are fourteen large
and on each column, at a
point about six feet from the floor,
rs a station, made in plaster and
highly crnamented. In each sta
ton will be placed a picture, depict
ing some event in the life of Christ.
The entire series will tell the story
OF Christ's life. These pictures are
being made in France. They are
being modelled in terra Gotta, and
will weigh, when completed, $50
pounds each. For the present stain
ed glass windows, made in Chicago,
have been put in. Costly figure win
dows will be placed later. The floor
of the auditorium is of terrazzo mo-
sale, with white fields, five feet
square, and with a red border. The
floor was laid during the summer,
and when completed it will be high
ly polished and beautiful. Through
out the plastic decoration is very
elaborate. The twenty pilasters
along the walls are surmounted by
capitals, in bold relief, eleven feet
wide.
The nave will contain seventy-two
rows of oak pews with a seating ca
pacity OF several hundred. The con-
fessionals will be OF oak. The chan
al has a donth Of f0rfv-aio chit feet /