The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-07-20


: Large Audience Witnesses the PIac-
ing of the Cross in Position.
The massive granite cross, standing
ten and half feet high and weighing
five and half tons, was placed in
position above the main entrance of
the new Cathedral last Tuesday after
noon. Long before four o'clock, the
hour set for the ceremony, large
gathering of people assembled in
front of the building to witness the
exercises which marked an era in it's
construction.
The Most Reverend Archbishop, ac-
companied by Bishop Lawler, a large
number of priests from the Twin Cit
les and members of the new Cathedral
Building Committee, took up his posi-
ton beside the cross and delivered an
address which was listened to with
great interest by the assembly and
which we reproduce in full below.
At the conclusion of his address the
Most Reverend Archbishop blessed the
granite cross and then, under the di-
rection of the foreman of construction,
it was gradually borne aloft and
placed in position on the apex of the
facade, one hundred and fifteen feet
above the main floor of the building.
This completes the facade, with the
exception of the upper portions OF
the towers that flank the main en-
trance, as far as the construction work
is concerned. The heroic figure of ST..
Peter and the figures of Christ and
the Apostles above the central rose
window yet remain to be carved. In
short time the remaining portions of
the walls will be brought up to their
full height of eighty feet. The con-
tract for the construction of the drum
of the immense dome, for the upper
portions of the twin towers and for
the steps leading up to the Cathedral
will soon be awarded and it is ex-
pected that this work will be finished
before winter sets in. Next year the
roof will be put on and the whole
exterior completed.
THE ARcHBlsHoP's ADDRESS.
I'VE have reached an important
stage in the construction of the great
Cathedral of St. Paul; it is we'll that
it be marked by appropriate and some
what solemn ceremonial.
"The walls of the Cathedral are COM
pleted To finish the whole exterior
of the structure, there are now to be
done only the towers and the cupola;
then the roof will be set in place, and
we shall be ready to begin work on
the interior-vault, floor and mural
decorations, and to prepare for the
day when in joy and exultation we
shall sing the anthem of praise and
thanksgiving beneath the roof OF
temple worthy of our faith in Jesus
Christ. worthy of the noble and heav-
en-leading causes, to which it is ded1.
Gated.
"The completion of the walls of the
Cathedral bids us lift to the apex OF
the facade the granite cross, which
from its place in the high air will
make proclamation to the surround
ing city of the enduring fact that
Jesus Christ lives and reigns in the
world of today, as He lived and
reigned in the history of the past
nineteen hundred years, holding out
to men of good will the priceless OF
fering of salvation, drawn directly
from the bosom of the Infinite, which
the world SO much needs, which
however, whatever its own powers
and resources, it can derive only from
its Creator and Saviour.
Enough is done of the great Cathe
dral to display to you the splendor OF
architecture, the magnificence o1
wide-spreading proportions, the beau
teous harmonies of details that vii
set it apart in the list of great Ameri
can structures as monumental work
to be wondered at, to be admired ane
reverenced adown the coming ages.
Site Unsurpassed In America.
I'VE have been fortunate in our new
Cathedral. With regard to it the hant
of Providence has guided and safe
guarded our plannings and our doings
The site upon which it raises its mas
sive walls is unparalleled in all Amer
lea. To no other temple of religion
in America does there belong sit,
so fitting, so beautiful, so commanding
Here it is, enthroned on st. Paul
choicest hilltop, seen from every par
of the city, the cross on its cupola
the first signal to the incoming tray
eler on steamboat or railroad car tha
he is approaching the gateway of tn
Capital of the Northwest. Here it is
dominating for miles and miles tn
surrounding landscape, river and land
hill and vale symbolizing in its EN-
nence the solemn truth, that above al