Over in Cleveland, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, there will be a program, "The Love of God Revealed in Glass and Stone: The Noble Features of the Cathedral."Historic Art and Architecture lecture with Douglas Hoffman, AIA of Weber Murphy Fox.
Sunday, October 19, 6:30 - 7:30 pm, in the Cathedral, Free and Open to All. More information at www.saintjohncathedral.com.
(Up until 1910, the Toledo Diocese was part of the Cleveland Diocese. The current St. John's Cathedral is on the same site as the original, with the "rebuilding" taking place in 1948.)
Once again I look at a cathedral in another town and wonder -- does Toledo know what a treasure it has in Holy Rosary?
ReplyDeleteNot that this one is ugly (the one in Columbus is). Merely that it is rather ordinary.
It's quite lovely -- they managed to renovate it without loading it full of cheap postmodern junk (like gilded shopping-mall trees) or gutting the historical character -- but Irene's right, it's nowhere near the amazing and unique standout that Rosary Cathedral is. We really do have a treasure here.
ReplyDeleteKyle --
ReplyDeleteI am uncomfortable speaking negatively about anything The Church has done.
However, I grew up in Toledo while Rosary was being built, and for some years thereafter -- back in the days when Collingwood was an arcade of elms. I also kind of lived in the art museum. I simply took for granted that a cathedral should be an artistic masterpiece (you know, like in Europe).
Then 50 years ago I had to move to Columbus. I found that there was no art, no beauty in Columbus. I passed St. Joseph's all too often. Many times I did slip in the side door to light a candle and pray -- the side courtyard is an oasis in the midst of commerce. But I did so in spite of its plug ugly exterior (the interior is a little more tasteful), not because of it. I preferred the simplicity of poor little St. Francis.
Why do you think I prefer to live on the road?
This is a ... plug ugly exterior? Are we talking about the same church here??
ReplyDeletehttp://www.saintjosephcathedral.org/sitemap/photoalbum/cathedral_pictures/photoalbum_exterior.htm
I'm assuming they never got off that amazing spire depicted in the oldest postcard ...
The interior appears quite stately albeit just -- PLAIN! You're right; Rosary Cathedral is just awash in rich artwork that really underscores how plain Columbus St. Joseph's appears to be. But that altar baldachino is very, very nice ...