Posted on 06/25/2009 1:24:41 PM PDT by NYer
CMR readers who know Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral might be interested in this historic photo from the Mass held there for the famous 1926 International Eucharistic Congress (click image for larger view).
The extraordinary decorations include not only the banners, the draped fabrics and swags of flowers, but also the turning of the front rows of pews in choir arrangement. The photo also shows many of the features of the cathedral before its renovation in 1969, including the stone pulpitm, the high altar and some of the murals. Holy Name as it exists today is shown below.
Click the images to enlarge them.
I was in Holy Name while it was under construction a couple years ago while visiting my cousin in Chicago. Good to see how it looks finished - good job! thanks.
If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. I wonder how many of Chicago’s immigrant population worked extra hours to pay for the beautiful marble altars, only to have some fresh-faced bureaucrat smash it into pieces.
Sound familiar? Ignore the lessons of history; repeat them over and over and over, etc.
I read recently that before the incarnation, heresy was expressed through idolatry, and after the incarnation, by iconoclasm.
Very good point Ozone!!!
They should never have been allowed to muck about with the altars of those glorious old cathedrals after Vatican II. If they wanted to experiment with new buildings, fine, but these old treasures should have been treasured. That said, the current condition of Holy Name in Chicago seems better than some of the wreckovated places. At least the tabernacle is front and center.
Not so sure it looks that good today as it suffered pretty serious fire damage on February 4th.
http://www.holynamecathedral.org/menu.htm
Oh no! I watched that video yesterday but didn’t know the date of the fire. That was my cousin’s family church for over 60 years - weddings, baptisms, communions/confirmations, last rites. Last time I was there was Jan 07.
Did they ever determine the cause of the fire? Seems they credit the firefighters heroic action for actually saving the church.
No cause identified, but the August 1st reopening is enouraging.
That’s good news. I doubt I will ever visit Holy Name again. My cousin died a day after I left Chicago and another one this year. I don’t keep in touch w/his children. I do miss them and Chicago but thankful for the time I did have w/them. Thanks for the update on Holy Name - reading about it brought back some memories.
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