by Barbara Barton Sloane
With New York City’s countless offerings, it would take more time than most visitors have to see all this city has to offer. From attractions such as the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, New York is brimming with sights to see. The question is, where to start?
Why not start at the top – that is to say, at three heavenly-inspired sites:
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine and Temple Emanu-El. Each of these iconic houses of worship is architecturally grand, awe-inspiring, and steeped in history. So, come all ye faithful – or anyone seeking a deep and moving experience. Here are The Big Three religious places of worship in New York City. On your next visit to The Big Apple, you may just want to check them out for yourself.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral (Fifth Avenue @ 50th St.) is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Egan. It was begun in l858 by Archbishop John Hughes and, after a suspension of work during the years of the Civil War, John Cardinal McCloskey, the first American Cardinal, resumed work in 1865, opening the doors in May of 1879. Throughout the years, extensive additions, installations and renovations have been made, and the present Cardinal Egan has continued to enhance the beauty of the cathedral, repairing the interior and exterior of the church.
This famed Cathedral has been host to the visits of many popes, including John Paul II. Royalty, heads of state and other prominent figures, as well, have made a visit to St. Patrick’s.
The Cathedral’s statistics are amazing to ponder. Its spires rise 330 feet from street level and its beautiful bronze doors on the West Front weigh 20,000 pounds. Seating 2,400 people, there are 18 alters and 19 bells made in Savoy, France, installed in 1897. In the crypt, the archbishops of New York are buried under the high alter, and the hats of the first four cardinals hang from the ceiling over their tombs. Visiting this site, one is moved by the Stations of the Cross, works of art that won first prize at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, and if one is lucky enough to be there at just the right time, the great organ with over 7,000 pipes will pierce the solitude and will enthrall one and all.
The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, (1047 Amsterdam Ave. @ 112th St.), the mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York and the Seat of its Bishop, is chartered as a house of prayer for all people and a unifying center of intellectual light and leadership. This cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. It is larger than Chartres and Notre Dame combined, and the Statue of Liberty could fit beneath its central crossing. This magnificent house of worship is a monument to the diversity and energy of New York City. Its Gothic nave and Romanesque choir are among the finest examples of the style in America. Eight gigantic granite columns, each weighing 130 tons, are the crowning glory of the sanctuary. More than 150 stained glass windows depict not only religious scenes but also the inauguration of George Washington, St. George and the Dragon, and Michelangelo’s carving of the David. The Rose Window in the West Façade contains more than 10,000 pieces of glass.
The Cathedral, like its medieval predecessors, serves as a center of inspiration, education and outreach for the people of New York City. On the same day, politicians and public figures will preach from the pulpit, expert tour guides lead visitors up winding stairs and through vaults, textile conservators restore historical tapestries, and major artists rehearse their evening performances. With its 11 acres of gardens and grounds, the Cathedral is a green oasis with peacocks, cherry trees and a recently restored Biblical Garden. St. John the Divine is a living cathedral, bringing harmony out of the incredible diversity of New York City.
Temple Emanu-El (1 E. 65th St.), stands along New York’s storied Fifth Avenue as an architectural, cultural and religious landmark. The building’s expansive dimensions and superb craftsmanship combine to create an imposing edifice that reinterprets the great historical synagogues of earlier eras. Eclectic architectural features of Romanesque, Byzantine, Moorish, Gothic, Nouveau and Deco styles are blended artistically through the use of vibrant colors. Captivating mosaics, warm stone and tiles, and dazzling stained glass are all designed to create the inspirational ambience of this sacred space.
Begun in 1927 and completed two years later, the new Temple building was the crowning achievement of the descendants of German-Jewish immigrants. During the ensuing decades, this small community of worshipers transformed itself into a great Reform Jewish congregation, confident of itself and in the promise of this city and nation.
The Temple’s multihued ceiling, originally constructed over a layer of plaster applied over structured steel, has since been painted and gilded. The Sanctuary ceiling is now, after restoration, truly breathtaking. The distinctive glass and marble mosaic arch that frames the Sanctuary, using a mixture of gold and vibrant colors, was inspired by the palette of Gustav Klimt. Temple Emanu-El’s organ, with its thousands of pipes ranging from more than three stories in length to the size of a pencil, fills the vast chambers behind the Sanctuary. The Temple and Chapel contain 62 stained- glass windows, and their design is rooted in ancient Jewish artistic traditions, tribal symbols and biblical images.
Today, more than seventy-five years after its doors first opened to welcome worshipers, Temple Emanu-El continues to occupy a very special place physically in the heart of New York City and emotionally and spiritually in the hearts of its members.
www.stpatrickscathedral.org
www.stjohndivine.org
www.emanuelnyc.org
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