Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer departs today for his new archdiocese in Atlanta. He posted this photo on his Facebook. I lived for six years on the top floor of the rectory, 4 left windows and parked in the garage, left side door. It was nice and in the late 80’s Dynasty was a top rated prime time soap. The rectory was my Dynasty residence.
7 comments:
Father McDonald,
A nice overview picture. Does the Cathedral have a school?
No, but a private Girls Catholic High School, St. Vincent Academy to the right in photo. When I was there, we had an elementary school to the left. It was called the Cathedral Day School. It moved to another location, changed names and has since closed.
Father McDonald,
Sorry to hear about the school closure
Father what year was this photo taken? I first arrived in Savannah in 1996 before the restoration and it did not look like this photo. Always beautiful and We lived through the restoration before leaving for 14 years in the foreign service. My last church overseas was the Westiminister cathedral and the Embassy even had me housed in a flat around the corner on Carlisle Place. 4 minute walk to mass.
Our cathedral is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen and I’ve been all around the globe.
I absolutely concur. I love the exuberance of late French gothic. Like St-Eugène in Paris, which pioneered the technique in 1854-5, it is iron-framed, which enables a soaring interior to be achieved without the need for flying buttresses.
Note that the high altar and its reredos are free-standing (a pariete sejunctum), necessary in a church with an apsidal end and which enables access to the exposition throne from behind.
It is a pretty amazing building. I am always astounded by the fact that it was built by a mostly poor, immigrant community.
When it burned in 1898 the original records were lost. But our archives does have the donation ledgers from the re-building effort. Paging through those the donations are listed by name and amount. A twenty-five cents donation was common. On the huge pages of the book there were several $1.00 donations. And every once in a great while $5 of $10 bucks!
I can't quite tell the age of the photo. One giveaway would be the huge array of lights on the utility poles across the street from the front of the cathedral. If they are there, it is post-renovations. I'm not able to see if they are there or not. I don't think I see them....
Yes, John the freestanding reredos with the exposition throne has a catwalk behind it to access it. When I was MC there, I used it frequently for Exposition. There is a large monstrance that fits the space. During the first Gulf war, I hosted Solemn Sung Vespers for peace within the context of Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction which was preceded with a Eucharistic procession with the Blessed Sacrament in a smaller Monstrance for Bishop Raymond Lessard to carry. At the end of the procession, the Host was transferred to the larger monstrance in the throne. I advertised the event citywide. The Episcopal Diocese asked if they could join. All their local clergy and bishop joined in choir dress. The Cathedral-Basilica was filled.
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