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The Cathedral Saint John Divine New York

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A Beautiful Gothic Cathedral in New York

Saint John Divine is a Gothic Cathedral in the heart of Manhattan New York. A cathedral is nobility of expression and St. John Divine is no exception, it is a typical Gothic solid construction, and the line of design it expresses the spirit of worship.

Did you know that St. John Divine (length 600 feet and height of Nave 124) is number 3 on the list of the first 10 biggest Cathedrals in the world?.

This is the surprising list:
1. 718' - 150' St. Peter's Rome
2. 430' - 150' Seville
3. 601' - 124' St John's, New York
4. 619' - 116' Liverpool
5. 475' - 153' Milan
6. 518' - 104' Washington DC
7. 435' - 144' Amiens
8. 507' - 122' Chartres
9. 427' - 155' Cologne
10 430' - 125' Rheims
11 426' - 110' Notre Dame

I lay out the entire list as other Beautiful Gothic American Cathedral is listed number 6. (The first number represent the length, the second height of nave.)

The Cathedral is located in1047 Amsterdam Avenue New York.

The last 4 decades of the 19th Century represented a period of mass immigration into the United States, most of it through the Port of New York.

The intention was to create "a house of prayer for all nations".
From the original plans the cathedral included seven chapels, each dedicated to one of the major ethnic groups in the city.

My WYSIWYG

  1. Constraction Phase 1
  2. Constraction Phase 2
  3. How The cathedral Looked at the end of 1941.
  4. Constraction Last Phase
  5. Fire and Reconstruction
  6. The End Of The Story
  7. Gothic Cathedrals Around The Word
  8. Video Dedication to St John Divine
  9. When You Travel, A Digital Camera Is Your Best Friend
  10. Video Toccata on Hymn to Joy
  11. Enjoy A New Gothic Splendor

Constraction Phase 1

The First phase of construction was 1892-1911

With contributions ranging from one digit to six digits, in 1892, the construction begin.

It was a great ceremony, on 27 Dec. on St.John's Day, and the cornerstone was laid.



The contraction started with big problems with the foundation.

Services began in the old orphanage on 1892 and were moved into the crypt of the actual Cathedral 7 years later.

The initial project in a Byzantine-Romanesque style were designed by the New York firm of George Lewis Heins and C. Grant LaFarge.

The early Cathedral, from 1911 until 1938 consisted of the Heins and LaFarge choir and a temporary structure within the four arches of the crossing.

The windows, was the work of James Powell and Sons, of London.

Constraction Phase 2

The Second phase of construction was 1916-1941

The Cathedral got a new architect, Mr. Cram, he chanced the Cathedral style from Romanesque to Gothic. This was a huge task.

In 1911, the choir and the crossing were opened, and the foundation for Cram's nave began to be excavated in 1916.

The first stone of the nave was laid in 1925. Cram remodeling the Choir, carvings, stained glass windows, alter were added.

The Cathedral was opened end-to-end for the first time on November 30, 1941 and soon the bombing of Pearl Harbor occurred.

In the Second World War, America's involvement greatly limited available manpower, and the project on the cathedral was halted.

How The cathedral Looked at the end of 1941.




In the beauty of its general form, its details, its symbolism, the Cathedral stirs the most reverent emotions and creates the noblest aspirations.

Constraction Last Phase

The people interested in Cathedral, had no idea in 1941 about the unprecedented social upheavals which followed World War II.

The third phase was finally initiated in 1972. The new architect John Doran became a partner with Cram and Ferguson.

At 80, John Doran is among the last architects able to draw gothic plans - the difficult style is not taught in schools, and he is helping St. John's new generation of builders.

The majesty of the nave can hardly fail to impress anyone entering,
It is the longest Gothic nave in the United States, at 230 feet (70 m).

Seven chapels radiating from the ambulatory behind the choir are each in a distinctive nationalistic style, known as the "Chapels of the Tongues":
1) St. Ansgar
2) St. Boniface
3) St. Columba
4) St. Saviour
5) St. Martin
6) St. Ambrose
7) St. James

The chapels designs are meant to represent each of the seven most prominent ethnic groups to first immigrate to New York City upon the opening of Ellis Island in 1892, the same year the construction of the Cathedral started.

Fire and Reconstruction



On the night of December 18, 2001, a fire swept through the unfinished north transept, destroying the gift shop and for a time threatening the sanctuary of the cathedral itself.

The organ was not damaged, but its pipe chambers had to be removed and cleaned, to prevent damage from the fire's accumulated soot.

Valuable tapestries and other items in the cathedral were damaged by the smoke.

The End Of The Story

In January 2005, the Cathedral began a massive restoration, which was completed and the cathedral rededicated on Sunday, November 30, 2008.

The cathedral is a major center for musical performances in New York.

Among the major musical event are:
1) A celebration of the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi that takes place every year

2) In 1990, musician Diamanda Galas performed 'Plague Mass', a work dedicated to the victims of the AIDS epidemic.



Decorations:

Gothic Cathedrals Around The Word

More information about the most beautiful Gothic Cathedrals, constructions, guides, essential elements.
Enjoy the magnificent look and feel of Gothic Architecture.
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Video Dedication to St John Divine

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When You Travel, A Digital Camera Is Your Best Friend

You cannot be a perfect Tourist without a great Digital Camera.
A Camera is also a perfect gift for any occasions.


Canon PowerShot SX130IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with 3.0-Inch LCD


Canon PowerShot SD1300IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD
(Blue)


Nikon Coolpix S3000 12 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Vibration Reduction
(VR) Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD
(Blue)



Transcend 4 GB Class 6 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS4GSDHC6E


Transcend 8 GB Class 6 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS8GSDHC6E


Transcend 16 GB Class 6 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E


Joby GP1-EREN Gorillapod Flexible Tripod
(Red)

Video Toccata on Hymn to Joy

powered by Youtube

Enjoy A New Gothic Splendor


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The Living Cathedral: St John the Divine : A History and Guide 

The Living Cathedral: St John the Divine : A History and Guide

The Living Cathedral: St John the Divine : A History and Guide

by: Howard E. Quirk

Amazon Price: $149.99 (as of 02/16/2012)Buy Now

The Cathedral is designed to praise God in the glory of ita Beauty.
St. John Divine first impresses by its size, and its magnitude is coming from its spiritual purpose, for its gives on the feeling of something bigger than one's self and of a Power greater than one's own.

Michey's Gothic Lenses 

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