Feb 4, 2009 10:44 am US/Central
A Proud History At Holy Name Cathedral
Cathedral Has Been Site For Many Notable Chicago Events
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Holy Name Cathedral dates back to 1875, and has a proud history as the site of many notable events in Chicago history.
As CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine watched emotionally at the scene of the fire, he recalled some of the many events he has covered there over the years.
"What you can see, basically, is the smoke billowing the roof, but what you see in your mind's eyes are all the events and all the emotional moments," Levine said. "My mind goes back to Luciano Pavarotti singing 'Ave Maria' when Pope John Paul II was here. My mind goes back to the funeral of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin inside; the people that were standing around outside and watching. My mind goes back to so many emotional events in the building, which is really a part of the fabric in the community."
CBS 2's Susan Carlson has attended Holy Name for many years. She reports that for well over a century, the cathedral has been a place of worship, a tourist attraction, and a sanctuary in times of need for Roman Catholics and non-Catholics alike. With its beautiful architecture and historic significance, the cathedral has attracted millions of visitors.
Pavarotti's performance that Levine mentioned was during Pope John Paul II's October 1979 visit, the first of its kind for Holy Name.
Read More About The Pope's Visit
Thousands of Catholics returned to the cathedral to share their grief when the pope died in April 2005. During a memorial service, George talked about the pope's affection following his visit here.
"Each time I was in his presence, he would ask, 'How is Chicago?'" George said at the time.
Mourners were also brought together at Holy Name when Joseph Cardinal Bernardin died in November 1996. Hundreds of people, including several dignitaries, packed the church to pay their respects.
Read More About Bernardin
In other times of sadness in our nation's history, the cathedral has stood out as a place of refuge. Holy Name wrapped its arms around the public following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when people were drawn in to participate in an interfaith prayer service or offer their individual prayers.
Holy Name has also served as a place of celebration in happier moments. Every year, the faithful pack Holy Name at standing room-only Christmas masses.
And in 1989, 750 couples celebrated their 50th wedding anniversaries in a special ceremony marking a half-century of love and commitment.
Furthermore, there have been thousands of weddings and baptisms that have taken place at Holy Name over the years. All those events were put on hold for most of last year because of the renovations. Now it appears that brides and grooms with upcoming ceremonies scheduled at the cathedral will once again have to be relocated.
The first Holy Name church was erected in 1851 just south of the present cathedral. That church was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
Construction of the present-day Holy Name Cathedral began in 1874. The cathedral was designed by Brooklyn architect Charles Keely, who designed some 600 U.S. Roman Catholic churches in the late 19th century.
When Cardinal George Mundelein died in October 1939, more than 1 million people came to honor his memory at the cathedral.
CBS 2's Susan Carlson and Chief Correspondent Jay Levine contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Jewish Celebrities
Click to enlarge
2 Kids, 2 Adults Hurt In West Side Crash 17 mins ago
Stumble It!
