Description: One cannot fail to notice the Gothic spires of St. Helena Cathedral from almost anywhere in Helena. Those 230 foot tall narrow twin spires are compelling. They draw Bob and me up the hill to get a closer look one of our first days in town. The red tiled roofs and smooth pale gray Bedford limestone walls glow in afternoon sunlight. The cathedral itself seems to aspire heavenward, with everything in its architecture pointing, almost yearningly, upward to the sky. We wander around outside, admiring the cathedral from different angles.
This intricate and airy geometric Gothic Revival cathedral, designed by architect A. Von Herbulis, is patterned after the Votivkirche in Vienna. The hilltop site was purchased by the Catholic Diocese of Helena in 1905, and the cornerstone for the cathedral laid in 1908, but it wasn't until December 1914 that the first Mass was held, and the cathedral dedicated. It would be another ten years before the interior, including the stained glass windows, was completed.
Bob and I climb the steps to the massive pointed arched front doors. They're bordered by carved floral designs and cherub heads and topped by a circular rose window. On either side of the doors stand carved jamb figures, tall and gaunt, perhaps saints or prophets, holding crosses, Bibles, shields and swords. We try the doors and find them locked; maybe it's too late in the afternoon.
We learn later from someone in the know that those front doors are locked most of the time, and the way to get inside the cathedral is through the side doors. Several days later we return, and sure enough, gain entry through the east doors. As magnificent as the exterior is, the interior of the cathedral is even more awe-inspiring. No wonder it took ten years to complete.
Pointed archways and high ceilings draw the eyes upwards again. And what I see first is stained glass, lots of it. Thirty-seven of the windows tell the Bible story and Christianity, from Genesis on. These were painted by the Zettler firm of Munich, Germany in the 1920s and renovated by Reverend Daniel Peter Hillen, a Helena artist in his own right, in the 1980s. Even though the morning is cloudy, the stained glass radiates light. There are also many statues of Carrara marble, and oaken pews and woodwork. Ornate bronze light fixtures hang from the ceiling.
The Cathedral has undergone numerous renovations, restorations, and structural fortifications since the 1950s, and these are ongoing. Currently, the church bells have been silent for more than a year; they are being fitted with new ringing mechanisms and stronger supports. By Christmas 2007, fifteen bells will be able to chime more than 10,000 songs, played manually or automatically.
Take a virtual tour of the lovely
stained glass windows and other parts of the cathedral, including sanctuary, baptistry, and side chapels, when you click on the above link.
530 North Ewing Street
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