Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes (Spokane, Washington)

{{Infobox church

| name = Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes

| image = Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes - Spokane.jpg

| imagesize = frameless

| imagelink =

| imagealt =

| landscape =

| caption =

| pushpin map = United States Spokane

| pushpin label position = none

| pushpin map alt =

| pushpin mapsize =

| map caption = Location in Washington

| coordinates = {{coord|47.6580|-117.4285|format=dms|type:landmark_region:US-WA|display=inline,title}}

| location = 1115 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane, Washington

| country = United States

| denomination = Catholic

| membership =

| attendance =

| website = http://spokanecathedral.com

| founded date = 1881

| founder =

| dedication =

| status = Cathedral

| functional status =

| heritage designation =

| designated date =

| architect = Julian and Williams

| architectural type =

| style = Romanesque Revival

| groundbreaking =

| completed date = 1908

| construction cost =

| closed date =

| demolished date =

| capacity =

| length =

| width =

| width nave =

| height max =

| dome quantity =

| dome height outer =

| dome height inner =

| dome dia outer =

| dome dia inner =

| spire quantity = Two

| spire height = {{convert|164|ft|m|abbr=on}}

| materials = Brick

| diocese = Spokane

| bishop = Most Rev. Thomas Daly

| rector = Very Rev. Darrin Connall,VG

}}

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes is a Catholic cathedral in Spokane, Washington, United States. It is the seat of the Diocese of Spokane.{{cite web|url= http://www.gcatholic.org/churches/northamerica/2445.htm|title= Cathedral of Our Lady Lourdes |publisher= G Catholic |accessdate=2011-09-19|last=|first=}} It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property to the Riverside Avenue Historic District, and its adjacent rectory building is listed as a secondary contributing property to the district.{{cite web |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory -- Nomination Form |url=https://properties.historicspokane.org/_pdf/districts/national/district-national-31.pdf |website=historicspokane.org |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=28 July 2022}}

History

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish can trace its beginnings to the first Mass celebrated in Spokane. The Rev. Joseph Cataldo, SJ celebrated the Mass in August 1881 in a converted carpenter's shop that he named St. Joseph.{{cite web| url=http://www.spokanecathedral.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=189| title=Cathedral History| publisher=Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes| accessdate=2011-12-30| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414205419/http://www.spokanecathedral.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=189| archive-date=2012-04-14| url-status=dead}} Five years later a brick church was constructed and named Our Lady of Lourdes. The Sisters of the Holy Names opened a parish school. The cornerstone for the present church building was laid in 1903. A new school building was completed three years later. On December 17, 1913, St. Pius X established the Diocese of Spokane{{cite web| url= http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dspok.html| title=Diocese of Spokane |publisher= Catholic-Hierarchy |accessdate=2011-12-30 |date=3 December 2011}} and Our Lady of Lourdes was named the diocesan cathedral.

Architecture

File:Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes Spokane interior 2018b.jpg

The cathedral is designed in an Italian Romanesque Revival style. The exterior of the structure is faced with red brick accented with granite. The facade is framed by two square towers that reach a height of {{convert|164|ft|m|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|title=Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral|url=http://www.emporis.com/building/our-lady-of-lourdes-cathedral-spokane-wa-usa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929110713/http://www.emporis.com/building/our-lady-of-lourdes-cathedral-spokane-wa-usa|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 29, 2013|publisher=Emporis|accessdate=2011-12-30}} The interior was most recently renovated in 2019 when the sanctuary was covered in marble and a new marble altar and pews were installed. The new marble altar was a gift of Tim and Sherry Murphy in memory of their families. The old high altar, topped by a Calvary scene, remains in the apse. It was a gift of the Patsy Clarke family of Spokane. The bishop's cathedra (chair) is a combination of the original 1913 throne of Bishop Schinner, the marble cathedra from the 1930s and a new addition in 2018. The bishop's cathedra is a gift from the Dennis and Stacy Harrington family in memory of Deacon John Sicilia. The restored marble pulpit was made possible through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Redmond. The cathedral has one organ in the loft W. W. Kimball pipe organ. The stained glass windows are from Bavaria.