St. Joseph's Cathedral - Table of Contents

Nave - St. Joseph RC Cathedral
AKA St. Joseph's RC Old Cathedral
50 Franklin St., Buffalo, NY

St. Joseph RC Cathedral - Official Website
Visitor Information: (716) 854-5855


2005 Photos



Gothic Revival arcaded columns separate the center aisle from the side aisles




Ribbed vaulting with decorative corbels             Clerestory windows         The windows in the right clerestory mirror the pairing of saints, and prophets on the left side.         Gothic Revival arcaded columns separate the nave from the side aisles


Gothic Revival arcaded columns separate the nave from the side aisles





South transept (note the sanctury at far left and nave at far right)




Side aisle (at right) separated from the nave by Gothic Revival arcaded columns







Nave               Front entrance (portal) is visible at bottom.             Gothic Revival arcaded columns separate the nave from the side aisles.           Rose window        Centennial Organ, built by L. & G. G. Hook and Hastings in 1876


Ribbed vaulting with decorative bosses             Centennial Organ, built by L. & G. G. Hook and Hastings in 1876            Corbel table




Ribbed vaulting with decorative bosses             Centennial Organ, built by L. & G. G. Hook and Hastings in 1876            Corbel table







The front metal pipes display authentic period colors taken from the rose window




The unique patterns on the wooden pipes are found only on Hook and Hastings instruments




Definition of nave: the central aisle; the part of a church located between the chief entrance and the chancel/sanctuary, and separated from the side aisles by piers or columns

Marking the church's Golden jubilee in 1905, donors purchased beautiful stained-glass windows to replace those of plain glass, selecting subjects of their own choosing for each window's theme.

At the same time, the original wooden floors of the cathedral, which were beginning to deteriorate, were replaced with more durable and beautiful polished marble and tile.

Centennial Organ

The choir loft houses the historic Centennial Organ, built by L. & G. G. Hook and Hastings in 1876 for the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, where it won first prize as the finest example of American organ-building. Bishop Ryan purchased the instrument at the close of the exhibition, and the organ was installed in the cathedral in 1877. Other than its electrification in 1925, the organ remained relatively unchanged until 1998, when the Andover Organ Company in Methuen, Massachusetts, began a comprehensive three-year restoration and expansion project. All the original components were restored to "like-new" condition, while the organ's historic tonal palette was retained. With 72 independent stops creating 92 ranks from more than 5,300 pipes, the organ is now equipped to produce music for the renewed liturgical rites.

The organ case, built of solid American Black Walnut, glows once again with its original beauty. The front metal pipes display authentic period colors taken from the rose window. All of the original stenciling and gold leaf has been completely restored. The unique patterns on the wooden pipes are found only on Hook and Hastings instruments. The new four-manual console, which controls all six divisions of the organ, is an authentic replication of 1870s American design. Organ demonstrations and lectures are available.

 


Special thanks to Rector Msgr. James F. Campbell for his cooperation in 2005

Photos and their arrangement © 2005 Chuck LaChiusa
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