Cathedral of St. Mary (Fargo, North Dakota)

The Cathedral of St. Mary is a Catholic cathedral located in Fargo, North Dakota, United States. It is a parish church and the seat of the Diocese of Fargo.

Cathedral of St. Mary
Location in North Dakota
46°52′57″N 96°47′19″W
Location604 Broadway
Fargo, North Dakota
CountryUnited States
DenominationRoman Catholic Church
Websitewww.cathedralofstmary.com
History
StatusCathedral/Parish
Founded1880
DedicationBlessed Virgin Mary
DedicatedMay 30, 1899
Architecture
Architect(s)Edward P. Bassford
StyleRomanesque Revival
Completed1899
Specifications
Number of spiresTwo
Spire height172 feet (52 m)[1]
MaterialsBrick
Administration
DioceseFargo
Clergy
Bishop(s)Most Rev. John Folda
RectorRev. Msgr. Joseph Goering

History

St. Mary's parish was founded in 1880.[2] What would become the Diocese of Fargo was established nine years later as the Diocese of Jamestown, and at the time it encompassed the entire state of North Dakota.[3] St. James Church in Jamestown became the cathedral.[4] The diocese's first bishop, John Shanley, moved his residence to the Island Park area of Fargo in 1891. The Holy See changed the name of the diocese to Fargo in 1897.[5]

Bishop Shanley purchased property for a new cathedral and had plans drawn up. The basement was completed when a fire destroyed most of downtown Fargo in 1893. Shanley donated a large portion of the funds that he had personally raised for the new cathedral to reconstruct the city after the fire. Construction on the cathedral was, therefore, delayed. St. Mary's Cathedral was completed and it was dedicated on May 30, 1899.[3]

Architecture

St. Paul, Minnesota architect Edward P. Bassford designed the present church building in the Romanesque Revival style.[1] The brick structure follows a basilica plan with a rounded apse. Its six bays are divided by buttresses. The main facade features two uneven towers. The larger of the two towers rises 172 feet (52 m) above the ground,[1] and it contains a single bell.[6] A statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located in the smaller tower. Statues of St. Peter and St. Paul flank the large round arch window on the facade. The interior is divided into three naves. The barrel vaulted ceiling has a cross vault at the transept.

See also

References
  1. "Cathedral of St. Mary". emporis.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  2. "St. Mary's Cathedral". GCatholic.org. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
  3. Leo Stelten. "History of the Diocese". Diocese of Fargo. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-06-08.
  4. Bonnie J. Halda, Mary Young. "St. James Catholic Church". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-06-08.
  5. "Diocese of Fargo". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 2015-06-08.
  6. "St. Mary's Cathedral". North Dakota State University Library. Archived from the original on 2013-12-30. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
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