Copper shingles

There are enough copper shingles up now that we can get an idea of the overall pattern.

Copper Roof installation begins!

Brave men are riding a lift up to the soaring spires to begin the installation of the copper roof. First, they will apply a black material that will prevent galvanic action between the two types of metals. Then they will lay the copper.

Ready for the Triduum

I took a photo of the church after we cleaned it. This photo will probably be the one I use for the cover of April's Cathedral News. The floors are swept, the carpet is vacuumed, the gold is polished, and the huge lift is covered in white sheets. The renovation is going to take a break as we begin to pray.

The Mass of the Lord's Supper is Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Stations of the Cross are on Friday at 3:00 p.m. The Good Friday Liturgy is at 5:30 p.m.

The Great Vigil of Easter is Saturday at 8:00 p.m.

Easter Sunday Masses are at 8:00, 10:00, Noon, and 5:00

A Look Back...

Here are four photos of the sanctuary showing the changes the church has gone through.

The first one shows the church c. 1930.



This photo was taken after the 1948 renovation.




This is the church as it was from 1974-2007.



Here is the present view. Note: the renovation is not complete.

The Scaffolding is Gone

The scaffolding is gone. Workers are removing the wood and drop cloths that protected the marble floor. These photos are our first chance to see the newly painted rondels (plaster air conditioner ducts) and the restored vine painted in the vaulted ceiling over the high altar.

Video: Renovation Update for March 2008

This is a Renovation Update for the month of March 2008. It focuses on the work in the spires and on the new paint in the church.

Watch it here.

Background Paint applied to Blessed Virgin's Altar

I am working on a new "Renovation Update" video. I will be focusing on the work in the spires. I hope to post it on Thursday. Here is one of the older videos.




Inside the Cathedral, we can see the beautiful blue paint behind the Blessed Virgin's altar. Remember that a stencil will be applied over it. The vaults over this altar are white with gold ribbing. [Click on the photo to see a large version.]



The vaults in the South Transept are approaching completion. Painters will put a second or third coat of yellow paint on the walls. The rondells, the round plaster disks hiding the air conditioning ducts, have yet to be painted in the transept. The capitals of the columns, and the walls surround the lower half of the Resurrection window remain to be painted.

Update: Painting the Apse

Everyone who attended Mass at the Cathedral last weekend saw the scaffolding in the apse of the church. The construction workers spent last week building the structure. The painters will paint the walls this week.

The scaffolding restricts the usable liturgical space in the sanctuary. There is barely room for a celebrant and a few servers. Bishop Slattery has decided to move next week's Chrism Mass to the Church of Saint Mary.


These photos show the deep red color painted on the walls behind the high altar. The goal of putting a rich color behind the altar is to make the altar more prominent by increasing the contrast between the faux-marble altar and the wall. Our eyes are drawn to the altar and we are reminded of the Blessed Sacrament present in the tabernacle in this altar. (N.B. The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the Chapel's tabernacle during the work week.)





The walls behind the Blessed Virgin's altar and Saint Joseph's altar will be painted too. In the above photo, we see a mock-up of the blue color to be painted on the wall behind the Blessed Virgin's altar. It is "Marian blue" with a rose and rose petal stenciled over it.

The wall behind Saint Joseph's altar will be painted purple as seen below. The stencil over the purple is a fleur-de-lis, a stylized Easter lily, and also the tools of a carpenter: a hammer, nails, and a carpenter's square.


Finally, work continues on the central tower. The old wood and aluminum roof is being replaced with new metal decking. The new copper roof will follow soon.

Here is an old photo from c. 1913 showing the installation of the original roof.

Preparing the Apse for Painting

Painters are working on repairing any imperfections in the plaster on the columns and the walls of the apse. Other workers are beginning to repair the hole in the star in the center of the cruciform.

As I took these photos, I saw a man peeking out of the ceiling - 76 feet up!

Update: Yes, More Scaffolding

Caution: Wet Paint!

A painter put a sign on a door that read, "Caution: Wet Paint!" There is a lot of wet paint in the Cathedral, and there is a lot of activity too. The scaffolding in the apse continues to grow. The painter on the crane is completing the details on the transept's vaulted ceiling.

More Painting and Scaffolding

This photo shows the progress of the men who are building the scaffolding. Meanwhile, painters continue to work on the vaults in the south transept.


Another painter is applying paint to the base of the columns. The "battleship gray" paint is merely primer. He is covering the primer with a beautiful red.

The Scaffolding Arrives

The painters are constructing scaffolding in the apse. They will use it to apply paint to the ceiling in areas where the large lift crane cannot reach.

Below, we see a painter atop the lift crane painting light blue paint to the vaulted ceiling. As always, click on any photo to see a larger version.

Painting Progress: Ribs

Painters are applying a coat of gold paint to the ribs in the ceiling.