National Register of Historic Places

Cathedral of St. Paul

Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Listed
March 5, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80000604

About this property

The Cathedral of Saint Paul — also known as Saint Paul's Cathedral — is the mother church of the Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts. It is located at 38 Chatham Street in downtown Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. Built between 1868 and 1889, Saint Paul is an example of Victorian Gothic architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The Cathedral of Saint Paul stands in downtown Worcester, facing north on the south side of Chatham Street at High Street, one block west of Main Street. Saint Paul Cathedral is 168 feet (51 m) in length, 91 feet (28 m) in width, and 96 feet (29 m) in height. It is a large stone cruciform structure, with built-out rock-faced granite blocks. The main facade consists of a tall square tower on the right, the gabled end of the nave at the center, and a smaller square tower topped by a round turret on the left. The cathedral entrances are located in the base of the large tower and in projecting Gothic-arched sections in front of the nave. The main roof is steeply pitched, with a cross at the front gable end and tall Gothic windows in the gables at the nave and transepts. A statue of St. Francis of Assisi occupies the small courtyard outside the cathedral. Located in the center of the cathedral sanctuary is the green and white marble altar. The front of the altar displays a bas relief carving of the Last Supper. The cathedra is located near the altar surrounded by a carved oak reredos. A shield over the cathedral displays the coat of arms for the diocese and for the current bishop. The ambo, or pulpit, was constructed of the same marble as the altar. The large crucifix hanging over the altar was carved in Bavaria in Germany. The baptismal font is located to the right of the sanctuary. Behind the font is a cabinet that houses the holy oil. Blessed Virgin Mary Shrine – located in the front of the cathedral, this shrine contains statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine – located in the back of the cathedral, this shrine has a statue commemorating the vision of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico in 1531 to Juan Diego. Divino Niño and Saint Josephine Bakhita Shrine – also in the back of the cathedral, this shrine has images of the Divino Niño (Divine Child Jesus) and Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese saint. Divine Mercy Shrine – located by the confessional, this image commemorates the appearance of Christ before Faustina Kowlska, a Polish saint. Paul on a mountain traveling to Pisidia (in present-day Turkey) Three women who helped Paul: Phoebe, Lydia of Thyatira and Thecla

Location

38 Chatham St.
Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
42.26171, -71.80421

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Questions about this property

When was Cathedral of St. Paul listed on the National Register?

Cathedral of St. Paul was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Cathedral of St. Paul?

Cathedral of St. Paul is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cathedral of St. Paul?

The period of significance for Cathedral of St. Paul is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Cathedral of St. Paul?

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