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Renovations aim to restore ‘mother church’
By Nissa LaPoint
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Photo by James Baca/DCR: |
The torn-up metal kneelers that dropped with a loud “thud” and the creaky wooden pews that began to come apart in the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception prompted the church to begin its next phase of restorations.
“The pews are almost 100 years old, as old as the church,” said Mary Ellen Lederman, parish administrator. “The carpeting—I don’t think it’s been replaced since the ‘70s renovation.”
The church began another series of renovations Oct. 17 to replace the center aisle with tile, lay new carpet, refurbish the pews, and replace the kneelers. Restoration of the Cathedral Basilica, located at 1530 Logan St., has been an ongoing effort since 2005 after the staff began raising money in 2002 at annual anniversary celebration dinners and auctions, including the recent
“Non-Event Event” letter sent out to seek donations, she said.
The Cathedral Basilica, the “mother church” of the Denver Archdiocese, has raised $600,000 and spent about $1.25 million to complete the restorations over the years, all in anticipation of the upcoming centennial celebration.
“These (renovations) will culminate with the 100th anniversary celebration next year on Oct. 27, the date the church was first used in 1912,” said Msgr. Thomas Fryar, pastor and moderator of the curia.
The plans are intended to restore the interior of the Cathedral Basilica to echo its original structure, he said, while replacing or moving some fixtures such as the altar and baptistery.
The current phase cost a little more than $250,000, Lederman said, and is spaced out over the coming months to cause the least interruption to Masses and the fewest number of closures.
“It’s such a huge project and we have not wanted to close the church for an extended period,” she said. Daily and weekend Masses at the Cathedral Basilica resumed Oct. 29.
Since the start of renovations, Robert Saas, a principal architect at Eidos Architects based in Greenwood Village, Colo., has used historical photos of the church as his guide, he said.
“We’ve been moving things and changing things and bringing back the historical character of the church,” Saas said. “We’ve been chipping away on this on a year-by-year basis.”
The first set of pews were recently shipped to Ratigan-Schottler, a company that crafts and restores pews and chairs, in Nebraska to be sanded down and re-stained.
Burn marks from errant incense charcoals spotted the carpet, which was replaced last week in conjunction with the new tile laid in the main aisle. Twelve green marble pieces were inserted in the tile to symbolize the 12 apostles, consistent with the original architectural theme, Msgr. Fryar said.
An ambry for the urns of sacred oils will also be installed.
In past years, the ambo and vestibule were renovated, the baptistery was moved inside the church, the heavy wood paneling of the ‘70s removed, the walls re-plastered, accent lighting installed, the Stations of the Cross reframed to reflect original designs, and the confessionals remodeled in lighter wood with the option of face-to-face confessions, Saas said.
Glass doors were added in the back and the main elements of the Cathedral Basilica were aligned, just as in the original church, he added.
“All the liturgical elements—the baptistery, the altar and tabernacle—all line up,” Saas said. “It just captures your eyes.”
At a future date, the renovations will conclude with a thorough cleaning of the stained glass and entire repainting, he said, which is expected to cost more than a million dollars.
The renovations have been done in phases because of financial constraints, although generous gifts from benefactors, anniversary celebration dinners, auctions and estates from deceased priests have made the project possible, Msgr. Fryar said.
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