Our Cathedral’s Sacred Spaces

 This is an introduction to sacred spaces and will include a description and contact for Buildings and Grounds at a later date.

The Nave

          The Rose Window

Lofty, remote and splendid, Saint Luke's rose window in the Cathedral apse high aboe the altar and choir glows golden, crimson and royal blue as it tells the story of Christ at the moment of Ascension into Heaven. Brilliantly painted and stained glass rosettes with figures of the Apostles surround a giant circular panel. High in the Cathedral's south wall, the multi-colored window is the focal point of a stunning, gothic interior, enjoyed not only by a diverse congregation of Episcopalians, but music and liturgy lovers of many creeds. The window, some 17 feet in diameter, was given to the Cathedral in 1900 in memory of Augustus Ryker Wright, generous Portland philanthropist and founder of A.R. Wright company.

High Altar and Reredos

The High Altar and Reredos were dedicated on Christmas Eve 1925. The Altar itself is made of marble from France. The rich tints of which harmonize with the carved oak of the Reredos. 

The main subject, determining all the manifold details of the intricate carved work, is the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, the foundation doctrine of the Christian faith. This subject find an appropriate setting in relation to the windows now in the chancel: on either side of the Reredox, these depict the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Christ; while the rose window above the Reredos represents the Ascension of our Lord.

Central in the Reredox itself stands the Virgin Mary with the Child in her arms. She is known as Our Lady of Portland and has a unique quality in that shw as carved with the Native American communities in mind. Her dress and hair are modeled after typical native fashion and the Baby Jesus is wrapped in a papoose. The figures of the Blessed Mother and Child are almost life size. Below on either side, in low relief, are kneeling figures representing Saint Luke, who in his Gospel tells the humanstory of the Birth, and Saint John, who gives the divine meaning of the event. A panel between these two has the seals of the four evangelists, suggesting the Scriptural basis of the whole work.

    On the right and left of the central figures are four panels in very high relief, representing four scenes from Scripture. Beginning with the upper panel on the left or Gospel side, we see the Annunciation--the angel appearing to the Blessed Virgin, and proclaiming the birth of her Child Jesus, "the Son of the Most High." 

Emmanuel Chapel

          Architecture

          LaFarge's "American Madonna"

More content to come...

          Stations of the Cross

All Saint's Chapel

More content to come...xvsdfgsdfgsdfg

The History of Our Cathedral Building

The Diocese of Maine was formed in 1820, just after Maine itself achieved statehood. It was not until 1847, however, that the Diocese consecrated its first bishop, the Reverend George Burgess, rector of Christ Church, Gardiner, one of the first two original parishes in the State.

The other parish was Saint Stephen's on Pearl Street in Portland. As Portland expanded toward was it now the Western Promenade, the need for a second parish arose. Under the leadership of the Reverend Alexander Burgess (Bishop George Burgess's brother), Saint Luke's began meeting in 1981. By 1854 the parish needed its own building. Funds were raised, a lot was purchased at the corner of Congress Street and Vernon Court, and the new building was consecrated in 1855. By 1865, Saint Luke's, with 304 communicants, was the largest parish in the Diocese of Maine.

When Saint Stephen's burned with much of Portland in 1866, it was decided the parish would move to Saint Luke's, and a new building would be erected to serve as the cathedral for the Diocese. The Cathedral Church of Saint Luke would become the first church in the United States specifically built as a cathedral.

That summer Bishop Burgess died. His successor, The Reverend Henry Adams Neely, became the rector of Saint Luke's parish as well as the bishop of Maine. The following year, property on State Street was purchased. 

The Cathedral was originally planned as a typical English Gothic cruciform church, but due to financial limitations, the plans were modified and construction of the tower was postponed. The church's architect was New York City architecht Charles C. Haight. The exterior stone was quarried in Cape Elizabeth. The interior was plastered, with black ash used for the woodwork. A rood (or choir) screen topped by a crucifix separated the nave from the sanctuary.

The cornerstone was laid August 15, 1867: the first service was held Christmas Day 1868. The Cathedral was consecrated in 1877 after its dept was paid in full.

In 1888 land was purchased behind the Cathedral for a building of a parish house, designed by Francis Fassett. Also, plain stone capitals on columns supporting the arches between the nave and the side aisles were carved.

In 1925, while The Reverend Benjamin Brewster was Bishop, Canon Myles Hemenway gave the Cathedral a new high altar and reredos carved from oak and dominated at the center by an almost life-sized Madonna. The reredox depicts events leading up to Jesus' birth. Sixteen figures carved along the panels represent saints, scholars of the church, and the first four bishops of Maine. The rose window above the reredos, depicting the Ascension of Christ, was installed in 1900. A Skinner organ was installed in 1928.

The next major change did not occur until 1928, when under Bishop Oliver Loring, the rood screen was removed, bring the congregation closer to choir and clergy. That same year, All Saints Chapel was moved from the left to the right of the altar, and the sacristy moved to its present location near the entrance to the parish house.

Long-awaited construction on the bell town came in 1958. The bell was cast to harmonize with the pitches of bells of neighboring Saint Dominic's and State Street churches. Windows depicting the four evangelists completed the tower and can be viewed from the tower entrance.

Other improvements include expansion of the parish house (1958), purchase of the parking lot on Park Street (1961), conversion of the undercroft into classrooms (1964), restoration of the mahogany in Emmanuel Chapel (1982), and restoration of the delicate wooden spire high on the main roof, known as the Fleche (1984).

In 1985 a fire gutted the parish house. Extensive rebuilding to adapt the building to current needs was completed in 1987. The architect for the Parish House renovations following the 1985 fire was Nancy Barba. The facilities now include clergy and staff office space, handicap access including an elevator, space for the Diocesan Resource Center, a large kitchen, parish hall kitchenette, and library area. Nave altar improvements and relocation of the altar rail were completed in 1990.

In 2003 an over $1.2 million Cathedral Renovation Plan was completed, thanks to the generosity of the its parishioners and friends. This included conservation of the John LaFarge painting, "The American Madonna," relamping the Nave following the original design, restoration of the 1928 Skinner Organ, new tile flooring, moving the baptismal font, installation of a new sound system, and enlargement of the endowment.

As stewards of this sacred space, we have seen to ti that the Cathedral fabric is now wonderfully restored to continue to carry on its ministry in the life of its parishioners, the City of Portland, the Diocese of Maine and for future generations. In 2003, the Reverend Stephen Foote, dean and overseer of these latest renovations, retired. And in 2005, the Reverend Benjamin Shambaugh was called to serve as our current dean.