Out of Place

Church.

What do you think of when you hear that word?

Two scenarios come to my mind. First, my small hometown. Everyone knows everyone, and God help you if you miss church on Sunday (literally). My church is simple, elegant, and packed full at all of its services. When I sit in those pews, I am trapped inside the fear and passion reminiscent of twelve years in Catholic school. I listen purely because its the only thing I've ever known to do in church, thanks to those frightening ladies in habits (terms of endearment, I assure you).

Since leaving the cocoon of Holy Family Catholic High School, two relevant events have occurred. One - I became less than a proper example of a practicing Catholic. Two - I had the wonderful opportunity to live in Rome.  This is the second scenario that comes to my mind when I hear the word "church." In Rome, there are churches everywhere you look. I believe they may outnumber coffeeshops, and that's saying something considering that we're talking about Italy. Every single one of them is a marvel.

I went to church often in Rome. I admit, shamefully, that my main motivation for sitting through mass was the opportunity to have an hour of uninterrupted time to take in the art. I was that awkward American blonde girl in Italian mass staring at the painted ceilings or wonderfully ornate columns instead of paying attention and following along. As a self-proclaimed student of art history, I couldn't get enough. The art lent itself to the kind of power that the Catholic church prides itself on. It humbled me completely. It made me feel so small, and I was surprisingly okay with it. There is nothing quite like it, or so I thought.

The cornerstone of Holy Name Cathedral

As I am covering the River North neighborhood this week, I thought it would be appropriate to cover a cathedral. After all, the cathedral district is an integral part of the neighborhood as a whole, and it ought not be left out. However, a cathedral in the middle of one of Chicago's wealthiest and most party-driven quarters seems like a contradiction. Even more of a shock came when I walked into Holy Name Cathedral.  The heavy doors swung closed behind me and created a cultural vacuum.  Suddenly, I was somewhere else.  The rush of State Street disappeared into my memory, and the romanesque style nave of the church rose up before me in grandeur.

It took me a moment to adjust. My mind hung somewhere between the fear of my hometown mass and my obsession with cathedral art. Reverence (and twelve years of training) took over and landed me in the back pew of the grand church.  There were several people sitting and kneeling deep in prayer.  Because I am not technically capable or aware of how to turn off the sound on my Nikon, I decided to wait.  Nothing ruins a good prayer like the sound of a shutter closing.

While I waited, my eyes were drawn upward. The wood arch of the nave sat silently, far above me.  Columns held up the side aisles, and chapels to the left and right of the altar disappeared from my view.  However, all of this pales in comparison to the jewel of the cathedral - the stained glass. Panels line the building from front to back, and two rose windows sit poised, reducing the souls of those in prayer to groping, twitching shadows of their beauty. Sometimes awe does not require faith, and even if you aren't Catholic, this cathedral is worth a visit.

The cathedral has a long and twisted history.  Its past is intertwined the the lively, devastating, and turbulent past of Chicago itself. Holy Name Cathedral is currently the seat of the Archdiocese of Chicago, but it hasn't always been that way. The parish was developed first as a chapel at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. At the time, St. Mary's Cathedral on Madison and Wabash was the official cathedral of Chicago. In 1851, a large cathedral was built and dedicated to the Holy Name just south of the current location.  It functioned as the seat of the diocese until it was destroyed in the Chicago Fire. On November 21, 1875, the cornerstone for the new cathedral was set. Shortly after, the church was once again elevated to the seat of the diocese. Since then, the building has gone through several renovations, expansions, and modernizations to become the Holy Name Cathedral we know today, located on State between Chicago and Superior. The cathedral has become quite important in international eyes with several visits from Popes. The hats of the cardinals of the past hang as a testament above the altar.

The french-gothic style organ inside the cathedral

When you visit the cathedral, you can take a self-guided tour or go to mass. The Web site is a helpful tool for planning marriages, baptisms, or funerals, and contains and link and a wealth of information on the Archdiocese of Chicago.