Blessed Sacrament Cathedral (Greensburg, Pennsylvania)

History

This is the third church at this location. The parish was founded in 1789 as Most Holy Sacrament. That year, a log cabin was begun for the parish church. It was replaced in 1846 by a brick structure. The parish was placed under the supervision of the Order of Saint Benedict from Saint Vincent Archabbey at that time.

The present church was constructed in the English Gothic style. It was designed by the Pittsburgh architectural firm of Comes, Perry and McMullen. It was dedicated in May 1928, and is constructed of sandstone and Indiana limestone. The square tower above the crossing at the nave rises to a height of 125 ft. The massive appearance of the church building is typical of those found in Northern Europe. The stained glass windows were created by Franz Mayer & Co. of Munich, Germany.

The parish was designated Blessed Sacrament Cathedral with the establishment of the Diocese of Greensburg on March 10, 1951, at which time the Benedictines relinquished pastoral responsibility. Maria Celli of the architectural firm Celli-Flynn & Associates redesigned the interior in 1971 to conform to liturgical changes that resulted from the Second Vatican Council. The same firm redesigned the rectory in the 1980s. From 2010 to 2011 the interior of the cathedral was restored. Celli-Flynn Brennan Architects and Planners of Pittsburgh served as the architects, the designs were provided by EverGreene Architectural Arts of New York City, and Volpatt Construction Corp. of Pittsburgh was the general contractor.

File:Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament interior - Greensburg, Pennsylvania 01.jpg|Cathedral interior File:Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament interior - Greensburg, Pennsylvania 02.jpg|Presbyterium File:Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament - Greensburg, Pennsylvania 10.jpg|Rectory File:Greensburg-pennsylvania-aquinas-academy.jpg|Aquinas Academy

References

References

1. {{NRISref
2. Jan Orris, Ph.D.. "Academy Hill Historic District". [[National Park Service]].
3. "History". Blessed Sacrament Cathedral.
4. (2010). "Buildings of Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania". [[University of Virginia Press]].