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 St. Joseph's Cathedral - Wheeling, West Virginia Posted by:  BruceS
N 40° 03.992 W 080° 43.187
17T E 523896 N 4435179
Cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston located in the East Wheeling Historic District in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Waymark Code: WMJCXZ
Location: West Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 10/31/2013
Views: 1
ST. JOSEPH'S CATHEDRAL, SE. corner 13th and Eoff Sts., is the seat of the Wheeling Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church. Of Lombard Romanesque architecture, the massive Indiana limestone structure was designed and executed by Frank Aretz of Pittsburgh. Interior decorations are by Felix B. Lieftuchter of Cincinnati. The austere round-arched style of the exterior is relieved by the richness of carved details, while the interior is elaborately ornamented with carved and painted representations of sacred scenes and symbols. The round-arched door is flanked by two octagonal turrets with peaked roofs topped by stone crosses. The roof is finished in rust-brown and red tile. Over the door is a rose window. The cathedral is built on the traditional cruciform plan, with a high dome over the arms of the cross. An open turret containing three bells rises at the back of the building. Within the entrance of the cathedral is a marble fond with a lid of bronze and copper. Stone arches supported by monolithic columns separate the nave from the aisles, while the triple-arched openings of the triforium over the nave arches are carried on slender colonnetts with carved capitals and molded bases. The vault of the dome is frescoed with a representation of the nine choirs of angels, and the triple-arched stained-glass windows of the dome depict the four archangels, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Urial. Other stained-glass windows, designed by George Sotter, of Holicong, Pennsylvania, portray the life of Saint Joseph, the four cardinal virtues, and the life of Christ. The fine altars of the church are of imported marbles from Italy, Greece, and France. Over the high altar is an elaborate ciborium, the vault of which is of cerulean blue glass mosaic inlaid with gold stars. Statues are of Caen stone, and furniture of richly carved oak. Altar fittings and vessels are of sold lacquered brass .- West Virginia: A Guide to the Mountain State, Wheeling section, pg. 287-288
The Cathedral continues to serve as the seat of now the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and is also the church for the oldest parish in Wheeling. Other sources list the architect for the building as Edward Weber.
In 1973 the interior of the church was renovated in order to comply with the post-Vatican II liturgy. The church was again renovated and restored in 1996 and is excellent condition. The Cathedral is a contributing building in the East Wheeling Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.
Book: West Virginia
Page Number(s) of Excerpt: 287-288
Year Originally Published: 1941
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