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The Mormans…yes, when you think of Utah and religion, you think of the Mormans.
Salt Lake City may be the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints (LDS), but a couple of blocks away from the infamous Temple Square, there are Catholics.
Leave it to me to find a beautiful Cathedral in Utah…The Cathedral of the Madeleine.
Lawrence Scanlan, an Irish Catholic missionary priest, took on the task of running St. Mary Magdalene church in the Utah Territory in 1873. It was the only church and Catholic institution in the territory and served approximately 800 members from the region’s mining camps. Traveling by horseback, stagecoach or rail, he made monthly visits to say mass in various areas.
After being appointed Vicar Apostolic of Utah and Titular Bishop of Lavanden by Pope Leo XIII, he received his episcopal consecration in 1887. Finally being named as the first Bishop of Salt Lake, he took to the task of initiating construction of the Cathedral in 1900.
Situated on its second site within the city, it lies only a couple of blocks from the monumental complex of the Latter Day Saints and fills the skyline with its twin towers. Before entering, make sure to take a walk around the church and try to spot all of the gargoyles!
Though I was awe-struck at the ornate interior when I entered, I learned that originally the church was not this way upon its completion. In 1909, the church was mostly unadorned with plain green walls and white columns, yet was fitted with exquisite stained glass windows from Germany. Additionally, plans for the exterior called for a plain sandstone building however, the exterior was built in the Neo-Romanesque style. Eventually, after the dedication, renovations commenced to modify the interior, resulting in a Neo-Gothic style with a Spanish influence. Colorful murals, including the Stations of the Cross, interior panels, statues of carved wood and ceiling frescoes were added along with ornate shrines.
Over the years, many renovations have been completed, including the addition of a new altar, movement of the bishop’s chair, the addition of a separate chapel for the Blessed Sacrament and a more ample baptismal font. Though the baptismal font was dry, I was able to visit the new chapel in which the casket of the Lawrence Scanlan, was placed, as per his request. On top of the casket is a reliquary containing a small piece of Saint Mary Madeline making the Cathedral one of only two in the world to contain a first class relic of the saint that the Cathedral is named for.
Masses are said in both English and Spanish many times a week and it is my understanding that tickets for the choral concerts are a hot commodity. The Cathedral, home to the only co-educational Catholic Choir School in the United States (established in 1996), has over 350 students from Pre-Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. Performing over 9,000 hours every year in the Cathedral as well as concert series, the choristers take part in tours throughout the world in addition, to singing regularly with local arts organizations, including the Utah Symphony and The Morman Tabernacle Choir.
There are many religious experiences to be had in Salt Lake City…make The Cathedral of the Madeleine one of them.
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The Cathedral of the Madeleine
- https://www.utcotm.org/
- Address: 331 E S Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
- Hours: 0700-2100, daily
- Mass Times: Monday-Friday, 0800 and 1715. Saturday, 0800, 1700 (English anticipated), 1900 (Spanish anticipated). Sunday, 0830, 1100, 1500 (Spanish), 1800
- Admission: free
- Getting There: