Christ the King Cathedral
Lexington, Kentucky
When it comes to the establishment of dioceses across the United States, the Diocese of Lexington, Ky., could be considered one of the new kids on the block. It was officially erected less than 25 years ago — in 1988 — by Blessed John Paul II. However, do not let its newcomer status fool you. Its service to the people of eastern Kentucky extends some 16,400 square miles. Much of that territory is a vast chuck of poverty-stricken central Appalachia, where the diocese has planted itself as the light of Christ to those in need.
Earlier this year, my wife and I were traveling through Lexington and decided to make a visit to the diocese’s central church: Christ the King Cathedral. Unlike many diocesan cathedrals, Christ the King is nestled in a suburban-like neighborhood, as opposed to being located in the heart of downtown. As we would learn, Christ the King was not always the cathedral. It started as a parish with a school in the late 1940s. Today, the school is still in existence.
As we walked into the church building, which was dedicated in May 1967, we were struck by its cruciform design. The main altar is surrounded by pews on three sides. Light poured in from behind us through a magnificent stained-glass window above the main entrance. In brilliant detail is Christ the King seated on his throne, with his crown and scepter. Fittingly, in this 68-window scene, he is surrounded by saints and missionaries who served throughout North America. There's St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and Blessed Junipero Serra, among others.
Equally impressive is the grand crucifix that hangs in an open tower above the main altar. The Crucified One is suspended above Mary and the Beloved Disciple, who gaze upward. Their adoring devotion is a reminder of Christ’s greatest sacrifice. The crucifix is suspended from an enormous circular crown. The crown motif decorates the four bronze chandeliers that light the altar as well.
According to the self-guided-tour pamphlet that we followed throughout our visit, the altar is made of imported Italian marble. Ornate columns with the crown motif support the altar. The pulpit contains incised crosses and representations of the Four Evangelists.
Not too far from the altar, we gazed upon the ornate artwork of the coat of arms located on the bishop’s chair. This shield for the diocese has a threefold theme. On the left side is a silver sword, which represents the Diocese of Covington. On the right side is a blue fleur-de-lis, the symbol of the previous Archdiocese of Lexington. These two Kentucky dioceses are represented because the Diocese of Lexington was formed from territory taken from each. At the bottom of the shield, the two sides come together at a point representing the mountains of eastern Kentucky. Inside this bottom section is a gold diadem on a silver cross in honor of Christ the King.
Unlike many historic or grand old cathedrals, the church’s organ and the choir space are behind the altar and not in a choir loft. The cathedral, known for its fine acoustics, hosts an annual concert series that features area choral ensembles performing throughout the year.
As we made our way to the Eucharistic chapel, we passed two beautiful statues. First was a brilliant statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is silhouetted against a multicolored gold mosaic. Then there was the statue of St. Joseph, who stands tall, with his carpenter’s apron and tools.
In Psalm 29 of the Book of Psalms we read, “The Lord reigns as king forever! May the Lord give might to his people; may the Lord bless his people with peace" (10-11).
As we knelt down before the tabernacle, we thanked God for our brief visit and the chance to renew our belief that Jesus Christ is truly our King, as celebrated on the Solemnity of Christ the King, Sunday, Nov. 25. The cathedral in Lexington is certainly a visual reminder of the heavenly majesty of which we are all part.
Eddie O’Neill writes from New Castle, Colorado.
Planning Your Visit
Cathedral of Christ the King
299 Colony Blvd.
Lexington KY 40502
(859) 265-2861
Cathedral.cdlex.org
SDG: Update #6: Homeward Bound
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As we celebrate Christ the King I assume I am not alone in being close to tears when I realize how far we are, humanly speaking, from recognizing Jesus Christ as King in our country. The administration in Washington is waging unholy and immoral war against the Church for the crime of adhering to God and His laws as opposed to adhering to the immoral laws supported by the corrupt administration. We should not be surprised because the administration is led by one who advocates killing children who survived the attempt to kill them in their mom’s womb. This man also refused to acknowledge God on Thanksgiving Day. Who does this man think we are recognizing? Him? This man also thinks God is wrong and he is right as to what constitutes marriage. In spite of this corrupt administration, Jesus is King, whether we acknowledge Him or not. Long live Christ the King. To Catholic democrats who voted for this administration, all I have to say is, why don’t you stop this immoral war against the Church and just give peace a chance?
Great article! This is my parish and I love it. I hope you can stop by again sometime. Many renovations have happened and the cathedral is even more impressive now. By the way, one correction to the article, the part about the coat of arms should mention the Archdiocese of Louisville (not the “previous Archdiocese of Lexington”).
Eddie, how wonderfully pleasant it was to be scanning my Facebook network feed yesterday, on the Feast of Christ the King, when I happened to see the FB posting through the NC Register FB page of your article on our Cathedral parish here in the Diocese of Lexington, KY.
I’m glad you and your wife enjoyed the experience of touring the Cathedral. Your article didn’t say exactly when you were here but I hope you did get to see our brand new Adoration Chapel that was part of a major renovation project that just finished up earlier this year. You can check out pictures of that on our Cathedral Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/CTKLexKy
Your article was a great reminder of what a special place our parish has to worship and grown in our faith. For those of us who are members of the parish, it’s easy to take the Cathedral for granted. Thanks for this wonderful reminder of the gift this Cathedral is for us here in the diocese of Lexington.
Please stop in anytime you are back through this part of the country.
Blessings and thanks again!
Deacon Tim Weinmann
Cathedral of Christ the King
Lexington, KY
Thanks for the great shout out of our Cathedral! We are a vibrant and growing diocese with a wonderful Bishop!
To make a correction in the article: the diocese of Lexington came from the Archdiocese of Louisville, not the Archdiocese of Lexington.
Delighted to see this article.
My 13 year old son and I recently traveled to Lexington from Detroit for a weekend soccer tournamnet. We needed a mass for saturday evening and came across this Cathedral of Christ the King. The surrounding suburban neighborhood was very inviting as the sunlight was beginning to wane.
The priest greeted us outside warmly and once inside an usher asked me to help with the collection basket. A complete stranger… and I was going to collect the money. I loved it!! The masss was wondeful with a great sermon and beautiful songs of praise. Aferward we were lead to their new Eucharistic Chapel where adoration was underway. Absolutly beautifully done. A great worhiping environment and experience it was for us.
I would like to thank this parish for their genuine warmth and hospitality. As with all Catholic parents, there is a strong desire to have your children remain in the Catholic faith, lean on it in times of need and enjoy it’s riches throughout their life. Your church made a wonderful impression on our son and we apprecaite it so very much.
All the best and may the Lord Bless all at Christ the King Cathedral.
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