The construction of the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul would be one of the crowning achievements of the first bishop of the Diocese of Providence, R.I.

Sadly, he did not live to see its completion.

But, even though Bishop Thomas Hendricken died in 1886, nine years into the 11-year project, the shell of the cathedral was close enough to finished that his funeral Mass could be held here. Fittingly, it was the first liturgy in the church.

Before arriving at Sts. Peter and Paul, I knew it was the design of renowned architect Patrick C. Keely. Bishop Hendricken's great vision of building one of the finest cathedrals around led him to pick the best architect of the times to carry out the plan. That didn't stop me from being a bit surprised by this elaborate Victorian vision in Connecticut brownstone.

People approaching what once was a busy major intersection in the middle of the city surely turned their heads each time they passed the wide faÁade. Its twin, 156-foot towers are still quite commanding even though their spires were never completed. Today, you can examine this out-of-the-ordinary Keely exterior at your leisure since yesterday's streets have been replaced by today's vast, open Cathedral Square as part of the city's recent revitalization projects.

The cathedral's original design remained virtually untouched for many decades. Even after the first major renovations were completed in 1971, much of Keely's glorious detail remained. According to a Keely expert I spoke with, the inside hasn't changed much. In several instances, I did find the details to be a bit different than those in other churches designed by the fabled architect.

For one, there's the highly ornate coffered ceiling glowing in rich, dark woods. Side aisle ceilings match them. For another, there are the Venetian Gothic niches in the transept holding statues of the four evangelists carved by Keely's master sculptor, Joseph Sibbel. His plaster eagle and lion beneath them, for example, are true masterpieces.

Mysteries in Marble

Then there are the splendid Corinthian capitals atop the deep green, fluted pillars. They're unusual because each capital is different. Some are decorated with scenes from the Old Testament, like Hagar and Ishmael being sent away; some are allegorical, like the combination of cogwheel, rooster and hammer. The combination of liturgical artistry and biblical ideas will have you stopping to ponder the mysteries of the faith as you move into the sanctuary.

You'll do the same by each spectacular Old and New Testament scene captured in the stained-glass windows lining the side aisles. They also fill the nave with light to counterbalance the deep shades of the abundant wood decorations. These dazzling “pictures” are the work of Mayer of Munich—a company as fabled in its line as Keely was in his, and still very much in business.

Technicalities aside, those 19th-century parishioners must have surely appreciated not only the beauty of the windows but also their ability to transport minds and hearts back to the Bible.

These brilliant windows are set in pairs, each pair bringing to life a single scriptural scene. They're also distinctive because the scenes are outlined top and bottom by exceptionally fancy stained-glass designs that add appealing flourishes to the cathedral's Victorian Gothic plan.

On the east side the windows present the manifestation of God in the Old Testament; on the west side the manifestation of God in Jesus Christ in the New Testament. That means some biblical scenes rarely seen in stained glass get their due in this cathedral—among them Abraham and Sarah, Jacob's Dream and Isaiah's prophecy of the Virgin Mary. In the smaller round windows above are depicted the equally rarely seen figures Esau and Jacob, Lot and his wife, and the priest Melchizedek. Jesus calming the storm and healing the cripple are just two of the other New Testament scenes with plenty of detailing.

Before you examine all the windows and liturgical artistry in detail, it might be best to walk first to the front to the cathedral. There you can pray by the tabernacle at the side altar. Constructed as part of the late 20th-century renovations, this simple altar of repose under a Gothic arch has replaced the elaborate original, which was made of marble and alabaster.

Alpine Altar

The main remodeling appears in the sanctuary area, which now showcases a sea of Travertine marble. The rightful focal point is the new main altar of Vert d'Issorie marble from the French Alps. The Testa directly above the altar is especially impressive. Weighing in at 3,000 pounds, it forms a bronze circle. All the bronze, including lecterns plus the tabernacle, is the artistry of X. Caberro and Sons of Spain. The patriarch himself came to supervise the installations.

Behind the altar, the Gothic reredos, carved in delicate spires and lace-like designs, connects to the original design. I admired the way the central carved Gothic arch frames the large crucifix that appears suspended in midair behind the altar. Gold angels occupy the niches at either end.

Across the sanctuary, the other remodeled side altar, dedicated to Mary, has a newer 7-foot statue showing the Blessed Mother holding the Christ Child. I was glad to see that behind the statue the old mural of the Dormition of Mary still fills the archway.

Speaking of murals, directly up in the transept is an awe-inspiring glorious circular mural of the Ascension. It's the work of William Lamprecht, a painter with a gold medal from the Munich Academy of Art. Keely used him often. Lamprecht also painted the Four Evangelists circling the lower transept.

Just when you think you've taken in all the magnificent stained-glass windows you can handle in one visit, the great circular window in the sanctuary “paints” 12 scenes of Jesus' passion and death in the tracery openings around the center scene of Christ crucified, with Mary and John standing by.

The rose window in the west transept presents Mary's Assumption, while 12 scenes in windows below it highlight Our Lady's life from the Annunciation to that glorious moment. Of course, their dominant color is blue.

Across the way, a new—and gargantuan—organ installed in the opposite transept instead of in the choir loft allows only a peek at the top of that rose window. At 36 feet high, it blocks out the rest of the window. Built by the Cassavant Brothers of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, it has 6,330 pipes and remains a “tracker” organ, the old type of mechanical construction that dates to the Middle Ages.

The cathedral's sumptuous detail—clean and updated, yet clearly Keely-esque—conveys a holy, reverent atmosphere in this cathedral. That's fitting since Bishop Hendricken told his flock: “The cathedral is a tribute to your religious fervor … for posterity, it will serve as a continual witness to your generosity.”

Joseph Pronechen writes from Trumbull, Connecticut.