In his second letter to the Church in Corinth, St. Paul opens with encouraging words.

He reminds the Corinthian believers that God “encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God.”

It is a message that has resonated for generations from the Pittsburgh cathedral named after the Apostle to the Gentiles.

From the stately celebrations of weddings and ordinations, to the quiet worship of daily Masses, to the silence of prayer and contemplation when no formal devotions are going on, St. Paul Cathedral has been a source of “encouragement that inspires us to encourage” for a century.

Officially, the Diocese of Pittsburgh was not formed until 1843. But Pittsburgh’s Catholic history began nearly 100 years earlier with the arrival of the French voyageurs to this part of the Allegheny valley.

Jesuit chaplains accompanied the French explorers as they mapped out this strategic area where the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers meet to form the Ohio River. Fort Duquesne was established here. Mass was first celebrated in 1754 in the small chapel dedicated under the title of “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin of the Beautiful River.”

The British would eventually take over Fort Duquesne in 1758 and rename it Fort Pitt or Pittsburgh after William Pitt, prime minister of England. From a few Catholic families in this part of western Pennsylvania, the community would grow to a diocese of around 500,000 Catholics today.

St. Paul Cathedral, in its current location, is actually the third cathedral of Pittsburgh. The first two were destroyed by fire and deterioration. St. Paul was consecrated in October of 1906. It opened its doors on

Fifth Avenue

in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh.

Hearts Soar

On my recent visit to St. Paul’s, a handful of folks from all walks of life were scattered throughout the nave. Up front, an elderly woman worked her rosary. A few pews behind, a young professional prayed earnestly. The 8 a.m. Mass was soon to begin.

Fresh air poured in through the cathedral’s open doors while the low, faint hum of morning traffic could be heard from inside.

Surrounded by three universities, the cathedral is in the intellectual and cultural heart of Pittsburgh. I could sense that this was an oasis in the hurried world of city life.

It would have been hard not to gaze up, heavenward, inside St. Paul’s. Its soaring 75- foot ceilings are an invitation to the eye.

The cathedral seats more than 1,800 people. Ornate columns line the church, which is built in a Gothic style and in the form of the cross.

The main altar is of beautiful white Carrara marble; the Last Supper is depicted on its front.

To the left of the main altar is the Blessed Sacrament. Several rows of large votive candles flicker near the brilliant bronze tabernacle.

The back altar displays scenes from the Lord’s passion. The first two leaders of the Church, St. Paul and St. Peter, stand tall on both sides.

Universal Yet Unique

While the Catholic Church is universal in its mission and teaching, the local Catholic church will often take on the appearances and expressions of the particular place and culture that it serves. This is certainly the case at St. Paul’s. The trim above the wainscoting depicts squirrels, acorns, oak leaves and grapes — the fauna and flora so familiar to the people of western Pennsylvania.

St. Paul’s contains an impressive number of windows, 186, to be exact. Two rows line the church. The top row shows the saints while the lower tells the story of salvation history beginning from the Old Testament and ending with a window depicting the scene of the first Mass at Fort Duquesne in 1754.

Large stained-glass windows over the side doors depict the life and times of St. Paul. Depicted in one window is St. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, with his arms outstretched. He’s preaching in the square or marketplace.

I appreciated the way the local touches combined with the Church’s universal images and cues to remind visitors and Mass-goers that the church is unique while the Church is universal.

Sweet Centenary

During my visit to Pittsburgh, work was under way on the outside of the cathedral. Scaffolding covered much of the front entrance. Three years ago, a study was begun to determine what renovations were needed prepare the cathedral for its 100th anniversary celebration this year.

Of note, the four side towers will be rebuilt. As well, nearly 1,000 cracked and breaking stones on the exterior of the building will be replaced. Inside, new wiring and lighting will replace a system that is nearly 50 years old. The interior will receive a fresh coat of paint and the church will be made accessible to those in wheelchairs.

At the request of former Pittsburgh Bishop Donald Wuerl (now archbishop of Washington, D.C.), a plenary indulgence has been granted by the Vatican to those who make a visit to the cathedral during this centenary year.

The word “indulgence,” which comes from the Latin word indulgentia, means to be kind or tender. As it applies in the teaching of the Church, an indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin.

The normal requirements for a plenary indulgence are that the person must participate in the sacrament of penance and receive the holy Eucharist several days before or after the visit to the designated church. On the day of the visit, the person is asked to pray for the intentions of the Pope.

The facelift for this magnificent spiritual fortress is well deserved. In October, the month of the Rosary, the Catholic community of Pittsburgh is celebrating the original dedication of the cathedral on Oct. 24, 1906.

May St. Paul’s continue to be a source of “encouragement that inspires us to encourage” for another hundred years — and beyond.

Eddie O’Neill writes from

Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Planning Your Visit

Weekday Mass is celebrated Monday through Saturday at 6:45 a.m., 8:15 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. Sunday Masses are at 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. For more information, call (412) 621-4951 or visit stpaulcathedralpgh.org

Getting There

St. Paul Cathedral is located at

Fifth Avenue

and

Craig Street

in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. For directions, call (412) 621-4951 or visit stpaulcathedralpgh.org