Last year, Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Syracuse, N.Y., celebrated two major anniversaries.

March 13 marked its 100th year as a cathedral. And Dec. 8, 2004, was the 150th Dec. 8 since Blessed Pope Pius IX decreed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Of course, that dogma has particular meaning in a cathedral that takes its name from it. And that's no less true in years that don't mark significant milestones.

Meanwhile the church has quite a colorful history.

It was in 1841 that the Diocese of Albany first purchased land for a Catholic church to be built in the village of Syracuse. The diocese bought more land in 1872 and hired L.J. O’Connor of New York City, a leading architect of the day, to plan and oversee construction. The new St. Mary's church was dedicated in 1885 — the year before Pope Leo XIII established Syracuse as a separate diocese.

The plans called for the installation of 124 stained-glass windows from Franz Mayer and Company of Munich and London. This is the same company that supplied the glasswork in the cathedral of Cologne, Germany, to which Pope Benedict XVI made a historic visit during World Youth Day last summer.

A rose window was also installed. It depicts Mary, Queen of Heaven, in the center. The Blessed Mother is surrounded by eight cherubim. In its entirety, the rose window is symbolic of the Holy Trinity, for Mary is shown being crowned by Christ the King; God the Father is represented by an old man with a long beard and the Holy Spirit by rays emanating from a dome.

Lit at night for pedestrian viewing, a practice common in European cathedrals, the rose window overlooks Columbus Circle. This features an 11-foot-high, 3,000-pound statue of Christopher Columbus, mounted on a high pedestal, which was erected by a group of Italian-Americans in October 1934. Columbus seems to be making his way toward the cathedral.

Above the cathedral's front doors are weather-worn sculptures depicting scenes surrounding the birth of Christ. One, for example, shows angels appearing to shepherds “keeping the night watch over their flock” (Luke 2:8-14). Mary is seated on a throne, holding the infant Jesus.

In 1886, when Syracuse became a diocese, Father Patrick Ludden was selected its first bishop. Bishop Ludden selected St. John the Evangelist Church, which was the fourth Catholic Church to be built in the area, to be his cathedral from 1886 to 1903. On March 13, 1904, Bishop Ludden designated St. Mary's Church as the new cathedral, and renamed it the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Ever New

That same year, Bishop Ludden expanded the new cathedral by building a new sanctuary and installing five massive stained-glass windows along the back wall. These windows depict the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and the Immaculate Conception.

The Immaculate Conception window was placed in the center of the sanctuary and overlooks the main altar, under which is a crypt to hold the diocese's deceased bishops. Bishop Ludden also retained noted architect Archimedes Russell to redesign the bell tower and to install new chimes.

Over the years, many renovations would be made to the Immaculate Conception Cathedral. In 1892, a new Roosevelt organ with 3,000 pipes was installed. The Roosevelt Brothers were known for having revolutionized the instrument with the development of the electro-pneumatic organ.

In 1957, Flemish carillon bells were installed. And in 1958, under the direction of Bishop Walter Foery, the façade was transformed: It went from dark Gothic to an ornamental, almost Baroque, design.

Inside, the interior was repainted. Excerpts from the Litany of Loreto, plus other Marian references and symbols, were inscribed along both side walls. A separate baptistery was added to the south side of the cathedral and decorated with ceramic mosaics to depict symbols of new life.

In 1978, Bishop David Cunningham oversaw a major renovation of the cathedral. The stained-glass windows were repaired to compensate for years of weather damage and the Roosevelt organ was also renovated.

When the ’78 restoration project began, a cluster of eight highly embellished windows were discovered. They illustrate saints and holy people significant in Marian theology. These windows, which are situated just below the Rose Window, had remained hidden from sight since 1896 by a protective covering for the organ pipes. The figures included Ruth, Esther, Elizabeth, Anne, Joachim, Zachariah, David and Isaiah.

Red, White and Blue

In 1986, the bronze tabernacle was removed from the main altar and mounted on a rose granite pedestal in front of the Sacred Heart altar, which is located to the left of the main altar.

A new main altar was placed in a more central position, closer to the congregation, and open on all sides in order to focus greater attention on the celebration of the Mass. Placed within the new altar are two relics, including one of St. Catherine Laboure — who was a member of the Daughters of Charity, the same order that once staffed the Cathedral school — and St. John Neumann, the first American male saint.

In addition, a new baptismal font was erected at the front of the church, close to the main altar. The three sacramental oils — oil of the catechumens, oil of the sick and sacred chrism — are placed adjacent to the baptismal font in a glass cabinet resting upon a rose granite pedestal. The colors here — white marble, rose granite and shades of blue — reflect the national colors of the United States: The Immaculate Conception is patroness of the United States.

A special chapel dedicated to Our Lady, featuring a unique bronze statue of the Blessed Mother in a sitting position, is located close to the south door, adjacent to a bank of votive candles. This sculpture was made by Jacqueline Belfort-Chalat, a Jewish convert to the Catholic faith.

The words at the top entrance within the chapel are taken from Matthew 28:19-20: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

A fitting passage to pray over come Dec. 8 — and all Advent long.

Joseph Albino writes from Syracuse, New York.

Planning Your Visit

For Mass, confession and prayer schedules, go to syrdio.org on the Internet.

Getting There

The Immaculate Conception Cathedral is located in the heart of downtown Syracuse at 259 East Onondaga St. For directions, call (315) 422-7203.