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Overcast St. Agnes unveils first renovations
Most of work done for Easter Mass
Work is continuing on the renovation of St. Agnes Cathedral, but the first stage was nearly completed and the new sanctuary was on display for Mass on Easter Sunday.
This was the first time in 30 years that the cathedral has undergone renovations. The first stage involved making the tabernacle — the area behind the altar — more grand by adding ornate woodwork and making the decorative portions (the reredos) look more natural. The floor around the altar was also changed and the steps were re-cut. The bishop’s chair, known as the cathedra, was replaced with one that was used in the 1950s, which had been in storage for years, and moved to the opposite side of the altar from where it was. Portions of the ceiling were also repainted to match the walls.
“We still have a little bit more to do for the first stage,” said Monsignor William Koenig, who runs the St. Agnes Parish. “In April, we’re scheduled to have the baldachin put in, as well as paneling on the back wall.” The baldachin is the canopy that covers the tabernacle.
Work will continue throughout the year. Phase two of the renovations, the exterior work, is expected to begin in May. It will involve adding state-of-the-art lighting and repairing the facades of the building.
Next January, work will move back indoors for the final stage. In the second round of indoor work, the lights in the cathedral will be replaced with ones that are more energy-efficient, the pews will be removed and refinished, new kneelers will be installed, the carpet will be replaced and the rest of the ceiling will be painted to match the section above the altar.
The money for the renovations — more than $4 million — comes entirely from private donations. About half came from members of St. Agnes Parish, while the rest is from donors who were solicited by Bishop William Murphy.
“People have been very positive about it,” Koenig said of the work. “I think it looks really tremendous.”
