Basilica Tours Block Party Manual

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1 Lorem & Ipsum Error! R ef er e nc e so u rce not found. Error! R ef er e nc e so u rce not found., E rror! Ref er en ce so urc e not found. Error! R ef er e nc e source not fo u nd. What is the bell tree? A bell on a stand, used for procession on Feast Days Make a joyful noise unto the lord. Where are the confessionals and are they still in use? The old confessionals are used for storage. Two new reconciliation chapels were built in the undercroft to make the sacrament more personal. Where is the organ? Console in the Sanctuary, pipes in the Central Towers in Choir Stalls and East and West Galleries. How old is the parish? Our original parish, Immaculate Conception, was founded in 1867, which makes our parish 148 years old. The parish of the Basilica of Saint Mary is 97 years old (going from the date of its first Mass). When was the church built? Exterior Begun in 1907, completed in Interior Areas never completed: Statues in Exterior niches, Ambulatories around altar. What are the dimensions of the church? Exterior Dome height with 13 Cross, 250 total Interior Length from back wall to altar rail, 140 Width from Pillar to Pillar 82 Ceiling Height 75 - Dome Height 140 How many people does the Basilica seat? 1180 seated 2000 standing How are the lights changed? By walking along a series of catwalks between the ceiling and the roof. Where are the drinking fountains? In the Undercroft. Where are the restrooms? Rectory, Cowley Center, School and in Undercroft. These are locked during the Block Party. Isn t there another church in New York which claims IT was the first basilica in the U.S.? Basilica Tours Block Party Manual R e v i s e d J u n e We are the first church in the U.S. to be elevated by papal decree to the honor and dignity of a minor basilica. The Church of St. Adalbert received a papal bull which affiliates it with St. Peter s Basilica in 1907, but does NOT give it the title of minor basilica.

2 2 Basilica Block Party Church Tours HOW TO GIVE A SUCCESSFUL TOUR A tour guide should appear knowledgeable and personable. Tours should feel personalized and individualized. People find any anecdotes fascinating. Good eye contact is very important. When answering questions, it is not necessary to give too much detail. A guide s enjoyment of the subject is important and can be found in voice, enthusiasm, etc. Allow people to enjoy the atmosphere, space and unique beauty of the building. A helpful exercise may be to list why tours you have had in the past were good. Please consider two aspects of tour guiding: Style how you present yourself and Content what you should know. STYLE Let people know something about yourself. You might want to share why you are a volunteer at the Block Party this year. Be enthusiastic. Remember that you are representing the Basilica of Saint Mary hospitality is important. Keep your introduction short. You are the leader; stay in charge. There is a 7 second reverberation so be careful to speak slowly and clearly. Stay in front of the group. Position is important: do not have your back to people. Do not carry things. Since you are new to giving tours, if you feel you need a 3 x 5 card with some information on it, you may use one if it is kept out of sight, perhaps in a pocket. Do not memorize a speech. A conversational tone is best and will make your group feel welcome. Most of the people in the group have not been in the church before and may feel intimidated. Your job is to put them at ease. A sense of humor helps. Respond to questions graciously. You may ask Does any one have any questions about... at intervals during the tour. It s ok to say I don t know There will be experienced guides available to answer questions you do not know. It is also possible to take a name and number and have a response sent from someone on staff if it is appropriate. Length of tours - approximately minutes with both the Church and the Undercroft. This gathering area is a space where we serve the needy every day through prayer, education, and hospitality, which recognizes human needs and diversity with easy access for all. The Teresa of Calcutta hall is used to fulfill the Basilica s mission to provide emergency relief to the poor and to offer it with dignity and respect. This concludes our tour, are there any questions? Please exit tours on the 16 th St Undercroft door. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What is the difference between a cathedral and a Basilica? A cathedral is a church of the Bishop in any given diocese, cathedra means chair (every cathedral has a special bishop s chair). A Basilica is a church with a special designation from the Vatican (akin to knighthood in England). The word Basilica originally meant a building style (rectangle with a semi-circular apse at the end). Basilicas were used s a civic or government building with a judge s seat in the apse. In 313 A.D., Constantine became emperor at a time when Christianity was growing rapidly and Christians needed a place to worship. He then designated all Basilicas Christian (Catholic) Churches. What is the relationship to the St. Paul Cathedral? Both have the same architect. (Emmanuel Masqueray) and both churches serve as Cathedrals in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. How many cathedrals are there? 350 in the United States 6 in Minnesota 2 Catholic cathedrals in the Twin Cities The Cathedral of Saint Paul was built as a Cathedral in 1915 and the Basilica of Saint Mary designated as a co-cathedral with St. Paul in How many Basilica s are there in the US? 40; 6 in Minnesota and 1 in the Twin Cities. The Basilica of Saint Mary was the first in the United States (1926). Why isn t the high altar in use? Since Vatican Council II in 1966, the priest faces the congregation so the high altar is not used. 11

3 10 Also included are much-needed bathrooms including two unisex wheelchair-accessible restrooms on the mezzanine level. Until the year 2000, the bathrooms were located in the Cowley Center, The Basilica School and the Rectory not in the church building itself itself. The main room in the undercroft is used daily by the Saint Vincent de Paul Ministry for outreach to the poor. All of the rooms in the undercroft are named after Saints, men and woman formally recognized by the Catholic Church as being charged with holiness. The undercroft is kind of confusing as far as levels go. We are on the Mezzanine level or ground floor level. The church is actually on the first floor and the Gathering space the Teresa of Calcutta Hall - is underground in the undercroft. Walk into the Saint Joseph Chapel. We are now standing in a chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph, husband of Mary. It is dedicated to him so that we could make the connection between this chapel and the church upstairs. Another thing to note are the wonderful acoustics here, you would not expect it from a space of this size. Daily Mass is held here, as the vast space of the nave is not required for all of the Basilica s liturgies. There is also a new Sacristy that holds sacred vessels and vestments for Eucharist. The chapel is also used for private prayer, small weddings, and funerals and there are two reconciliation chapels on the south side named after St. Hildegard of Bingen and St. Augustine of Hippo. Before the renovation of the undercroft, brides had to get ready in the Saint Cecilia room in the basement of the Rectory; now they are able to get ready in their own room complete with a bathroom. The bathrooms are normally open for public use when there is not a wedding. All the bathrooms are locked now due to the block party. Also on this level are four meeting rooms, which are used for meeting space and religious education. They are named after four doctors of the Church, two women and two men. Exit the Saint Joseph Chapel and walk to the balcony. We are now overlooking the Gathering Hall, which is dedicated to Mother Teresa of Calcutta. When she was 17 years old she joined the Sisters of Loretto in Ireland. Her first assignment was in Calcutta, where she learned about the plight of the poor and dying. In 1948 she left the Sisters of Loretto to serve the sick and dying in Calcutta; and there she became known as Mother Teresa. When she died the local press interviewed our neighbors who live under the highway bridge. They were asked who is Mother Teresa to them, and they answered The Basilica of Saint Mary. Basilica Block Party Church Tours Tour Script Gather group in center aisle or side aisles close to the baptismal font in the back of the church. Welcome to The Basilica of Saint Mary and to our tour. We begin the tour at the baptismal font placed in the main entrance to symbolize our entry into the faith through the sacrament of baptism. The Basilica of Saint Mary is one of the finest examples of Beaux Arts (pronounced bows-arts) architecture in the United States and is on the National Register of Historical Places. It is a building of such amazing proportions and splendor, its hard to imagine that it hasn t been gracing Hennepin Avenue for hundreds of years. In fact, the idea for the Basilica was born just over 100 years ago, and the spot we re standing on now was once, many years ago, a private zoo. On Christmas day in 1903, Archbishop John Ireland of St. Paul announced his intention to build a new church in Minneapolis, even as he planned a grand new Cathedral for St. Paul as well. He knew that building a great church was the result of a strong bond between the Bishop and architect, and he began his search for the right individual. He found who he was looking for one year later at the St. Louis World s Fair. Emmanuel Masqueray, a talented French architect and devoted Catholic, was the Fair s Chief of Design. Archbishop Ireland invited Masqueray to come to St. Paul and thus begun the collaboration behind both the Cathedral in St. Paul and the Church of the Immaculate Conception, now known as The Basilica of Saint Mary. In 1907, ground was broken and construction began. On May 31 st, 1908 the cornerstone was laid, with 20 bishops and 30,000 people in attendance. And in November of 1913 a civic dedication of the church was held. You might picture the building as it was at that time bare stone walls, clear glass in the windows, and a small temporary altar beneath the dome. The first Mass was celebrated on the Solemnity of Pentecost in 1914, and on August 15, 1915, the Feast of Assumption, a Solemn Dedication was held. 3

4 4 The church was officially named the Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary, reflecting Archbishop s Ireland desire for a church of (almost) equal stature and beauty for the Catholics of Minneapolis. Unfortunately, parishioners were soon calling it The Pro for short. This was unacceptably irreverent to the pastor Monsignor Reardon. He started working for change in 1921, and 5 years later in 1926 the church was elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Pius XI, and was the first church in the United States to be given this honor. Henceforth, the official name of the church has been The Basilica of Saint Mary. Statistics The nave, or main body of the Basilica, is 82 feet wide, the purportedly widest of any church in the world at the time it was built. It is 140 feet long and 75 feet tall. It seats 1,300 people and will fit almost twice that when all of the standing room is utilized. The Front towers that frame the rose window over the entrance are 133 feet high and the exterior dome height, including the 13-foot cross, is 250 feet. In comparison, the Minnesota State Capitol is 220 ft. the St. Paul Cathedral is 280 ft., and St Peter s in Rome is 500 ft. The eight Confessionals in the side aisles were specifically designed to fit beneath the lower windows. When the Basilica was built, there was one pastor and seven associate priests, they all heard Confession, which is the reason there are so many Confessionals. All but 1 are now only used for Storage and newer reconciliation chapels have been built in the undercroft. We can see one of the old Confessionals on our tour. In the southeast corner of the Basilica is the new Mary Chapel. The statue of Mary is one of three items from the original Church of the Immaculate Conception; the others are the bell in the east tower and the statue of the Sacred Heart near the elevator in the narthex. Walk down center aisle to the center of the church. One of the questions we re often asked the difference between a cathedral and a basilica. A cathedral is the church of the Bishop in any given diocese: the Latin root of the word, cathedra means chair that is, every cathedral has a special bishop s chair. Architecturally, the word basilica originally meant a building style, a rectangular building with a semi-circular apse at the end. But, in ecclesiastical terms, a basilica is a church that has received a special designation from the Vatican, not unlike the concept of knighthood in England. Here s how you can tell the difference: The Justice component seeks to address the larger issues behind basic needs; such as affordable housing, violence and domestic abuse and racism. One concrete way that the Basilica does this work is with Habitat for Humanity whose mission is to eliminate substandard housing in our communities. The Basilica has partnered with other downtown parishes to build over Habitat homes in north Minneapolis and is also partnering with Common Bond Communities with a new initiative to build affordable housing. This is still in the planning stages. Another part of the Basilica s mission is to pursue interfaith relationships. In addition to events such as the block party, which are for the whole community, the Basilica has formed collaboration with other downtown churches which include an Interfaith Forum study series, a grief support network and the annual Blessing on the Animals. Finally, The Basilica contributes to the cultural life of the city. The church has excellent acoustics for most styles of music and has hosted such groups as the Minnesota Sinfonia, Minnesota Orchestra, The Singers, and The Rose Ensemble. Over 20 free or low cost concerts are scheduled every year and some 10 exhibits are held in our John XXIII Gallery. And of course, the Annual Basilica Block Party gathers thousands of music fans on the Basilica s grounds, raising funds for renovation and our outreach ministries. So you can see why we are so proud of the Basilica and why we have gone to many great lengths to preserve it. The architectural splendor of the building as well as its place in the community as a symbol and in terms of what it gives back to the life of the city have made the cost of the restoration well worth the it. We hope you think so as well! Please inform your group that you will be continuing the tour to the undercroft, if they are interested. If not, please allow them to exit from the front/main door to the left. Gather in the doorway to the Undercroft in the narthex of the Basilica. Once the group is gathered, begin going downstairs. In 1986, the Basilica had less than 1,000 families that considered themselves parishioners. Now, the number has grown to over 6,500 families with an average of joining every month. By the year 2000, this rapidly growing community was in dire need of more space for gatherings after Mass, meetings, classrooms, and outreach to the poor. 9

5 8 The second phase of restoration included the completion of the Undercroft and the Mary Chapel. Structural surveys in 2003 uncovered continuing water damage to the church walls and windows, requiring tuck-pointing of the entire church, and sealing and restoring the exterior stained glass windows. This $4.2 million project also included basic upgrades, like adding a sprinkler system, to the 99-year-old Basilica School building. For the Basilica s centennial years in , funds were raised to restore the Basilica s organ, renovate rehearsal space for the Basilica s 16 choirs (children through adults) and to start to build an Endowment Fund for the ongoing ongoing restoration and renovation needs of our historic campus buildings. As you can imagine, a building of this size and scope created some logistical horrors. Can you imagine hanging banners or trying to change a light bulb? This particular task requires a climb along a catwalk that is situated between the ceiling and the roof. Walk down the left side to the choir loft, circle gates and walk around the altar, then gather back in front of the choir loft. The Basilica of Saint Mary has four main goals as a part of its mission for the parish and the community. The first is to provide quality liturgy. The Basilica s parish is growing rapidly and has attracted an unusual number of young adult parishioners. Over 100 weddings are celebrated at the Basilica each year. Hundreds of babies are baptized and thousands of young people from around the archdiocese are confirmed here. Several thousands of people attend Christmas and Easter services each year in addition to regular contemporary music and choral Masses held each week. Social Ministry is the second part of the Basilica s mission. The inspiration for this ministry comes from Jeremiah 20:7 in the Hebrew Scriptures of the Bible, which calls upon us to seek the well-being of the city for in its well-being you will find your own. The Basilica s charitable outreach dimension of this includes the St. Vincent de Paul Ministries, which provides food, clothing, and transportation assistance to those in need within our community. With our new space in the undercroft, we have more than doubled the number of people we have assisted. The half-opened umbrella, or pavilion, in papal colors of red and gold, and the silver bell stand on either side of the sanctuary denote basilica status. Although the original historical significance has been lost, we guess that these items may have been used in early papal processions. The side doors are etched with the coat of arms of the Basilica. There is an office in Rome that researches the heraldry of each basilica and customizes a coat of arms for each one. In ours, the umbrella or pavilion is the traditional symbol of a basilica, the crescent moon is the symbol of Mary as the Immaculate Conception (the original name of the parish), the crenelated (notched, like battlements) form stands for a city in medieval heraldry and the wavy lines represent water. Thus, the Coat of Arms reads, The Basilica of Saint Mary in the City of Waters (Minneapolis). The Basilica of Saint Mary is actually both a basilica and a cathedral it shares co-cathedral status with the St. Paul Cathedral as of The special bishop s chair is located in the sanctuary. The nave is surrounded by six altars beginning on the west side and culminating on the east side of the church. Note, altars are dedicated to: The Sacred Heart of Jesus Saint Anne with her daughter, the child Mary Our Lady of La Vang Saint Therese of Lisieux (pronounce lis-oo) known as The Little Flower of Jesus and patron of missions St. Anthony of Padua (pronounced pad-u-ah) St. Joseph the husband of Mary. Many consider the Basilica s stained glass its most stunning and inspiring aspect there are over 40 windows in all, installed in All stained glass is the work of Gaytee Stained Glass Studios, founded in 1918 by Thomas Gaytee and still in operation today. Gaytee s work, in thousands of churches nationwide, is so appreciated that eight different religious orders offer perpetual prayers for him. Given this, we are proud to say that Gaytee considered the Basilica to be his crowning Glory. 5

6 6 Over the main entrances are windows depicting the archangels, who stand there as if to protect those within its walls. In the gallery above the main entrance area: (West) Chameul (pronounced ch-mule), representing goodness (Southwest) Gabriel, representing the strength of God. (East) Jophiel (pronounced jo-peel) representing the beauty of God (Southeast) Uriel (pronounced u-real), representing the light of God. Portrayed in windows over the side doors are: (west) Michael (east) Raphael The jewels of the building are three rose windows, which reflect the Basilica s dedication to Saint Mary. Each spans 15 feet across. The main rose window in the façade is of the Madonna and Christ enthroned. It is surrounded by small roundels bearing the image of a cross. The second rose window located on the west side of the sanctuary tells the story of the Immaculate Conception of how Mary was born without original sin, recalling the original name of the parish, Immaculate Conception. The 20 clerestory, or upper windows lining the nave of the church depict the major events in Mary s life in- almost chronological order. The windows place Mary s marriage to Joseph before the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel, in which Mary learns that she is to be the mother of God, because the Victorian moralists of the time thought it was improper to depict Mary as an unwed mother. Finally, on the east side of the sanctuary is the third rose window depicting the Coronation of Our Blessed Lady by the Holy Trinity. So when you start with the rose window depicting the Immaculate Conception on the west, and walking through the 20 clerestory windows, and end with he Coronation of our Lady on the east, you have a complete history of the life of Mary. Other windows in the apse area (behind the altar) represent the four evangelists and the great doctors of the church along with angels singing and playing musical instruments. Continue down the center aisle to the front of the church. The main sanctuary is surrounded by an iron grille and entablature supporting statues of the Twelve Apostles. These are exasct replicas in half size of those in Saint John Lateran in Rome, the Major Basilica we are affiliated with. In the center of the sanctuary, over the high altar, stands the 30-foot marble baldachino (bal-dah-keen-o) with its four Italian marble pillars and stone canopy with a Venetian mosaic on the inside. It serves as a pedestal for the nine-foot statue of Our Lady of Grace. Blue and gold mosaics radiate from the figure of a dove in the dome of the baldachino. Although Masqueray, the Basilica s architect, created a beautiful structure, he was not at all prepared for the extremes of temperature in Minnesota. The building simply wasn t designed to withstand the harsh winters, the snow, and sweltering summers that we are accustomed to. And, if you add to that pollution from coal burning residential areas in the 1920s and 1930s the growing downtown areas, as well as the intersection of major highways right behind the Basilica, by the 1980 s it became clear that the church was in bad shape. Action was taken when former rector Rev. Dennis Dease came into the sanctuary one day before a wedding and found a huge piece of plaster, which had fallen from the ceiling laying by the altar. A choice had to be made between restoring the church or demolition. The Basilica hired the architectural firm of Swanke, Hayden, Connell- Ltd. the same firm who restored the Statue of Liberty to survey the damage. It was worse than imagined. The walls were soggy and rotten with water damage. 98% of the iron pins used to hold together the metal beams that support the Basilica s ceiling were NOT intact. Because so much water had gotten into the building, keystones were moved by the freezing and thawing each winter. While the work was being done, construction workers discovered that the rose windows were actually holding up the walls. Restoration work started in earnest in Scaffolding was put up throughout the church and around the altar, ultimately reaching up into the dome. The exterior dome and roof were taken apart piece by piece. Workers built the replacements under it as they took each piece off and then installed a new copper roof.. Although the interior dome was restored, if you look at the rest of the Basilica you can still see the cosmetic results of the water damage. 7