All things made new in Christ
CHARLOTTE — Hundreds of parishioners processing into the Cathedral of Saint Patrick for Palm Sunday also got their first look at spectacular new features inside the church, which had been closed for renovations for the better part of six months.
Awestruck by the handiwork of artists and craftspeople, parishioners felt more keenly than ever the jubilation of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
The most dramatic changes are new artwork on the cathedral’s rib arches, colorful interior paint, and 24-karat gold leaf, donated by a former parishioner, that spans the arches across the ceiling. The sanctuary wall is now a luminous gold. The renovations also included significant repairs to the roof and walls to address water intrusion.
“It really brightens up the church,” said Hannah Forster, a parishioner at St. Patrick. “All the detail and painting is just so beautiful. But being back in our church is the best part. It’s wonderful; it’s like being back home again. The church needed this, and we’re so glad Fr. Roux and everyone made this possible. We're also glad to be home again to celebrate Easter.”
“We are overjoyed to share the beautiful new improvements with our parishioners,” said Father Christopher Roux, rector and pastor. “After much prayer and dedicated work from our entire team, I am so grateful to reopen our cathedral as we await the Resurrection of Our Lord, who makes all things new.”
The entire inside of the building, floor to ceiling, sanctuary to choir loft, had recently been filled with scaffolding and activity to ensure it was mostly finished by Holy Week, Father Roux said. His only non-negotiables during construction were that work had to cease at Christmas and Holy Week so parishioners could celebrate in their church home.
Many potential delays surfaced, including leaks that popped up after everything appeared to be watertight. Nevertheless, Father Roux said, “I trusted all would work out, and with a great deal of credit to our contractors and artist – we made it.”
Plans for much-needed repairs of the 84-year-old church got under way in early 2022. Leaks in the roof had caused the plaster walls to deteriorate, visibly scarring the cathedral’s interior. The sacristy suffered similar damage.
“We brought in a group of professionals to first determine what was happening, where, and what was causing the damage, and then to determine what could be done to repair it,” said Emmett Sapp, the Diocese of Charlotte’s construction director.
The project began in September 2022, with initial work focused on urgent repairs to the roof and flashing, waterproofing the building’s western façade, and repairing the interior plaster walls. Although additional work remains to be done, Sapp said, it is not expected to require closing the cathedral again for an extended time.
Sapp expects the total cost to be $2.6 million, most of which was paid for through the diocese’s unprecedented “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” campaign that has funded endowments, capital projects like the cathedral, and other needs across the growing diocese.
Jim Kelley, the diocese’s development director who steered the FFHL campaign, noted, “More than 15,000 generous parishioners donated to that campaign, which wrapped up in 2019, and it’s gratifying to see the impact those funds are making – and will continue to make for years to come.”
Built in 1938-’39, St. Patrick began as a parish church and was consecrated by Bishop Eugene McGuinness of Raleigh on Sept. 4, 1939. In 1972, when then-Pope Paul VI established the Charlotte diocese, St. Patrick Church was chosen to become the new diocese’s cathedral. Prior to this latest project, the cathedral has undergone significant renovations five times: in 1979, 1996, 2012, 2013 and 2021.
As work progressed during the most recent renovations, new ideas for beautification percolated among Father Roux and the renovation team. North Carolina artist Lisa Autry was commissioned to paint detailed artwork on the rib arches and walls, including the diocesan crest, a Marian symbol, St. Joseph crest, the Alpha and Omega icons (representing the comprehensiveness of God), and the Chi Rho symbol (the Greek monogram for Christ).
Autry installed canvas panels onto the ceiling ribs that accented their existing stencil work. The images in the panels were inspired by the cathedral’s stained-glass windows, which are original and depict scenes from the life of Christ and were crafted by a German artist who studied under Louis Tiffany, the famous art nouveau designer and son of Charles Tiffany of jewelry store fame.
Autry said she was particularly grateful to work in the cathedral alongside many other professional tradespeople: “I sat in the space many times and imagined what I would do to add to it,” she said. “What an honor it is to be asked to participate in the renovation.”
A renowned regional artist, Autry also repainted the Mary, Mother of God statue that toured the diocese for its 50th anniversary in 2022, and before that, she painted murals, gilding and more at St. Ann and St. Thomas Aquinas churches in Charlotte, St. Mark in Huntersville, Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe, St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly, and Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City, among other projects. She also worked with Father Roux to create a new look for the nave, selecting a soft blue color.
Finishing the artwork and repairs while allowing for plaster to cure was a tall order in just three months, not to mention bringing the scaffolding in and out, Sapp said.
“We went into it with confidence, but at the same time, we knew there would be some challenges in meeting the schedule,” he said. “It took a lot of coordination on the part of everyone involved – the contractor and his subcontractors, material suppliers, the artist, and folks at the cathedral itself.”
Alessandro Landolfa, who served as the project superintendent for general contractor Barringer Construction, is a native of Italy and has extensive experience with plaster, having worked on churches in Europe. Sapp praised his work and that of the Barringer’s project manager Nick Cevallos.
“They were all-stars on a superstar team,” Sapp said. “They did a great job thinking ahead and coordinating every detail. They were in the field every day dealing with the questions, coordinating local activities on campus, and managing all the tradespeople it took to make this project a success.”
Contractors also included Terracon, an engineering consulting firm, to assess water intrusion issues; JLL to serve as project manager; and Forconi-Bongiorno Inc. to repair the plaster. Remaining work includes additional interior artwork, storm drainage improvements, and exterior repairs to the bell tower and above the front door.
The artisan work and gold leaf were donated by Kenna Custom Painting, in thanksgiving for the spiritual guidance of St. Patrick.
Father Roux was happy to reopen the cathedral doors for Holy Week liturgies in the mother church of the diocese.
“As pastor of the parish, it’s such a great feeling to have our family back in our home,” he said. “Though we were able to celebrate Mass on site in our temporary chapel during this period, having Mass in our family home is a much more beautiful feeling. We worship our Heavenly Father in a setting which, by its beauty, glorifies Him and raises our hearts and minds to heaven.”
— Annie Ferguson and Spencer K.M. Brown. Photos by Troy Hull and provided by James Sarkis.
Related story: St. Patrick Cathedral parishioners observe Palm Sunday amid beautiful renovations
List of New Renovations:
• Replaced and fixed flashing on the roof
• Repaired gutters
• Replaced plaster walls throughout the church’s interior, including the sanctuary, nave and choir loft
• Painted throughout the church
• Removed unused radiators, which widened the aisles
• Painted the rib arches with detailed images including: the Alpha and Omega icon, diocesan crest, Marian symbol, St. Joseph crest, Chi Rho icon, and 24-karat gold leaf across the arches
• Reinforced walls beside the altar steps to hold statues of Mary and St. Joseph
See photos prior to the renovations:
