A guide to the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in the city of New York: Fifth EditionHall, Edward Hagaman
Religion
A guide to the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in the city of New York: Fifth Edition
Hall, Edward Hagaman
Cathedral of St. John the Divine (New York, N.Y.)
The Cathedral service is neither “high” nor “low.” It is the prescribed
liturgy of the Church, with a fully choral rendering and congregational
participation. Except during the vacation season, there are usually about
60 persons in the procession. The processional hymn is begun in the
Ambulatory, through the south gate of which the procession enters the
Crossing and goes to the Choir. First comes the crucifer, followed in
order by the boys of the choir, the men of the choir, the Head Master of
the Choir School, the Verger and the clergy in inverse order of their
rank. The Bishop, if present, comes last, and is immediately preceded
by the Verger and an acolyte bearing the Bishop’s pastoral staff.[5]
If the Bishop is absent, the Dean comes last, preceded by the Verger.
If neither Bishop nor Dean is present, the Verger precedes all the
clergy. The Verger (in black gown with purple facings), carries a silver
staff surmounted by the figure of an angel holding a tablet on which is
engraved the symbol of St. John the Divine, the chalice with emerging
serpent. When preceding the Bishop he carries his staff upright at his
right shoulder, but when going before the other clergy he carries it in
the hollow of his left arm. The organist and Master of the Choristers,
wearing the gown and hood of Doctor of Music, is usually invisible, being
seated at the console in the gallery on the screen at the south side of
the Choir. At extraordinary musical services, an orchestra is seated in
the Choir, between the stalls, and then the Master of the Choristers
stands in the Choir, from which point he directs the singers, orchestra
and assistant organist. The recessional is in the same order as the
processional. After entering the Ambulatory, the procession halts while
a dismissal prayer or hymn is said or sung there, and the solemn service
ends with a far-away “Amen” from the unseen choir.[6]
Visitors
Visitors may see the Cathedral at all times between 7.30 a. m. and 5.30
p. m. except during the hours of service. The Verger is usually in
attendance.
Architecture
The architects of the Cathedral have been: Messrs. George L. Heins and
C. Grant LaFarge from July, 1891, until Mr. Heins’ death in September,
1907;[7] Mr. LaFarge from September, 1907, until the completion of the
Choir in April, 1911; and Messrs. Cram & Ferguson from April, 1911,
to the present time. Mr. Henry Vaughan was architect of three of the
Seven Chapels of Tongues, Messrs. Heins & LaFarge of two, Messrs. Cram
& Ferguson of one and Messrs. Carrere & Hastings of one, as mentioned
hereafter.
The prevailing style of the Cathedral will be French Gothic. The north of
France, it will be remembered, is the birthplace of Gothic architecture.
There, in the region so recently devastated by war, Gothic architecture
rose and reached the flower of perfection in such monuments as Amiens,
Rheims, Notre Dame (Paris), Chartres, Beauvais, and Rouen Cathedrals and
many other churches, great and small.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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