Grace Cathedral is descended from the historic Grace church, built-in the Gold rush year of 1849, and the imposing structure on the corner of California and Stockton streets that was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire. San Francisco’s Crocker family gave their Nob Hill property, destroyed by the fire, for the building of a new cathedral.
Work began on the church in 1928. Designed in the French Gothic style by Lewis Hobart, it was completed in 1954.
Grace Church is famed for its Ghiberti doors, labyrinths, stained glass, AIDS chapel, as well as its music. The cathedral has become an internationally known place of pilgrimage, home to a vibrant and diverse congregation, and the convening place for civic celebrations and commemorations, truly “the city’s church.”
Workers were redoing the outside labyrinth when we were there.
Open arms of Beniamino Bufano’s sculpture are a perfect symbol of the cathedral – a welcoming house of prayer for all people.
Murals cover the walls on both sides of Grace Cathedral, and they depict religious scenes, but also scenes from when California was still part of New Spain (which eventually became California of the USA and Mexico, Grace Cathedral burning in the 1906 Earthquake and fire, and the founding of the United Nations in San Francisco. The murals are a San Francisco and California history lesson.
We walked into the Cathedral and there were all these beautiful ribbons hanging from the ceiling. This is the story of why they are there: As a part of the 100 years of Music at Grace Cathedral visual artist Anne Patterson created Graced With Light, a stunning, music-inspired installation that incorporates Grace Cathedral’s vaulted ceiling arches and video projection. Anne envisioned a series of light pathways, connecting heaven and earth, manifest as ribbons. The ribbons carry prayers, dreams and wishes skyward, and, in turn, grace streams down the ribbons. Graced With Light is constructed of nearly 20 miles of ribbon, and has been hand-assembled by the artist and the Grace Cathedral community. The ribbons will be on view through the summer of 2014.
Graced With Light is constructed of nearly 20 miles of ribbon, and has been hand-assembled by Ms. Patterson and the Grace Cathedral community. The piece will be on view through the summer of 2014. – See more at: http://www.gracecathedral.org/visit/concerts-and-events/artist-in-residence-2013/#sthash.A06F5RmR.dpuf
As a part of 100 Years of Music at Grace Cathedral, visual artist Anne Patterson created Graced With Light, a stunning, music-inspired installation that incorporates Grace Cathedral’s vaulted ceiling arches and video projection. Ms. Patterson envisioned a series of light pathways, connecting heaven and earth, manifest as ribbons. The ribbons carry our prayers, dreams and wishes skyward, and, in turn, grace streams down the ribbons to us. – See more at: http://www.gracecathedral.org/visit/concerts-and-events/artist-in-residence-2013/#sthash.A06F5RmR.dpuf
100 Years of Music at Grace Cathedral, visual artist Anne Patterson created Graced With Light, a stunning, music-inspired – See more at: http://www.gracecathedral.org/visit/concerts-and-events/artist-in-residence-2013/#sthash.wQIRWOOn.dpuf
100 Years of Music at Grace Cathedral, visual artist Anne Patterson created Graced With Light, a stunning, music-inspired – See more at: http://www.gracecathedral.org/visit/concerts-and-events/artist-in-residence-2013/#sthash.wQIRWOOn.dpuf
As a part of 100 Years of Music at Grace Cathedral, visual artist Anne Patterson created Graced With Light, a stunning, music-inspired installation that incorporates Grace Cathedral’s vaulted ceiling arches and video projection. Ms. Patterson envisioned a series of light pathways, connecting heaven and earth, manifest as ribbons. The ribbons carry our prayers, dreams and wishes skyward, and, in turn, grace streams down the ribbons to us. – See more at: http://www.gracecathedral.org/visit/concerts-and-events/artist-in-residence-2013/#sthash.wQIRWOOn.dpuf
As a part of 100 Years of Music at Grace Cathedral, visual artist Anne Patterson created Graced With Light, a stunning, music-inspired installation that incorporates Grace Cathedral’s vaulted ceiling arches and video projection. Ms. Patterson envisioned a series of light pathways, connecting heaven and earth, manifest as ribbons. The ribbons carry our prayers, dreams and wishes skyward, and, in turn, grace streams down the ribbons to us. – See more at: http://www.gracecathedral.org/visit/concerts-and-events/artist-in-residence-2013/#sthash.wQIRWOOn.dpuf
As a part of 100 Years of Music at Grace Cathedral, visual artist Anne Patterson created Graced With Light, a stunning, music-inspired installation that incorporates Grace Cathedral’s vaulted ceiling arches and video projection. Ms. Patterson envisioned a series of light pathways, connecting heaven and earth, manifest as ribbons. The ribbons carry our prayers, dreams and wishes skyward, and, in turn, grace streams down the ribbons to us. – See more at: http://www.gracecathedral.org/visit/concerts-and-events/artist-in-residence-2013/#sthash.wQIRWOOn.dpuf
As a part of 100 Years of Music at Grace Cathedral, visual artist Anne Patterson created Graced With Light, a stunning, music-inspired installation that incorporates Grace Cathedral’s vaulted ceiling arches and video projection. Ms. Patterson envisioned a series of light pathways, connecting heaven and earth, manifest as ribbons. The ribbons carry our prayers, dreams and wishes skyward, and, in turn, grace streams down the ribbons to us. – See more at: http://www.gracecathedral.org/visit/concerts-and-events/artist-in-residence-2013/#sthash.wQIRWOOn.dpuf
As a part of 100 Years of Music at Grace Cathedral, visual artist Anne Patterson created Graced With Light, a stunning, music-inspired installation that incorporates Grace Cathedral’s vaulted ceiling arches and video projection. Ms. Patterson envisioned a series of light pathways, connecting heaven and earth, manifest as ribbons. The ribbons carry our prayers, dreams and wishes skyward, and, in turn, grace streams down the ribbons to us. – See more at: http://www.gracecathedral.org/visit/concerts-and-events/artist-in-residence-2013/#sthash.wQIRWOOn.dpuf
The rose window in the east, based on St. Francis’ The Canticle of the Sun, is made of faceted glass, a French invention of the 1920s where inch-thick glass bricks are faceted on their interior surfaces and as such placed into reinforced cement to create mosaics like panels.
Grace Cathedral has 68 stained glass windows, most of which depict Biblical scenes, covering about 7,290 square feet. The windows featured are of three different styles: traditional stained glass, faceted glass and fused glass – embodying the evolution of stained glass technology.
The West Coast’s largest Episcopal cathedral looms over Huntington Park with Gothic splendor, an imposing replacement for the original 1849 Gold Rush chapel. Of special interest are the cathedral’s stained glass, its bronze doors (casts of those made by Lorenzo Ghiberti for the baptistery in Florence), frequent concerts, and its pair of labyrinths. Circular paths of inlaid patterned coils, the labyrinths are intended for contemplative walking. The outdoor labyrinth is made of terrazzo stone, and the indoor path is woolen tapestry.
The West Coast’s largest Episcopal cathedral looms over Huntington Park with Gothic splendor, an imposing replacement for the original 1849 Gold Rush chapel. Of special interest are the cathedral’s stained glass, its bronze doors (casts of those made by Lorenzo Ghiberti for the baptistery in Florence), frequent concerts, and its pair of labyrinths. Circular paths of inlaid patterned coils, the labyrinths are intended for contemplative walking. The outdoor labyrinth is made of terrazzo stone, and the indoor path is woolen tapestry.