Festival of Lights at the Cathedral - Support its Preservation!

The Cathedral of Saint Paul will be a century old next year and the marble floors throughout the main level have lost their original luster.  In celebration of this landmark anniversary, the Cathedral Heritage Foundation will earmark its fundraising efforts at the 4^th Annual Cathedral Festival of Lights gala to polish these floors back to a brilliant shine.  The public is invited to help raise necessary restoration funding by attending the Fourth Annual Cathedral Festival of Lights, 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, 2014, at the Saint Paul Hotel, 350 Market Street in downtown St. Paul.

This gala evening features signature cocktails, a sit-down dinner, live and silent auctions and local celebrities, with all proceeds directly benefitting the Cathedral’s restoration projects. Tickets are $150 per person, a portion of which is tax deductible.  Purchase online at www.cathedralheritagefoundation.org or email cwill@cathedralsaintpaul.org.

WCCO TV’s Frank Vascellaro will serve as celebrity auctioneer for the evening. Vascellaro has been a local news anchor for nearly 20 years. He was awarded the 2011 and 2012 Regional Emmy for Best Anchor and MSP Magazine named Vascellaro  “Best News Anchor” in 2013. 

“This year we have our sights set on preparing for the 100^th anniversary of the first Mass inside this cathedral, which was celebrated by the visionary Archbishop John Ireland on March 28, 1915,” said Mary Schaffner, chair of the CHF Board of Curators.

“Since that momentous date, the Cathedral’s marble floors have been subject to a century of wear by visitors and worshippers alike and now it’s time to ”Let it shine!”  Our fundraising goal will be to restore this lovely marble to its original luster throughout the main floor and side chapels of the Cathedral. ”

The CHF works  year round to identify and address Cathedral preservation and funding needs, including reducing $700,000 of restoration-related roof debt, completing the $3.4 million organ restoration, and supporting educational and artistic programs at the Cathedral.

The Cathedral has served as a majestic venue both for high-profile church and community celebrations. Millions of media viewers world-wide saw the floodlit image of the Cathedral illuminating the Red Bull Crashed Ice event for the past three winters. As an historic site, the Cathedral is a popular field trip destination for local school children as well as tourists from around the world, welcoming more than 200,000 visitors per year. In 2013, Fox News named the Cathedral one of the 12 Most Beautiful Churches in America. Last month, USA Today named it of the Top 10 Cathedrals to visit in America.

The CHF is an independent volunteer community organization whose mission is preserving the Cathedral as an historic monument and a community treasure, and supporting it as a venue for the arts and education.

For more information about current restoration projects or to register for the Festival of Lights, please visit cathedralheritagefoundaton.org.

For a visual reminder of the Cathedral’s significance as a landmark and architectural work of art, a two-minute aerial video can be seen online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BvgKX3CiR0&feature=em-share_video_in_list_user&list=UUApatPzsPYs8-NAKTu7Te8g.

Cathedral Hours:  The Cathedral doors are open Sunday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Guided tours are given at 1 p.m. Monday through Friday year round except on Holy Days and civil holidays. No appointment is necessary. More information is available at cathedralsaintpaul.org.