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The Cathedral of All Saints is a major historic cathedral in Albany, New York and the Episcopal See of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany and the Episcopal Bishop of Albany. It was the first Cathedral church in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America built expressly as a such, rather than a local parish serving as the church of a bishop, and for that reason, is also called the Pioneer Cathedral. It is a historic building, in the Gothic style of architecture, dedicated in 1888, and still unfinished. It is on several registers of historic properties, and is in the Downtown Albany historic district.
[edit] HistoryThe Cathedral of All Saints was dedicated in 1888.[1] Until that time, smaller Episcopal churches served as seats of the bishop, and the "cathedral idea" -- the concept that a bishops' main church is more than merely a parish church, but the "Mother church" -- had not yet taken hold in the United States.[2] [edit] Past clergyWilliam Croswell Doane founded the Cathedral, and was its first chief clergy man. There followed a number of notable bishops and deans of the Cathedral, including some who became national figures. [edit] Current clergyWilliam Love is the current Episcopal bishop of Albany, and has served at the Cathedral of All Saints as a Dean's Vicar in the 1980s, and since 2007, as its Bishop.[3] The current dean of the Cathedral is The Very Rev. Marshall Vang, who also serves with retired bishop The Right Rev. David Standish Ball.[4] [edit] ArchitectureFamous 19th Century architect H. H. Richardson submitted a Romanesque Revival design for the Cathedral,[5] but he lost out to then-unknown Gibson's Gothic Revival plan.[citation needed] The construction for the Cathedral began in 1888,[1] and it remains unfinished, although its slate roof was recently replaced.[6] The Cathedral is noted as a tourist destination for its Gothic architecture, and especially for its multi-colored stained glass windows, stone carvings, and 17th Century Belgian Choir stalls.[7] It is richly furnished.[8] Frank Leslie's Weekly issued a whole booklet on the Cathedral for tourists of the late 1800s.[9] In 2008, the Ship of Fools website gave its highest rating, a "10", for its architecture, preaching, and Anglo-Catholic worship.[10] [edit] MusicThe Cathedral is famous for its music program, and is affiliated with the American Guild of Organists and the Royal School of Church Music in America.[11] As an Anglo-catholic or High Church house of worship, the music, choir, and "bells and smells" are an important part of the liturgy. In the late 19th century, Bishop Doane created a boy's choir school (now defunct) and the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, and penned the words to the hymn, Albany.[12] The Cathedral is also a concert venue for both secular and religious music.[13] This is due in no small part to its architecture, and has been cited as one of the "Great Acoustic Spaces for Choral Music (in the) U.S. and Canada."[14] One of the practices revived in the Cathedral, from time to time, has been the election of a boy bishop in conjunction with its Medieval Faire.[15][16] [edit] References
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