About the Cathedral

Welcome to the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist

Episcopal Church USA Diocese of Spokane

There is much more to experience in our Cathedral than can be described here. Those who have lived and prayed here longest know that there is something always new to be discovered, a cornice of stone we had never seen before, a different shade of light, or the gentle appearance of an angel. All are welcome to share with us the splendor of God’s majesty in the works of love left to inspire us by those who have gone before, to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for what God has done and is doing in this place.

Nor is a Cathedral itself ever completed. The tangible building may be finished, but that is only the beginning. A Cathedral goes on accumulating the prayers and worship, the joys and sorrows, the history and the very lives of generation after generation of God’s people in a particular community. It becomes an enduring place where the Bishop of the Diocese calls home and the worshiping community of the entire diocese and wider community is welcomed and celebrated.

Free Cathedral Tours

Guided tours of St. John’s Cathedral are available Wednesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.. On Sunday, tours are available from 12:30-2 p.m.. Enter the cathedral through the South Transept doors on 12th. Avenue. Please click the shield to schedule a bus tour or a group of 25 or more.

About Our Cathedral

St. John’s Cathedral is one of the few examples in the new world of classic gothic architecture, and one of the finest. Visitors come here from all parts of the world to see, worship, wonder, meditate and pray. The carvings in stone and wood and the figures in the stained glass include symbols of many faiths, making the Cathedral a “house of prayer for all people.” All are welcome here.

The Cathedral was begun in 1925 and completed in less than a generation. It is the sucessor to All Saints Cathedral, which stood in downtown Spokane, and is the fulfillment of the dream of the Right Reverend Edward Makin Cross, Third Bishop of Spokane.

The Cathedral has three interwoven functions. It is the Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane, the location of the official seat of the Bishop and the center of many Diocesan activities. The Diocese encompasses that part of the state of Washington east of the Cascade Mountains and the Idaho Panhandle, that part north of the Salmon River. The Cathedral is also the home of a large parish congregation. In addition, its prominent location above the city lends to the Cathedral’s role as a center for public gatherings and cultural activities for Spokane.

Our Cathedral is more than inspiring works of human hands; it is people working and worshiping together, sharing a great vision, pointing to God and embracing our neighbors. Every stone, window, carving — every tangible thing you see here — is a testament to God's Love acting in someone's life, offered in thanksgiving to inspire others. The Bishop, the Dean and the members of the Cathedral congregation welcome you to visit. If you are seeking a church home we hope you will worship with us and learn more of the life of the congregation.

Construction

The building itself suggests the typical English Gothic cathedral, but its detail includes the French influence. The structure is solid masonry with exterior stone quarried near Tacoma, Washington; the interior of the nave is of sandstone from Idaho and the remainder of the interior is of Indiana limestone. Mr. Harold C. Whitehouse, F.A.I.A., of the Spokane firm of Whitehouse and Price, and a devout member of the congregation, was the architect from the beginning. The west entrance, the nave, and the base of the tower were constructed between 1925 and 1929, the chancel and sanctuary, tower and transepts 1948 to 1957. All Saints Chapel and the south transept were completed in 1960. The organ was installed in 1961. The parish house was built in 1962, and named Jewett House in memory of Mr. George Frederick Jewett, also a devout member and generous contributor. The carillon was installed in Bishop Cross Tower in 1971.

There are three chapels in the Cathedral, commemorating the three congregations which united to form the Cathedral parish. At the end of the north aisle is St. Peter’s Chapel, and at the end of the south aisle is St. James’ Chapel. The largest is All Saints’ Chapel, entered from the south transept, commemorating the first Cathedral in Spokane.

Unique Features

The stained glass windows in the Cathedral were created by Charles J. Connick and Associates of Boston and Willet Stained Glass Studio of Philadelphia. Above the high altar in the east is the trefoil window of the Holy Trinity proclaiming God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At the opposite end of the Cathedral is the great Rose Window. The clerestory windows in the chancel depict prominent events in the life of our Lord. The windows surrounding the High Altar depict the four Archangels. The clerestory windows in the nave depict figures from the Bible such as Abraham and Moses, St. Stephen and St. Timothy, Old Testament on the south side and New Testament on the north. The small windows along the side aisles of the nave tell the story of the developing life of the Church. Windows of the parables may be seen in the chapels of St. James and St. Peter.

See how the new windows are built!

New Nave Stained Glass Windows

Two new stained glass windows are on order for the Cathedral’s nave. These will be the first windows in the clerestory (top) level of the nave in several generations. Those in place went in shortly after the completion of the nave in 1929. The new were provided for in the estate of the late Robert Hyssop who grew up here in the 1940’s and 50’s and was a Cathedral server. His estate has fully funded the design, fabrication, and installation of both of these new windows.

The themes for the nave windows were decided at the time of the building of the Cathedral by the architect, Harold Whitehouse and the founding Bishop and first Dean, Edward M. Cross and Charles J. Connick, and Connick Associates, the firm that designed and fabricated all but three of our existing stained glass windows. The windows on the south side are to have Old Testament themes and the windows on the north side are to have New Testament themes. Each window features two great persons from the Bible along with other figures and medallions that help to tell the particular story of that window. The two in place feature Abraham and Moses balanced by Timothy and Stephen. The two new windows will be installed on the south side of the cathedral and are the second and third in sequence next to the Abraham and Moses window already in place. The theme of the first new window is David and Solomon. The theme of the second new window is Ruth and Naomi. The two windows are being fabricated by The Willet Stained Glass Studios of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since the Connick Studios closed, they are the premier makers of medieval stained glass in North America. We have three Willet windows already in place in the Choir of the Cathedral. They are the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension windows. All of the rest of the stained glass in the Cathedral is the work of the Connick studios.

Many of you have been concerned that once the nave windows are complete that the cathedral will be too dark. That will not be the case. The nave will be glorious! We only have a hint of what it will look like, because there are so many empty windows. The new windows will be much lighter than those already in place, in fact, the old windows will have to be cleaned so that they, too, will look like new. The two heroic figures in each of the nave windows will seem to hang in light because the surrounding glass will be lighter—much like the glass surrounding the medallions in All Saints’ Chapel.

The scheme of subjects for the Cathedral clerestory windows is:

Moses and Abraham balanced by Timothy and Stephen (already in place).
King Solomon and King David, builders of the Temple, with St. Paul and St. Peter, founders of the early church.
Naomi and Ruth balanced by Martha and Mary.
Elijah and Elisha, who may well be considered as forerunners or counterparts of St. John the Baptist and St. James the Greater.
Ezekiel and Jeremiah balanced by the Evangelists, St. John and St. Luke.
Daniel and Isaiah balanced by St. Mark and St. Matthew.

The Cathedral Organ

The Cathedral organ, designed and installed in 1961 by the Aeolian-Skinner Company of Boston, is representative of the finest period of cathedral organ design in America, consisting of five divisions with over 4,000 pipes. In 2000 the console underwent major renovation including digital control for all the pipework, by Marceau and Associates Organ Builders of Portland, Oregon.

The Carillon in the Tower

Where twelve or fewer bells are mounted to play tunes they are called a chime. Thirteen or more bells are called a carillon. They are sounded by mechanical operation from a clavier with levers are arranged like a piano keyboard. The carillonneur strikes the levers with fists and feet to release the clappers against the bells. The carillon in Cross Tower consists of 49 cast bells, cast and installed by John Taylor and Sons of Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. Concerts are played Sunday mornings, at religious and civic festivals and at other times as announced. The carillon is heard best from outside the Cathedral.

Interior Decorations

The decorative carvings in wood and stone were executed by Ole Sunde of Seattle, Arcangelo Cascieri and Adio diBiccari of Boston. The needlework and embroidery are labors of love by artisans from our own Diocese of Spokane.