St. Patrick's Co-Cathedral (Billings, Montana)
Encyclopedia
St. Patrick’s Co-Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral
in Billings, Montana
, United States
. Along with St. Ann’s Cathedral
in Great Falls, Montana
it is the seat of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings
.
An extensive renovation of the church took place in 1954. The altar, communion rail, Stations of the Cross and pews were all replaced with new furnishings. A new rose window
graced the choir loft. Interior decorative painting was done in a Byzantine
style. Changes were made to the exterior as well. Further modifications were made to the interior of the church in the 1960s and 1970s in response to the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council
. The side altars and communion rail were removed. The present marble altar, ambo
and wood paneling were installed.
of the diocese. Further renovations to the cathedral’s interior took place in the 1990s. The choir was moved to the front of the worship space. New sacristies and a new gathering space were added to the church.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Along with St. Ann’s Cathedral
St. Ann's Cathedral (Great Falls, Montana)
St. Ann's Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in Great Falls, Montana, United States. Along with St. Patrick's Co-Cathedral in Billings, Montana it is the seat of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings.-St. Ann's Parish:...
in Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
it is the seat of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings
Roman Catholic Diocese of Great Falls-Billings
The Diocese of Great Falls-Billings is the Catholic diocese of eastern Montana, established in 1904.Pope Pius X erected the "Diocese of Great Falls" on May 18, 1904, by dividing the Diocese of Helena, which previously comprised the entire state....
.
St. Patrick’s Parish
The first parish in Billings was named St. Joachim, and it was established in 1887. By the turn of the 20th century Billings was in need of a larger church and St. Patrick’s was established. The present church building was built in the Gothic Revival style in 1904 for $64,000.An extensive renovation of the church took place in 1954. The altar, communion rail, Stations of the Cross and pews were all replaced with new furnishings. A new rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
graced the choir loft. Interior decorative painting was done in a Byzantine
Byzantine art
Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 5th century until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453....
style. Changes were made to the exterior as well. Further modifications were made to the interior of the church in the 1960s and 1970s in response to the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. The side altars and communion rail were removed. The present marble altar, ambo
Ambo
Ambo may refer to:* Ambo Village in Kiribati where the parliament of Kiribati sits, also known for the Ambo declaration issued at the Tarawa Climate Change Conference, an international diplomatic conference held in Kiribati in November 2010...
and wood paneling were installed.
St. Patrick’s Co-Cathedral
Blessed John Paul II renamed the Diocese of Great Falls as the Diocese of Great Fall-Billings on February 14, 1980. At that time St. Patrick’s Church joined St. Ann’s Cathedral in Great Falls as the co-cathedralCo-cathedral
A co-cathedral is a cathedral church which shares the function of being a bishop's seat, or cathedra, with another cathedral. Instances of this occurred in England before the Protestant Reformation in the dioceses of Bath and Wells, and of Coventry and Lichfield, hence the names of these dioceses...
of the diocese. Further renovations to the cathedral’s interior took place in the 1990s. The choir was moved to the front of the worship space. New sacristies and a new gathering space were added to the church.