Catholic Diocese of Orange: Christ Cathedral, Inside & Out

-----Crystal Cathedral is changing to a a Catholic Cathedral-----

By Patrick Mott

I will go to the altar of God…

For nearly 35 years, the Crystal Cathedral was uncommonly, unselfconsciously grand, a landmark of almost otherworldly proportions, one of the largest and most famous churches in the world.

When it is finally consecrated as Christ Cathedral, the scale of the structure will not change—big, after all, is still big—but in its transformation into a Catholic worship space, the cathedral will embrace worshippers and other visitors, regardless of their faith, with a welcoming intimacy that belies its size. Design elements both inside and out will point to the central reality of the Catholic faith: the Eucharist and the table of the Lord, around which everything and everyone is gathered.

And it will be designed for the ages; architects and designers are working from plans that envision the highest quality and service for at least 150 years. “It must be clear to the community that the Catholic Church is the finest steward of this property,” said Rob Neal, the first chief operating office for Christ Catholic Cathedral Corp. and now a member of the architecture and renovation committee. “Throughout the renovation we are setting the bar very high. Once I understood the scope of this purchase and this project, I knew it would be the most important work I’ll ever do in my career.”

Christ Cathedral: The Inside

Outwardly, the familiar structure, with its 10,000 panes of glass, will look much the same as it always has, albeit with a necessary dose of maintenance and restoration. Inwardly, however, the changes will be dramatic:

–The former theater-style seating will give way to pews arranged antiphonally on either side of a raised altar.

–Three entries will be reconfigured as the Bishop’s Door, Baptistery and Pilgrim’s Entry to the east, and the spaces inside each entry will be distinctive.

–In the center of the cathedral’s worship space will be the altar, sitting atop the predella (a raised platform) and visible from all pews. A large metallic baldachin and carved crucifix will be suspended above the altar, with the cathedra (bishop’s chair) to the north and the ambo to the south. The mezzanine level will be reconfigured to support music performance in multiple configurations.

–The cathedral’s new stone floor and lower walls will recall the earth, while the glass vaulting overhead frames the heavens.

–Upper surface areas will be constructed with acoustics, lighting, solar heat transmission and ventilation in mind, as well as environmental comfort and visibility, said Scott Johnson, a partner in Johnson Fain, one of two firms handling the renovation. To minimize the transmission of heat and light from the glass walls and ceiling, the firm has designed an algorithmically complex series of quatrefoils made up of triangular metal sails in various stages of openness. By arranging open and closed “petals” on the inside surface based on the angle of the sun, natural light will be modulated and glare will be reduced.

–Below the sanctuary, the undercroft will include the Chapel of St. Callistus, the bishops’ crypts and columbarium, a bride’s room, family room, choir practice room, sacristies and support functions. Silver travertine paving will follow the stairway down from the entry level through arched galleries and into the chapel.

Three entries will be reconfigured as the Bishop’s Door, Baptistery and Pilgrim’s Entry to the east, and the spaces inside each entry will be distinctive. Pictured here is a design for the baptismal font.

The Blessed Sacrament.

Below the sanctuary, the undercroft will include the Chapel of St. Callistus.

The narthex.

The Pilgrim’s Stair.

In the center of the cathedral’s worship space will be the altar, sitting atop the predella (a raised platform).

A large metallic baldachin and carved crucifix will be suspended above the altar, with the cathedra (bishop’s chair) to the north and the ambo to the south.

Christ Cathedral: The Outside

While Christ Cathedral is the heart of the campus, the surrounding grounds will represent the first physical contact worshippers and visitors will have with the sacred space. With that in mind, the designers and architects who are transforming the campus are making people the central priority in making the grounds a serene, welcoming and inviting place. The exterior design elements also offer flexibility for future development while honoring the history of the site.

Initial site development will focus on the area adjacent to the cathedral, creating communal gathering areas that allow the cathedral’s sacred space to radiate into the surrounding community while allowing visitors to relax, slow down and experience the peace of the surroundings.

From the outside of the campus, the most visible of these communal spaces will be the community green at the corner of Lewis Street and Chapman Avenue. Lined by parkways, this green space will be open to the surrounding community, creating a park-like setting for large-scale events, such as outdoor services or concerts.

The plaza surrounding the cathedral will be equipped for a wide range of liturgical and non-liturgical events. The area will be zoned into four courtyards—the Pilgrim’s Court, Festal Court, Marian Court and Court of the Catechumens—each of which will be connected to the cathedral and tied together by a continuous paving pattern. A dozen large light elements will mark stone entry thresholds.

A water feature will animate the Pilgrim’s Court, encouraging children’s play, and a reflecting pool near the Bishop’s Door will connect visually to the existing Arboretum fountain, providing a calming, cleansing element near the cathedral entry.

Ringing the plaza will be a tree-lined threshold containing a mix of shrines, chapels, visitors’ services and support elements. The frame of trees and small sculptures will allow visitors to walk under a tree canopy as they make the transition from the outdoors into the cathedral’s sacred space.

Bishop Kevin Vann has called the vision and execution of the designers and architects “inspired.”

“This will be here long after we are gone,” he says, “remaining as a testament of faith that continues Rev. Schuller’s vision and strengthens faith among Orange County Catholics.”

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