The Kneelers - The History

Look down at the kneelers along the Communion rail. The procession from left to right shows the history of Christ Church, from its founding through the bicentennial celebration in 2005. The needlepoint work was done by the women of Christ Church in the decade preceding the bicentennial. Most of the kneelers include elements of the Cathedral’s history, the Mississippi River, and an illustration of animals and plants found in Louisiana!

The kneelers at either end and at the center show the procession of the church’s history rather than the history itself.

Start at the second kneeler from the left. The story begins with the start of the church in Louisiana in 1805, represented by the sunrise, since there was no church building.

The congregation first met in the Cabildo in the French Quarter. The boat shows the journey of the first rector, Philander Chase, and an early building where the church met.

Move to the next kneeler. Six years later Christ’s Church was completed, at the corner of Canal and Bourbon Streets (where the Astor Crowne Plaza now stands). The building was designed by Henry Latrobe, son of Benjamin Latrobe, the architect of the US Capitol building in Washington, DC. The first church was eight-sided with a cupola on the roof. No drawings or sketches exist. Problems started immediately; the walls were too weak to support the building. The church was torn down, and construction of a second church began in 1835.The kneeler shows an illustration of what the first church may have looked like, an urn with ashes of Governor Claiborne, who granted permission to build the church, some parishioners, and a man on horseback.

Look right, to the next kneeler. The second church was designed like a classical Greek temple by Gallier and Dakin. You may have seen Gallier Hall (the old City Hall) on Saint Charles Avenue. The church resembled Gallier Hall: six columns created an imposing front for the church. The building was consecrated in 1837. The kneeler refers to the rector (Dr. Wheaton), and shows Bishop Polk. There is a woman giving food to an orphan, French Quarter buildings, a riverboat and a couple taking communion.

Go past the kneeler that continues the procession at the center. To its right, the kneeler shows the next part of the story: By 1845, the design of the second church was questioned by the new rector, Francis Lister Hawks. After debate about location (remain downtown, or move further upriver?), a new, Gothic-style church would rise at a new downtown location: Canal and Dauphine (where the Ritz-Carlton Hotel is today). The old site would be used by the Jewish congregation, due to a land trade between Christ Church and a local wealthy entrepreneur, Judah Touro. Later, Touro Synagogue would be built, using columns from the second church and wood from the altarpiece to build the ark to hold the Torah!

The new church was consecrated by Bishop Leonidas Polk in 1849. The kneeler also shows the church bell, and flames depicting the destruction from the Civil War.

Moving to the next kneeler: After the Civil War, Canal Street became more commercial. Finally, in 1884, the third church was sold. Many items were kept for use in a new (fourth) church: the bell, memorial windows, the chancel, and other items.

A Gothic-style plan was chosen, and the cornerstone was laid in June 1886. The building was completed the next year, and the first service in the current church was held on Easter Sunday, 1887. The kneeler shows then-Rector Drysdale, the cathedral and the cathedral coat of arms.

The second-to-last kneeler shows 2005, with a streetcar, a house (around the corner from the church, the former Advent House, a center for prayer and spiritual direction), a chalice, the Mississippi river Bridge (or Crescent City Connection), and a compass rose (representing the Anglican Communion). The final kneeler completes the procession through today.