Cathederal of the Nativity-BVM--Juneau Alaska

A Brief History of Cathedral Of the Nativity,
of the Blessed Virgin Mary


The first Catholic Mass on Alaskan soil was celebrated by two priests doing survey work with a Spanish fleet.

On Ascension Day, May 13, 1779, at Bucareli Bay (near Craig, Prince of Wales Island), Fr. Juan Riobo records: "I sang a Mass of Thanksgiving for the safe voyage...a little Indian girl was baptized."

In 1872, Rome placed the Alaskan territory under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Victoria, BC, the closest diocese. Bishop John Seghers of Victoria made his first visit to Alaska in 1873. He established St. Rose of Lima, the first Catholic parish in Alaska, in Wrangell on May 3, 1879, just 100 years after the Spanish priests had been here. Fr. John Althoff, a diocesan priest of the Victoria diocese, was appointed pastor, with missions in Sitka and Juneau.


There has been a continuous Catholic presence on this same block of Fifth Street since 1885, when Fr. John Althoff was assigned to pastor the growing mining community in the silverbow Basin. Fr. Althoff's little church, built in 1886, was replaced in 1910 with the present structure. It became a Cathedral in 1951 when the southern and southeastern parts of the Vicariate of ALaska were split off to become the Diocese of Juneau.

When the Archdiocese of Anchorage was split off in 1966, the Cathedral of the Nativity continued as the cathedral church for the Diocese of Juneau, comprising Southeast Alaska from Yakutat down to the Canadien border.

In the city block bound by Fifth, Harris, Sixth and Gold Streets, you will find the Cathedral church, rectory/office, and parish hall and education center as well as the Crimont Buisness Center housing the chancery office and Catholic Community Service.

Sent to me by Gwyn at http://juneaudailyphoto.blogspot.com/

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Juneau, Alaska

Sent to me by Gwyn in Juneau, Ak.

In 1894 a varied yet single-minded group of people joined together to build a church. Native Alaskans, Serbian miners, towns people, Orthodox and Non-orthodox took up the call for the building of a Russian Orthodox Church in the young but energetic town of Juneau, Alaska. The result was St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church.

St. Marks Lutheran Church--San Francisco

Sent to me by Paul and Yuna who are members.

Founded in 1849, Saint Marks's is the oldest Lutheran parish west of the Mississippi. The original church was at Stockton and O'Farrell Streets, where Macy's west coast flagship store now sits. In 1894, the parish occupied this building which it had built, having outgrown the original site - and the population of the city having moved west. In the 1906 earthquake and fire, the church was nearly destroyed by fire crews dynamiting buildings trying to stop the fire. Most of the water mains in the city had broken in the quake. The pastor begged the fire crews to try an adjacent water main. It worked and the church was spared. The basement of the church became a hospital and soup kitchen for earthquake victims. The church took a serious hit in the 1989 earthquake. In 2006, an $11,000,000 restoration and earthquake retrofitting was completed. In contrast to the rather stern exterior, the interior is very warm and comforting. The acoustics are superb. In the restoration, the church was fitted with a superb Baroque-style tracker organ.

I added two more pics. One of Paul and Yuna and one of the interior.

Temple de Hirsch

In 1899 a Reform congregation was organised and designated Temple de Hirsch. they met in a small hall but were determined to build a large temple. In March 1907 the cornerstone was laid for the large brick temple and the following year it was dedicated. It was used by the Reform congregation until they moved into their new synagogue in 1960. The old sanctuary is now being used by a group of the Orthodox Bikur Cholim congregation.
The small picture is of the synagogue in the 1920s and the 2nd of the new sanctuary

Zion United Church of Christ, Ritzville, Washington

Immigrants from Germany organized the German Evangelical Zion church in 1888. Later the small mission church joined the German congregational conference. The present building was completed in 1901 at a cost of 6,000 dollars. The german language was used for over 50 years until a complete transition was made to English.
The shingled cylindrical turrets at each corner and at the front of the main roof are the most distinctive feature of this church. Also unusual are the spherical metal finials on top of the turrets and steeple.
Ritzville was first dettled in 1878 and the railroad arrived in 1880. Ritzville was and is a wheat-shipping center.

Camano Lutheran Church--1904

The church was founded in 1890 and the first meetings were in the schoolhouse. The present site was donated in 1900 and the church finished in 1904.
The pulpit, baptismal font and beautiful altar were carved and inlaid by some of the early members using old country skills. There is a finely detailed painted wood screen at ceiling height separating the chancel from the rest of the church.
Inscribed on the altar is the biblical phrase in Norweigian "Kommer hid til mig, Alle" (Come unto me, all).

St Paul's Catholic Church

Built in 1868 on the Swinomish Indian reservation at LaConner, Washington. Skagit county.
The first Catholic services attended by the Swinomish Tribes were in 1840 on Whidbey Island.
The first church was a structure of poles with a roof of mats. Outside hung a bell which rang the day the Point Elliot Treaty (between the US and several NW Washington Tribes) was signed in 1855. The bell hangs in the present church.

Little church

This sweet little church is in the community of Van Zandt. Today it is The Church of the Nazarene. I believe it started out as a Methodist Church.

Turn of the century church

This is St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in the little mountain town of Cle Elum

How green is my valley

Well maybe not valley but this green church is in Cle Elum in the mountains. It has no name that I can see and no denomination, but it does have a cross. Maybe it is used for the Marines. Who knows! But I liked it and it is Green

Central Synagogue

of Bet HaKerem. Sent to me by Friend Dina in Jerusalem,

St. Catherines

This is St. Catherines Catholic Church in Concrete, Wa. It was built in the early 1900s and is still in use today.

Worn but still working

This is St. James Episcpal Church in Sedro Woolley. It was built in 1907 and the top was added in 1965. The church looks like it needs a little TLC but it is still a gathering place. MB

Old Church

This is an United Methodist Church built at the turn of the 20th century. It is in Coupeville on Whidbey Island.

St. Mary's

St. Mary's Catholic Church in coupeville on whidbey Island was built in 1890

Church and Cemetary

This is the Old Leacock Presbyterian Church and cemetary in Lancaster. Pa. Sent to me by Photobugs. Thank you. MB
Click on pic to enlarge and see details.

Russion Orthodox Church

My friend sent me these pics from Wilkeson, Washington. This is Holy Trinity church in the small mining town of Wilkeson, Wa. The oldest Orthodox parish in the Northwest.

Anglican Church

At the top of a hill in Holland Landing, the westernmost community in EG, stands this lovely country church built in 1843. It’s surrounded on three sides by a cemetery, headstones attesting to both the short and long lifespan of its early parishioners.
Sent to me by a blogger friend in East Gwillimbury Canada. Thank you. MB

Catholic church

St. Michaels's Roman Catholic Church in Greensboro Bend, Vermont sent to me by Andree of Barton Vermont.

Chilly Church

With a heartwarming message.
This is St. Theresa's Roman Catholic Church in Vermont. It is beautiful.

12th century Church

This Romanesque Church is in the village of Jujols situated 3200ft high in the Canigou Mt. Range dates to the 12th century