An Act of Congress, a Rector, and America’s ‘Great Church’

L’Enfant had a grand vision for the capital city, which included something not mentioned by Jefferson—”a great church for national purposes.” Unfortunately for L’Enfant, the Residence Act of 1790 required three commissioners to oversee the design and construction of the new federal city. The conflict with the commissioners would be L’Enfant’s undoing, and he resigned in 1792. Much of the L’Enfant Plan would not be realized until more than a century later when the Senate assembled architects and city planners to form the McMillan Commission.
Satterlee had been a rector for nearly 30 years. He began his ministerial career in 1865 at Zion Church in Wappingers Falls, just north of New York City. In 1882, he became rector for Manhattan’s Calvary Church, the same church where he had been rebaptized nearly 20 years prior. The minister had proven himself to be effective in growing both parishes, engaging the local communities in volunteering, publishing material, and raising money. His tireless efforts did not go unnoticed by the local dioceses.
When the Washington diocese was created and held its first Episcopal Church Convention on Dec. 4, 1895, it needed a bishop: Satterlee wasn’t even on the list of candidates. After several ballots and no two-thirds majority winner, Satterlee’s name was thrown into the mix. After 11 ballots, Satterlee was chosen as bishop of Washington.
The design of the church was important, but what was more important was raising funds to build the cathedral. He spent the next 12 years, while still performing his traditional duties, promoting the cathedral and raising money for its construction. Money slowly came in. In 1903, Satterlee purchased 57 acres on Mount Saint Alban located just north of Georgetown.
Bodley, despite nearing 80 years old, heartily agreed to design the American cathedral. Now, it came down to the Committee agreeing to a Gothic-style architect from England taking the lead. Satterlee returned to Washington in August, and after several meetings with the Committee, it presented the idea of Bodley and Vaughan to the Cathedral Chapter on Oct. 10, 1906. After a one-hour discussion, Bodley and Vaughan were chosen. By Nov. 21, Bodley was on a ship for America. On Dec. 1, after a thorough presentation by Bodley and Vaughan to the Chapter, it was agreed the architectural style would be Gothic.
The design was for a Latin cross-shaped cathedral with a baptistery in the shape of an octagon to the south and a polygonal choir. The central tower would be 220 feet high. The tower became the highest point in Washington. Stones were sourced from various sacred spaces, including Glastonbury Abbey, Canterbury Cathedral, and Jerusalem.
It was during this week in history, on Sept. 29, 1907, that construction began on the cathedral with the laying of the cornerstone by President Theodore Roosevelt during a grand ceremony. The cornerstone was no regular stone. Part of it had been sourced from Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ. On the stone was the inscription: “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”
Satterlee reflected on the previous 12 years, writing in his diary, “This sequence of events is remarkable, so much so that it must have been providential, and I can only marvel at God’s leading.”
There was another providential aspect. Bodley had lived just long enough to see the cathedral’s design created and implemented, and therefore leave his mark on the American continent. He died Oct. 21, 1907. Furthermore, Satterlee, in another nod to providence, lived long enough to raise the funds, find the architects, and witness the beginning of construction before he died a few months after Bodley, on Feb. 22, 1908.
Vaughan became the lead architect, overseeing the construction of Bethlehem Chapel, St. Mary’s Chapel, the bishop’s residence, the choir, and the sanctuary. He died on June 30, 1917.
From the moment the cornerstone was laid, it would take 83 years and approximately $65 million (all from donations) to complete what would become the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul—the sixth largest cathedral in the world and the second largest in America. It was also during this week in history, on Sept. 29, 1990, that the final stone, a ceremony overseen by President George H.W. Bush, was laid.
The vision set forth 200 years prior by a French architect (and Revolutionary War hero), assumed by an American bishop, and designed by a British architect, was finally finished. And it maintains that initial mission to be ”a great church for national purposes.”
Although the technical name of the church is the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, it is most commonly referred to as the Washington National Cathedral