Dedication Mass held for new Raleigh cathedral
RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) -- A dedication Mass for the Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh was celebrated on Wednesday afternoon.
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The cathedral will seat about 2,000 people and was built in response to the growth of the Catholic community within the 54 counties in the Diocese of Raleigh.
"Now with having over 500,000 Catholics, we need a larger home," said Rev. Monsignor David Brockman, Vicar General for the Diocese of Raleigh. "The family has grown, and so, how exciting that we can have a home here."
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The number of Catholics in the diocese has more than doubled from just seven years ago, according to numbers provided from the diocese.
Newly-named Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama attended the dedication, as was former Bishop Michael Burbidge, who is now with the Diocese of Arlington, and played a pivotal role in making the cathedral a reality.
The project, which broke ground in January of 2015, cost $45.7 million and is completely funded, meaning there is no mortgage on the cathedral. It was originally scheduled to cost $41.2 million.
There is symbolism behind almost every aspect of the cathedral.
It features intricate stained glass windows, made of hand-blown glass, shiny wooden pews with material sourced from North Carolina and an ornate altar surrounded by marble.
