Since we left you last month with “One More Saloon Please,” it seems appropriate to focus on a more sobering subject like Grace Cathedral. However, before leaving the topic of saloons, please allow me to share this pic with important words from The Tonight Show host and philosopher Johnny Carson.
Grace Church, the ancestral parish of Grace Cathedral, was founded in 1849 and consumed by a fire caused by the 1906 earthquake. The family of William Crocker subsequently donated Grace Cathedral’s present Nob Hill site for the rebuild. Construction began around 1910. The present structure was completed in 1964, with Hathaway Dinwiddie as the General Contractor. Hathaway was also the GC for the Transamerica building (completed in 1972).
In addition to being an impressive gothic structure in and of itself, the Cathedral has two labyrinths: one indoor (shown below) and one outdoor. The Grace Cathedral (indoor) labyrinth – which is based on a famous medieval labyrinth that was laid ca. 1220 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres in France – is an archetype, a divine imprint, found in all religions in various forms around the world. By walking a replica of the Chartres labyrinth, one may experience a relaxation response, i.e. reduced stress in the form of slower breathing/heart rate and lower blood pressure.
Although well known as a pillar of religious services, the Cathedral hosts music, dance, dining, and other events. Though I had passed the Cathedral hundreds of times, I had never been inside until being invited to a black-tie event honoring Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and actress Ashley Judd of Kentucky.
Of course, there was good food, music, and dancing, but what is imprinted on my mind forever is Ashley Judd towering over Bishop Tutu as they danced the night away, not to mention the spectacular glory of Grace Cathedral itself.
Very sobering indeed!
Ever daydream about what went into buildings you walk by every day (or walked by before Covid)? Check out LISA’s game demo here and see what it’s like to rebuild any building in the world!
