St. Francis Cathedral's Extreme Makeover
Santa Fe’s most photographed landmark, the iconic Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, has been hidden from view for almost a year, undergoing a major restoration that began in March 2008. Come spring, when its “bandages” are removed, the venerable building will have been restored to its original beauty, right down to the foundation. The unveiling kicks off a yearlong celebration of the church’s—and the city’s—400th anniversary. The restoration came just in time. “Santa Fe’s freezes and thaws had caused the stones to granulate,” says the cathedral rector, Jerome Martinez y Alire. When three-inch cracks were found in the towers’ stonework, the building’s condition became an emergency. Toward the end of 2008, workmen discovered that the 400-pound cross atop the cathedral was teetering on a few inches of granulated stone, poised for a potentially deadly fall. Abstract Masonry Restoration, of Salt Lake City, is in charge of the painstaking and expensive renovation of the building’s exterior and infrastructure. While exterior work was in progress, equally painstaking work was being done on the cathedral’s stenciled ceiling and arch details, which had been darkened almost to invisibility by years of candle smoke and incense. Artist John Alan Walford, of Phoenix-based John Alan Design, repainted the ceiling with its original vibrant colors, assisted by a troop of volunteers. It’s not just about making old look new—special additions are planned, too. At the request of Michael J. Sheehan, Archbishop of Santa Fe, the south tower will house four new bells, the largest of which weighs 3,000 pounds and rings electronically. On May 31, the archbishop will baptize and christen the bells with female saints’ names: Sofia, Theresa, Mercedes, and Katharine. Among other celebratory events set for this year, a documentary tracing the cathedral’s history in New Mexico, produced by Anthony Martinez, premieres July 22 at the Lensic. Invitations were sent to King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain, as well as to President Barack Obama, and the festivities run through August 2010.
