About the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist:
There are several chapels, numerous statues, murals, and shrines for pilgrims to explore; on the side walls of the Mary Chapel are three side shrines: on the West wall is the shrine of the Christ Child. On the east wall are the shrines of St. Joseph and St Ann.
High on the west wall of the chapel, are statues of St. Pius X, and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first naturalized American citizen to be named a Saint of the Church. These two Saints were known personally to the late Archbishop Hoban. It was his wish to honor them in the reconstruction of the Cathedral.
One of the most interesting things about the Cathedral lies in the Resurrection Chapel. Underneath the altar of the chapel you will find the relics of Saint Christine, the first female saint to have her relics transferred to the U.S. and only the second set of complete relics given to a U.S. Diocese by the Vatican ( the other is that of Saint Datian in New York City).
Little is known about this saint, who tradition says that she was a young girl who died for her faith in Rome around 300 AD. Her body was buried in the Catacombs of St. Pontanius on the outskirts of Rome, which actually were not discovered until the 18th century. All the bodies in this catacomb were then transferred to the Vatican.
The relics were presented to Archbishop Schrembs in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. Her entire skeleton is shown, along with a small vial of her blood (now dried to powder).
Visiting the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland:
Address: 1007 Superior Avenue E , Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2582
Tel: (216) 771-6666
email: stjohns@dioceseofcleveland.org
Click here for the official website of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland
