Looking at DC Project: The Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle

by Maya S.

Introduction

For many visitors of Washington, DC, the churches that most claim attention are usually the National Cathedral, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, or St. John’s Episcopal Church, all of which are widely known for having deep ties to American politics. One lesser known but equally impressive church is the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, located just off Connecticut Avenue near Dupont Circle. In the one hundred and eighty-one years since its founding, the Cathedral has been the site of culturally significant events for both the Catholic church and the political world. Given that Saint Matthew, the saint for which the Cathedral is named for, is the patron saint of civil servants, it is fitting that patrons of the Cathedral continue to include U.S. presidents, members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, and foreign ambassadors.

History of the Cathedral The Cathedral of St. Matthew was established as a local church in Washington, DC in 1840. At the time of its establishment, the church was only the fourth parish in the city; this was largely due to the small population of Catholics in DC, as compared to other Northeastern cities. Some scholars go so far as to say that Catholics were a “negligible presence in the city” until the mid-to-late 1900s (Millies).

Thus, it was not until nearly a hundred years after its founding that the church was designated a cathedral in 1939. The establishment of the Archdiocese of Washington in 1939 — a consequence of the slowly but steadily growing population of Catholics in the city — led the Cathedral to become its official church, or “mother church,” and it continues to be the church where the Archbishop of Washington’s seat is located.

Architecture & Design

Though it is currently located just off Connecticut Avenue at 1725 Rhode Island Ave NW, the Cathedral of St. Matthew was originally located at the intersection of H St. and 15th St. Construction on the present church began in 1893, under the direction of the architecture firm Heins & LaFarge. One of the firm’s partners, Christopher Grant LaFarge, took the lead in designing the Cathedral as well as many other renowned churches around America. The Cathedral of St. Matthew is built in the shape of a cross, measuring 155 feet long and 136 feet wide; a massive dome erects from the “center” of the cross, rising 190 feet. In designing the Cathedral, LaFarge drew inspiration from the architectural styles of Romanesque Revival and Byzantine. Romanesque Revival influences can be seen in the many archways and columns that punctuate the interior walls of the Cathedral. Likewise, the Byzantine elements of the Cathedral’s design include the central dome and most especially, the frescoes and mosaics inlaid throughout the interior walls, ceiling, and around the altar. The frescoes and mosaics depict scenes from St. Matthew’s life, and these detailed, vibrantly-colored scenes are often the aesthetic feature that most resonates with those who visit the Cathedral. The Cathedral was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Contemporary Significance

Because the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle is the “official” cathedral for the Archdiocese of Washington, it attracts many public figures from both the Catholic Church and U.S. politics. As of 2021, the Cathedral has had three papal visits, one by Pope St. John Paul II in 1979, Pope Benedict XVI in 2008, most recently by Pope Francis in 2015. Another notable visitor of the Cathedral was St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) in 1974. In addition to attracting members of the wider Catholic community, the Cathedral has hosted many U.S. presidents, Supreme Court justices, members of congress, dignitaries, and ambassadors. Perhaps the most famous event at the Cathedral of St. Matthew was President John F. Kennedy’s funeral in 1963, which drew national attention to the Cathedral as the funeral site for the nation’s first Catholic president. Today, the place where President Kennedy’s coffin was laid within the Cathedral is marked by a marble plaque, which is located near the altar.

Kennedy Coffin Decades later, the Cathedral of St. Matthew continues to be a place for political figures to gather and partake in Catholic masses. Oftentimes, this means setting aside political differences to engage in a bipartisan activity. Our second Catholic president, Joe Biden, chose the Cathedral as the site for his pre-inauguration mass on January 20th, 2021, and invited both the majority and minority leaders from the House and Senate to attend. Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Shumer, Mitch McConnell, and Kevin McCarthy accepted, and together they celebrated mass at the Cathedral.

The most well-known bipartisan event at the Cathedral, however, is the annual Red Mass. Red Masses are held at Catholic churches throughout the world, and their purpose is “to invoke God’s blessings on those responsible for the administration of justice” (John Carroll Society, 2021). Among their attendees are judges, lawyers, politicians, law professors, and law students. The Red Mass has been held at the Cathedral of St. Matthew annually since 1953, and continues to be sponsored by the John Carroll Society, a Catholic organization headquartered in DC. The majority of Supreme Court justices have been Catholic since Samuel Alito was appointed in 2006 — a majority which was further cemented with the recent appointments of Justices Gorsuch, Kavanuagh, and Barrett — and as such, the Cathedral’s Red Mass continues to count many justices among its patrons. In 2005, the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg described that “the justices get invitations from the Cardinal to attend [the Red Mass]. And a good number of the justices show up every year” (excerpt from Abigail Pogrebin’s Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish 2005). While Ginsberg stopped attending the Red Mass (citing her disagreement with Catholic values on the sanctity of life), other justices who are not Catholic, such as Stephen Breyer, regularly attend the mass. The Red Mass’s purpose of providing guidance and prayer to those in the legal profession is underscored by the fact that the Cathedral always holds it on the first Monday of October, when the Supreme Court begins its new term.

Conclusion

Though the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle was founded to be a local neighborhood church for what was, at the time, a comparatively small population of Catholics in Washington, DC, it has since transformed into a renowned cathedral that is known around the world for merging the Catholic community with American politics. Bipartisan events, such as the annual Red Mass, presidential pre-inauguration masses, and visits from notable political figures have established the Cathedral as a place where partisan politics are set aside in favor of faith and community. The Cathedral continues to be a popular place of worship for what is now a sizable parish community, Catholics visiting the city from other parts of the country, and tourists who are interested in its impressive architecture and history.

Location

The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle is located at: 1725 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington DC 20036.

Map

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