The Cathedral of All Saints has some of the most breathtaking architecture you’ll see in Albany.
Every block of stone and stained glass window has been handcrafted down to the finest detail.
The Cathedral of All Saints opened in 1888 and began fundraising for their multi-year project that will work to restore issues on the outside and interior of the building.
The project will be completed in stages, with a goal of finishing in 2025, but craftsmanship this intricate comes at a substantial price.
The cathedral still has many of the same architectural designs from its early days, but the building is beginning to show its age.
“This is a perfect example of the kind of deterioration that comes from efflorescence, you can see there’s a stone molding up across here and you can see what it’s like when it’s not deteriorating and up here you can see how much it’s facing apart,” Roger Murman, head of the building committee said while pointing at the walls.
Murman is the head of the building committee for the cathedral. With decades of experience in the construction and renovation of buildings, he can easily point out the deterioration that affects the walls and even the ceiling of the building.
Murman says the cost of these projects is quickly adding up.
“We have a small endowment, but it’s not enough to deal with the issues we have to face in a building this old and this complex,” Murman said.
The cathedral has recently announced its campaign to restore the building.
The first round of projects has an estimated cost of over $400,000.
They’ve begun asking their members as well as the community for donations to begin these projects.
“The scale of what’s needed to maintain this legacy building is beyond the capacity of a small congregation,” Leander Harding, dean of the Cathedral of All Saints, said. “We’re asking for the help of the community to help us maintain this treasure as a resource for the whole community.”
As Harding pointed out the history of this 134-year-old building, he said the only phrase to describe it is a “sermon of stone.”
“You can’t put your eyes anywhere in this cathedral without having that story told to you,” Harding said. “As a whole building and in each and every part is preaching the good news of God’s love for us made known in Jesus Christ.”
Through donations from the community, Harding hopes the legacy of this Gothic-inspired architectural masterpiece will continue to grow.
“It’s a treasure that belongs to the shoe community, and really it’s a treasure that belongs to the whole country,” Harding said. “We want all the help we can get to hand this on intact to the coming generations.”
Website: cathedralofallsaints.org.
