Architecture
Cathedral of St John the Evangelist
St John's was designed by the early-Boise architectural firm of Tourtellotte & Hummel in the Romanesque style, particularly using the German cathedral of Mainz as a model and is the largest church of its type in Idaho. It is built in a cruciform plan, or the building is shaped like a cross, and measures 170 feet from front rear, 95 feet across the transcepts and 65 feet across the nave. The exterior walls are Boise Sandstone from the Tablerock quarry east of the city.

The main entry facade has two corner towers and a large rose window of stained glass. The towers and the nave have large round-arched windows. The corner towers were designed to have tall spires similar to the spire seen at the roof crossing of the nave and transepts, but the front towers were never completed. The transcept windows have three sections contained in a larger arched opening. A continuous band of small projecting arches called "corbels" crosses the facade and extends around the cathedral at the junction of the walls and roof uniting the entire building. A center gable rises above the main entry with a statue of St John the Evangelist adorning the peak.

The interior borrows freely from classical and baroque traditions. The plaster walls and painted acoustical canvas and plaster ceiling contains fine paintings, and cast plaster ornamentation further enhances the interior body.

Perhaps some the most impressive features of St John's are the multitude of stained glass windows seen most clearly from inside of the Cathedral. The life of Christ is depicted on the right, or North, side of the nave beginning with the Annunciation. This continues on the left, or South, side under the choir loft, with Christ and the rich young ruler, and concludes with the Resurrection.

The large North transept window is of the Epiphany and the Adoration of the Magi. St Alphonsus, and St Teresa of Avila can be seen in the smaller windows here. The South transept portrays the Ascension as viewed by the 11 apostles as well as St Patrick and St Rita notable in the smaller windows.

On the North side of the sanctuary is St Joseph, with the Blessed Virgin Mary on the South Side. Above the high altar in the apse are the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary with St Matthew, St Mark, St Luke, and St John flanking them. St Cecilia surrounded by angelic musicians is the subject of the wheel window above the organ. St Cecilia, know as the patron saint of music, was born in the third century. Many of these spectacular stained glass windows were gifts of local parishioners and friends. Most were installed in 1920, with the exception of the Holy Spirit window directly above the high altar which was added during the 1979 restoration of the Cathedral, completing the original plan for this window.

Since the dedication of St John's in 1921, the interior had been cleaned only once in 1952, although an exterior restoration was carried out in the 1960's. In the spring of 1977, consideration was given by a parish committee to the need for a total renovation. A thorough cleaning and repair of the stained glass windows as well as rearrangement of the altar and pew seating for proper celebration of the liturgy was considered. An architechtural study as well as a study of church doctrine regarding liturgical requirements was undertaken before the work was begun. The results of many hours of planning, discussion, and consultation among parish people, professionals, and the Bishop are reflected in what you see today.

Much attention was paid to re-use of original ecclesiastical articles during the restoration process. The central marble altar, now located at the intersection of the transepts and the nave, was fashioned from the fronts of the two previous side altars. Seating was brought closer to the altar as a sign of unity of the people sharing the Eucharistic meal. The baptismal font was redesigned as a pool of living water located near the sanctuary. Near the font is a repository containing urns of oils consecrated by the Bishop for use throughout the diocese. The base upon which the Holy Oils sit is the former baptismal font. The South transept area contains the tabernacle for the consecrated hosts. The marble canopy over the tabernacle is the original canopy relocated from the former main altar. Also noteworthy here is the brass and copper sanctuary lamp -- polished, restored, and re-hung in this place of reverence. The restoration and renovation work now completed was under the direction of the project architect, the grandson and namesake of the original architect, Charles F Hummel. The cathedral was rededicated in October of 1979.

St John the Evangelist Cathedral received an Orchid Award in 1981 from the Idaho Historic Preservation Council for outstanding work in restoration and is also on the National Register of Historic Places. We hope you enjoy and appreciate our Cathedral as a very special place to worship.