Christ Church Cathedral, Cincinnati

Christ Church was founded in 1817 by early settlers of Cincinnati including William Henry Harrison (who became the ninth president of the United States). In 1820, the church was formally incorporated in the State of Ohio. In 1835, the church moved to its present location at 318 East Fourth Street. The red-brick structure of 1835 was modeled after St. Dunstan’s of Stepney, London. The Gothic Revival-style Parish House was built in 1907, which today provides office space, rooms for classes and meetings, a gymnasium, the cathedral library and the cathedral shop. The Centennial Chapel, located north of the present cathedral, was erected in 1917 to commemorate the church’s centennial anniversary, and provides a setting for smaller worship services and concerts as well as a still space for individual prayer and meditation. The 1835 building, deemed unsafe, was replaced in 1957 with the current building, designed in a bold modern style by David Briggs Maxfield. Although it incorporates features such as the stained glass windows from the original 1835 church, the building is in stark contrast to the older buildings in the cathedral complex. It was extensively remodeled several times in the 1980s, 1980s, and 2020s. On Palm Sunday 1993, Christ Church was consecrated the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, succeeding the former St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral, Cincinnati.

In addition to its commitment to social justice ministries, Christ Church has a long history of excellence in music. Former directors of music include such luminaries as Parvin Titus and Gerre Hancock. The current music program consists of a rich liturgical life rooted in the Anglican choral tradition and a concert series that presents 50-60 performances each season. The annual Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival featuring choir, orchestra, and large costumed cast, is a beloved Cincinnati tradition. Christ Church is also known for its world-class musical instruments. In 2010, the cathedral purchased a Juget-Sinclair continuo organ (I/4) and two-manual Dowd harpsichord. In 2018, the ailing Holtkamp organ in Centennial Chapel was replaced with C. B. Fisk Opus 148 (II/22), an Italian-inspired instrument in modified meantone temperament with a human winding option. In 2021, the Holtkamp in the cathedral itself, also ailing, was replaced with Richards, Fowkes & Co. Opus 24 (III/59).