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Are cathedrals twins or not? Catholics in the Albany Diocese who watch TV coverage of this week's World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, might do a double-take when that city's twin-spired cathedral is shown: The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Albany looks a lot like it. For decades, it has been said that Patrick John Keely, the architect of the Albany cathedral, matched it to the Cologne church at the behest of the Diocese's first bishop, John McCloskey. But is that fact or fiction? Bishop's dream According to the "Centenary History of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception," published in 1952, Bishop McCloskey "dreamed of a replica of the lordly Cathedral of Cologne." However, Kevin O'Connor, who is researching the history of Albany's Cathedral, doubts that claim. "I could find no evidence of such a connection," he told The Evangelist. "I think that story was based on hearsay and not historical fact." Was he there? According to diocesan stories, Bishop McCloskey either visited or studied in Germany at some point, was impressed by the Cologne structure and directed Mr. Keely to copy it. However, a search of Bishop McCloskey's files in the diocesan archives turned up no evidence that he studied in Germany. After his ordination as a priest, he studied in Rome (1835-'37) and could have traveled to Cologne at that time, which would have been 10-12 years before he became bishop of Albany. But, Mr. O'Connor said, "there is no documentation that I could find that indicates that [he] had Albany's cathedral designed to look like the one in Cologne." Window on history? One of the stained-glass windows in Albany's cathedral is the St. Ursula window, and she is the patroness of Cologne, Germany. Is that just a coincidence? The window was placed in the spring of 1892, along with seven other windows. According to Mr. O'Connor, Bishop Francis McNeirny, Albany's third bishop, chose the saints to be included. "Again, there is no documentation of [why] St. Ursula [is] there," Mr. O'Connor said. "Why he chose those particular saints, we do not know." History or stories? Mr. O'Connor believes that the stories surrounding the churches' resemblance are just that: stories. As proof, he pointed out some differences in the two buildings. "Our cathedral was built with towers, but no spires. They were added later," he explained. "The Cologne cathedral was originally just a choir; it had no naves. Its towers are identical, where our cathedral towers are not." Connection However, there is a connection between Albany and Cologne that has nothing to do with cathedrals. Rev. Theodor Noethen, a German missionary, came to the Albany Diocese from Cologne in the 1840s to serve as a circuit-riding priest for German immigrants. They had already established Holy Cross parish in Albany; shortly after Father Noethen arrived, they built their first church. According to Mr. O'Connor, that church "was modeled after a famous church in Cologne, Germany." And that's a fact. (The Cologne cathedral houses what are said to be the ashes of the three kings who followed the star to Bethlehem and laid their gifts at Jesus' manger. The Sarcophagus of the Magi is the largest reliquary in the world. It is said that the relics of the wise men were brought to Cologne from Milan, Italy, in 1146.) (8/18/05) |