To Symbolize Our Christian Faith and Christian Love: First Sermon in the Cathedral of Saint Paul
Hail, thou, Cathedral of Saint Paul! With joyous acclaim of soul, with hearts aglow of love and gratitude we salute thee.
Archbishop John Ireland
Born in County Kilkenny, the Most Rev. John Ireland was ordained a priest in 1861 and served as a chaplain during the Civil War. He was ordained bishop in 1875, and in 1904 Ireland secured land for a new cathedral on Summit Hill, the highest point in downtown Saint Paul. The cathedral was mostly completed in 1915, three years before the death of Archbishop Ireland.