Wednesday, July 26, 2006

A New Church in WV...And It Looks Like a Church


Larger images are available at the website below.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Four hundred tons of steel.

Roughly 12 miles of wiring for telephones and computers.

The exterior is strengthened with 350,000 bricks, the roof is covered with 66,000 pieces of slate and there are 100 stained-glass windows.

The altar, fabricated in Italy, is made of Botticino marble and the church is expected to have numerous statues carved by craftsmen in Peru.

If you haven't been able to guess what this new Charles Town landmark is, it is the St. James Catholic Church that now rises predominantly in the western edge of the city's skyline along W.Va. 9.

About two years in the works, the new church - believed to be the biggest Catholic church in West Virginia - was built to give a new home to the church's growing congregation, which stands at about 3,400.



A church which doesn't look like a warehouse, a gymnasium, a theatre, or a barn - what a relief, and what an inspiration...the parishioners of St. James are blessed. Here is a look at the exterior based on an artist's rendering:

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