The Construction of the Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica
The construction of the Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica was completed in 1905 . . . or was it? Unfortunately, due to a lack of funds, the front spires, which were a part of the original design of the church, were never installed—meaning it would be another ninety-four years before construction the Basilica was truly complete.
In conjunction with the sesquicentennial of the founding of Saint Vincent Archabbey and College, a major interior and exterior restoration of the Basilica began in 1996. The culmination of that restoration was the long-awaited installation of the spires upon the front towers of the church, along with the placement of three large bells within the north tower. It was a dream come true for Right Reverend Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., who was the Archabbot and Chancellor of Saint Vincent during the restoration project.
The spires are fifty-five feet high and are each capped with a ten-foot cross that increases the total height of the Basilica to a towering 185 feet. The bells in the north tower are programmed to ring throughout the day, adding a sound to the Saint Vincent campus that had been absent since the fire of 1963 destroyed the original bell tower, which was located in the center of campus and had been a fixture in the community since 1872.
Upon completion of the spires, Archabbot Douglas ascended high above the campus on September 15, 1999, via an open carriage attached to the arm of a 200-foot crane from which he blessed the crosses atop the spires. From his lofty position, he waved to the students, faculty, administrators, and monks below who were present for the historic occasion. In commenting about the project, Archabbot Douglas said, “The spires suggest that we reach up to God in worship and pray that God will be with us in our work. Their height will provide a dramatic visual addition to the campus skyline and will further enhance the architectural dominance of the Basilica at the forefront of Saint Vincent. Our hope is that the appearance of the spires and the peal of the bells will also express our Benedictine tradition of hospitality to the thousands of people we welcome to Saint Vincent each year.”