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St. Columba Cathedral bedecked for Christmas
Photo
Elizabeth Elder, 11, of Canfield, left, and her friend Ami Slanina, 10, of Youngstown place ornaments on one of the 13 trees inside St. Columba Cathedral as their parents wrap up Christmas decorating at the church Sunday.
By LINDA M. LINONIS
YOUNGSTOWN
St. Columba Cathedral, the mother church in the Diocese of Youngstown, is bedecked for Christmas and awaits the birth of baby Jesus.
After a decorating session involving 22 volunteers Sunday, the cathedral is a glittering vision of white, gold and crystal with accents of red.
Laura and Tim Elder and Chrissy and Mike Slanina, church members, coordinated the effort that has been weeks in the planning. Laura Elder, parish council chairwoman, said the committee met in November and this month to formulate plans.
But, she admitted, plans were somewhat abstract until the decorators actually started positioning trees and poinsettias. The decorations have to be put in place, she said, to see how it all fits together and what adjustments must be made.
Members of the youth ministry, confirmation class and families of the cathedral worked like elves to place and decorate 13 Christmas trees, which range in height from 7 to 13 feet.
Elder said churchgoers will be greeted by two trees in the vestibule. Purple and blue decorations dominant one, while the other, in white and gold, gives a hint of the nave decor.
“We’re using a lot of white poinsettias, gold balls and crystal icicles,” Elder said. “All of the trees will have gold bows.”
Hanging baskets of red poinsettias will lead to the altar, where the traditional plant of Christmas is a mix of red and white.
Elder said some 50 poinsettias highlight the area around the altar and there are 18 hanging plants.
“We have a vision and hope it becomes reality,” Elder said of the decorating plan. “We want a classic look done simply.”
The challenge is proportioning decorations to complement a nave measuring 102 feet in length and 65 feet in height and 49 feet from column to column. “The vastness of the space is the challenge,” Elder said.
The Christmas scene is completed by the manger. Elder said she believed the “massive” set came from Italy. “It’s a key component,” she said of the pieces that measure about 24 inches in height.
On Christmas Eve, children from the church will process in, carrying baby Jesus, Elder said. She said other pieces are added as the Christmas season progresses. The Three Wise Men appear at the time of Epiphany.
Christmas Eve Masses will be at 4 and 6 p.m. and a prelude of carols will be at 11:30 p.m. before midnight Mass. Christmas Day Mass will be at 10:30 a.m.