Guardian Angel Cathedral
N 36° 07.834 W 115° 09.835
11S E 665217 N 3999991
The Guardian Angel Cathedral is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, and is the seat of the bishop of the Diocese of Las Vegas.
Waymark Code: WM3JE2
Location: Nevada, United States
Date Posted: 04/11/2008
Views: 42
The following history of the cathedral is posted on the
University of Las Vegas website:
"The Guardian Angel Cathedral designed by famed architect Paul R. Williams (La Concha Las Vegas and the LAX Theme Building) in 1963 is unique not only for its magnificent gambling theme stain glass windows, mosaics, mural and architectural design, but also in its origin and history."
"Back in the 1950s, before Vatican II, there were no Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon masses. So one of the managers at the Stardust and Desert Inn requested that the local diocese offer a 4:30 AM mass for his Catholic "graveyard workers:" the cooks, bartenders, waiters and musicians, closer to the strip. So for awhile mass was held in a lounge at the Royal Nevada Hotel (next door to the Stardust) then it moved to a showroom at the Stardust Hotel after the last show. The other Catholic church across town had literally been built on a dump was eventually razed."
"Then in 1961 Las Vegas financial legend and mob friend Moe Dalitz donated land for a new Strip Cathedral. A world class architect was hired to build a church that would hold over 1000 visitors. A gigantic mosaic of the Guardian Angel was designed by Edith Piczek on the front façade. The interior stained glass, mosaics and mural are the work of Isabel Piczek. In 1969 a custom-built, largest and most expensive liturgical organ in the State of Nevada was installed."