In Kailua-Kona, after United canceled the first daytime flight, I was booked onto a redeye. Once aboard UA1147, my Economy Plus (longer leg room) wasn’t available and I was seated in 36D in steerage. Too cramped and crowded, there was no way I’d get any sleep. Our arrival in LAX at 7:30 was on time. Off the plane eventually, I still had to walk and walk to get to the carousel and then wait on luggage. Deciding to take a Lyft to my hotel, I had to ride a convenience shuttle to the “hired car” lot, and then spotted my driver. A good guy, steady and careful driver with good communication skills, we arrived at the Holiday Lodge at 9am.
Assigned to room 232, I carried my two bags up the single flight of stairs. Plenty of floor space, I opened the bags up and set up my toiletries. After a shower, I took a 2-hour nap, rising just about noon. [During my 2016 transcontinental relocation, I had visited 4 "SoCal" cathedrals: Burbank, Alhambra and San Bernadino.] My plans for Monday were to walk and use public transit to visit the five cathedrals (of 19 I identified for greater LA which I hadn't cisited) which were closest. With a route preplanned, I headed out West Third Street in the direction of downtown Los Angeles.
Google Maps had me walk on the west side of the 110, passing under it at First Street before taking Dewap to W Temple Street. Thus I approached from the northwest to the back of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. I’d spotted the separate bell tower first, not realizing that the big, boxy block of a building was the Roamn Catholic cathedral for the Los Angeles archdiocese.
No spires, no crosses, not a stained-glass window visible on the exterior, I was surprised when I’d passed the building to find I’d have to climb steps to the plaza from the entrance’s southeast corner. Research found that the design avoided right angles when built 1999-2002. From the empty plaza, a darkened glass box with a cross hung out over the front of the red sandstone-covered façade, harkening to the color of the original adobe missions.
As I entered the building, I’d been prepared to catch the end of daily Mass, but the priest was leaving the sanctuary as I turned the corner. I chatted briefly with a sister, who was preparing to assist her older convent-mates to return for lunch. She suggested that I visit the lower level once I’d explored the nave. In front of us, as we were sitting in raked seats to the side of the altar, the red marble table was square and very large. The wood cathedra was beyond the altar, raised two steps, Behind the altar was a mural of the Virgin Mary as she was assumed into Heaven. To our right were the exposed organ pipes which the organist had used for the postlude – I was pleasantly surprised it was a transcription of Britten’s Young People’s Guide to the Orchestra.
Out into the nave, a wide central aisle of polished marble extended to the distant rear, with fixed wooden pews under the many chandeliers lighting the space. Panels forming murals depicting penitents line the nave walls below slot windows of alabaster. In the rear, a large black marble octagon was the baptismal font. Interestingly, the Stations were mosaics, and were placed at the rear of the nave. In the side space behind the walls of the nave were a reredos and an altarpiece, both antiques from older churches. On the opposite side, framed paintings of the California missions were displayed.
Downstairs I found a chapel, another set of Stations, the crypt of Saint Vibiana, the columbarium and several stained-glass windows. It was all very shiny and clean, but void of people. I came upstirs and visited the chapel to Our Lady of Guadalupe. I sought the Presence, without success.
Exiting out to the plaza, a group of adolescents were on a school trip, and seemingly had a break. I left the enclave of the cathedral and continued down Temple Street to N Main Street. A landmark, the LA Times building was along my route. At the corner of Second Street was the ex-Cathedral of Saint Vibiana. This is the original Los Angeles cathedral, built in 1886 and shuttered after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Since refurbished, it was closed; it would open at 5pm for Mass.
Next on my tour was the Episcopal cathedral. Located 2.7 miles southwest mostly along Main Street, I opted to get a Metro card and ride public transit rather than walk for a hour in the bright, warm sunshine. I boarded at the “Historic Broadway” station. Riding the J Line, I was exiting and walking to W Adams Street in 20 minutes. St John’s Episcopal Cathedral is a tall (~5 stories) narrow building faced in gray concrete brick. Its single double door opens to the northeast, up 4 steps from the sidewalk.
Closed, I tried the office, but a meeting was in process and I was advised to return at 10am the following morning. [When I had left the Metro, I’d first seen the tower and dome of the St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, which dwarfs St John’s. I fully expected it to be the cathedral!]
The time was 2:30pm and I had two more cathedrals to visit. Taking a westbound bus down Adams, I switched to a northbound bus up Normandie to Pico. Arriving about a half hour later, I stood at the gate on the corner of W 15th Street. Explaining my quest, I was allowed onto the grounds of St Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Facing west, the main entry is bracketed by two green-domed towers, with a larger lantern dome at the crossing. I’d been directed to the office, and Father John was available for 5 minutes (before a meeting) to chaperone my visit to the nave.
We crossed a driveway and entered from the side into the transept arm. My first impulse was to check out the dome, which has the image of Christ with the alpha and omega; the lantern windows were all stained-glass. Opulent, the walls were festooned with gold arches holding more stained-glass. Icons were on the walls and ceiling, with the nave being lit by crystal chandeliers. The sanctuary was guarded by an altar rail, with the iconostasis up three steps. A mural of the Holy Wisdom filled the arch over the sacred space.
Managing a quick photographic survey, Father John and I returned to the office, chatting, before he left for his meeting. Back out to Pico, I rode two more buses before reaching St Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral at a quarter to five. The office allowed me to enter with my visit limited to 10 minutes.
The walls of the nave were off white, but most of the space between the tall narrow stained-glass windows had murals. Over the entry and loft at the rear was a three-panel stained-glass window depicting St Nicholas in the center with the archangels Gabriel and Michael to the sides in a wonderful medley of blues. Opposite, behind a railing, two steps led to the iconostasis of 6 panels. In a corner, the white marble cathedral sat.
Back out to W Third Street after thanking the office staff, I tried for an angled shot of the building, but the setting sun wasn’t going to have it, and the road dropped off too steeply to try for the other side. Realizing that my hotel was just down Third, I decided to walk, hoping to find an upscale dining establishment. Unfortunately, that part of Westlake was mainly take-out, so when I reached the Holiday Lodge I hadn’t found much. After dropping my camera and plugging it in to charge the battery, I went out to the corner and Gus’s Drive In to get dinner. Uninspired, it was a bacon cheeseburger with fries and a salad, and whatever fountain drink I chose. Once I’d updated the journal and finished my meal, I was back in the room and getting some much-needed sleep.
Tuesday I had to be back downtown to rent a car at Avis and meet my driver. After scrambling around the block trying to find a matching address, I descended into a plaza between two hotels, went another level down and found Avis. This prompted the two staff to have to open up, and my driver, Edwin appeared. We got both drivers licenses on the rental, and went in search of the vehicle. Ed took the wheel, as planned, and we set out for the first cathedral.
Through much of February, I’d been in an email dialog with Your Car, Our Driver, a service in Los Angeles. Being unfamiliar with LA and not really enjoyed driving, I figured a driver would find the best routes, and could stay with the car while I visited a church. Josef has a great concept and business, and it really met my requirements.
By 8:30, we were parked behind the Holy Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Cathedral in the Silver Lake district. A single-story, white stucco building with a small gold onion dome topped with a cross, established trees presented a photography challenge. Plus the OCA cathedral wasn’t due to open until 10. I left frustrated with not a great shot.
Our next stop was at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St Vladimir, a pro-cathedral. In the western end of Silver Lake, the church doors open to the south onto Melrose Avenue. The two storied white building is topped by a pair of turquoise domes capped with gold crosses, and the entry façade is trimmed in the same turquoise color. Wooden double doors are up three steps from the sidewalk. St Vladimir’s was also closed.
Not yet 9, we next arrived at Holy Transfiguration Russian Orthodox Cathedral. Closed except for weekends, the grounds were behind a locked fenced gate, so all my shots were from Fernwood Avenue. A white building, many gold cross-bearing onion domes sit on turquoise eaves positioned along the cardinal axes. Ed and I couldn’t see an actual entrance.
It took about a half hour to reach the Armenian Catholic Cathedral of St Gregory the Illuminator on Mountain Street in Glendale. With warm sandstone-colored exterior walls, the two towers and the lantern dome were roofed in dark tile. One of the wooden double doors was open, allowing me to explore. With three aisles, a garnet carpet runs the length of the central aisle. Dark wooden pews are broken by arches supported by columns.
Slabs with carvings in font of the windows shaded the bright California sunlight. The cathedra sat off to the left side, a black leather-padded armchair which looked to be at least a century old. Two smaller chapels flank the central altar with a Marian painting behind.
Another half hour and we arrived at the location of St Anne Melkite Catholic Cathedral. A movie crew was onsite, apparently preparing costumes and makeup. On Moorpark in North Hollywood, the building is surrounded by a white circular arched covered walkway. Its interior walls are filled with murals depicting Bible stories. The church itself was closed, although I did find doors where I could see into the nave. The exterior is off white, and a honeycomb tower rises over the main entry door.
A half hour drive and we were in Sherman Oaks on Sepulveda, at the Proto-Cathedral of St Mary Byzantine Catholic Church. Facing east, the campus is a block deep, with driveway access to the north and south. Belltowers at the front corners are trimmed in blue and capped with gold orthodox crosses on the onion domes. The building’s walls are white, unadorned, with the double entry doors set back into a triple-layered arch capped with a mosaic of Christ the Alpha and Omega. The glass panels in the locked doors allowed me to see into the nave to the rood screen before the sanctuary.
It took forty-five minutes to get to Beverly Hills and Our Lady of Mt Lebanon Catholic Church / St Peter’s Cathedral. Situated on a point at the junction of San Vicente Blvd and Burton Way, the church serves the Maronite (Lebanese) community. Covered in a light peach stucco with white trim, a statue of the Sacred Heart is placed before the entry. I walked around the building, hoping for entry, but not disturbing the homeless person in a wheelchair camped out front. Unfortunately, the church was locked.
Onward to South Park and the Virgin Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Cathedral. This was my first Ethiopian cathedral, so I was hoping that my knowledge would increase. The cathedral had three double doors at the top of thirteen steps, which are behind a tall metal gate. The parking area was also gated close, so my street view of the sand-colored building with mocha trim with the single bell tower on the north corner was as close as I got.
Long Beach was the next destination, and after 45 minutes, we were at All Saints Anglican Cathedral. The northern end of a red brick, multifunction building, the red doors face out to the west to Termino Avenue. A soon-to-be ordained deacon, Ethan, greeted me and was my guide. Red bricks repeat as the nave walls, with a single aisle separating wooden pews. At the east end, the altar is set on a raised circular plinth.
There is some lovely stained-glass, similar to Tiffany Studio windows I’ve seen elsewhere in US churches. It is affiliated with the ACNA sect of Anglican church in the USA and Canada, not associated with the Episcopalian/Church of England church.
Almost an hour later we arrived at the tenth cathedral for the day, and our last. The Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Cathedral. The 605 had taken us to Montebello, and the large parking lot off Lincoln. Clad in a sandstone-colored façade, the peaked bronze cones topped the towers and lantern over the crossing. After walking the perimeter, I approached the office and was allowed inside.
The walls and vault of the nave are off-white, contrasting with the dark wood of the pews. Without having illumination, the church seemed dark, somber. The high altar is white veined marble, while the side chapels are backed with murals of the baptism and transfiguration. The openings in the lantern are filled with stained-glass depicting saints.
Ed drove me back to the Lodge, and I put him into a Lyft to allow him to collect his car at Avis. I made sure to backup my pictures, as I was heading to Dodger Stadium for the game against the Rangers. I caught a bus, expecting a longer ride but noticed all the Dodgers shirts were exiting and jumped off at Sunset and Vin Scully Avenue. Up a long hill and then through a bit of park before walking along massive parking lots. First time there, I had no idea and managed to queue up at one of the lesser used gates. At 5, security began screening us and we then walked through the gates. It was a promo day, and I picked up an XL jersey of #99, pitcher Tom Kelly. With plenty of time to explore, I walked that level, checking out the beer concessions as well as food and merchandise offerings.
Batting practice began for the visiting Rangers, and the seats slowly began to fill. I moved up a level and perused the options before getting a plastic helmet filled with potato waffles and Korean barbecue chicken nuggets. I snagged a beer and headed to my seat. (The stadium is cash-less, and rather expensive.)
The game was a home fan-pleasing rout. The Dodgers went up 3-0 in the first, in the fourth back-to-back home runs with Freeman and Ohtani for 3 more, and 7 more in the sixth. Final score was 15-2. There was a total of 8 home runs, and one double play. The stadium looked about 85-90% full, the crowd was well behaved, and exiting was orderly and simple. I took the same route back, just missing the bus with the next in 45-minutes. I then called for a Lyft and was back in my room by 11pm.
On Wednesday morning, Ed arrived at 8. After I registered his car in the Lodge parking area, we left in the rental for Orange County. Of my list of 19 cathedrals in Greater Los Angeles, the Cathedral Chapel of St Francis by the Sea was the furthest south in Laguna Beach. An American Catholic church, it is not associated with Rome and is situated alongside the local Episcopal church.
Very narrow, the white stucco façade has a red tile roof and a Chi Rho cross in gold and turquoise on the south facing front. A covered wooden walkway on the west side leads back to a door into a narrow nave which was locked. The exterior of a stained-glass window looked interesting. Through a glass window, I was able to framed square stations hung high white walls, and pairs of 2-3 person pews in dark wood.
Having come this far, Ed insisted that we drive through Laguna Beach at bit. A quaint town, the downtown is small and personal. Again, I was able to enjoy Highway 133 through the dunes that connects the town to the interstates 405 and 5. A bit over a half hour later, we were in the city of Orange heading north on Glassell Street. Holy Family Catholic Church, the ex-cathedral for the Diocese of Orange, faces west onto the street. With a large parking area in back, and the school, it occupies most of a large block. The façade is clad in red brick, as is the tall triangular bell tower to the south.
The dark wood of the pews is repeated in the vault in the nave, contrasting with the white walls. Five pairs of narrow modern stained-glass windows with broader solid sections displaying the stations in mosaics. In the sanctuary up two steps, a simple table altar is on a raised flat, with the celebrant’s chair raised three more steps below a crucifix on the back wall. I suspect the cathedra had been there.
On one corner of the sanctuary is a flowing fountain, probably the baptismal font. A very bright and colorful tabernacle is against the back wall on the opposite side.
To the south of the cathedral are two towers, one an open carillon, the other rising above the bells surmounted with a cross and an exposed staircase. With the mirroring sides, I was confused as to its entry, as the shape when viewed from above is a rectangle with isosceles triangles on each of the four sides. The large plaza outside reflects on the open foyers inside – space is abundant. Coming inside and facing a wall of bronze bas relief of pilgrims approaching the Lamb of God, I walked around this wall into the nave.
The altar has been situated against the north wall, with pews radiating out at angles from the sanctuary. Stanchions rope off the raised dais of the sanctuary from wandering visitors. A very bright space, the striped grays of the lower walls and black pews contrast with the white vault with its breaks admitting sunlight. The east and west points are extensions of the nave, filled with more seating; the stations are positioned on the walls below these balconies. Behind the altar are marble seats, the center reserved for the bishop. At one end is the baptistry, which has a Greek cross (equal length arms) below the dome of this round space. Opposite is the presence chapel with a tabernacle similar to that in Holy Family below its dome.
West of the building is the Our Lady of Lavang Shrine. Apparently, there is a strong Thai and Vietnamese population that forms the parish. Opposite it is the Crean Tower, a gleaming steel spire. At its base is a circular temple enclosed by columns of differing colored marble. I walked in the Memorial Gardens, the cemetery which includes many sculptures. Continuing I walked around the pond in the Arboretum, where a statue depicts Christ walking on water. Heading back to the car and Ed, I reflected that there really was no good angle which captured all the elements of the campus, and that it is best experienced in person. It is definitely one of the most impressive cathedrals I’ve visited.
One cathedral remained on my original list. It is the Liberal Catholic cathedral in Ojai, which was then 120 miles to the northwest, about 3 hours away. The Google Maps photos (there are just 7) show a small building set back in the woods. It was 11am, so it was doable, as the car had to be back at 5. I decided to pass, and checked to see if there were any other cathedrals in the area that had been missed in my research. Unsurprisingly, there was one – the Cathedral Chapel of St Vibiana on La Brea in the Mid-Wilshire neighborhood. It was about 3 miles west St Sophia which I’d visited on Monday.
Reading the history online, St Vibiana would probably have been a proto-cathedral, as the then LA bishop had set his parish there, with the intention of making it a co-cathedral. Instead, the first cathedral (St Vibiana) had been built in downtown. Unfortunately, the east facing church was closed. White stucco with a brick red façade with small statues, its solid double doors are three steps off the sidewalk.
Just after noon, Ed began driving us back to Avis. We stopped and topped off the fuel tank, and found the parking garage entry we needed. Down two levels, we pulled into a spot, locked the vehicle and went to check out. All the attendants wanted were the keys, so we headed up the escalator into the atrium, and then up to the street. I called for a Lyft and we rode back to the Lodge.
Since I was looking for lunch, Ed offered to drive me down 6th Street, which seemed to have more options. Most eateries seemed to be focused on take away, so when I spotted an Argentine restaurant in a strip mall. I got out, sending Ed off with my thanks, and discovered my choice was a “greasy spoon”. I had chicken tamales and ice tea. On my walk back along sixth, I picked up a chicken burrito for the plane ride the next day.
Returning to the room, I packed, and then did email, backed up the photos, and then read. About 6:30 I decided to hit Gus’s next door, and had the Greek special platter – a chicken gyro, potato soup and a salad. More reading, and early to bed. Unfortunately, at 3:30 a (subcontinent) Indian woman held a loud conversation outside. With no phone in the room, I couldn’t call the front desk, but she finally finished haranguing whomever, and I got back to sleep.
Thursday morning I was up at 5, checked out and in a Lyft on my way to LAX by 6. My bag required manual processing, and I came in right at 50.0 pounds! Going through TSA, the aluminum foil around the burrito raised their alarms, so I had to dig it out and partially unwrap it. Once in the sterile zone, I refilled my water bottle, stopped at a Dunkin for a coffee and breakfast sandwich and played on my phone until we boarded the American Airlines flight to Charlotte. Unlike Keahole, we boarded and pushed back on time. The plane was full, although I had that empty seat next to me in the middle. No power to charge the reader, but it had enough juice for the 4+ hour flight.
An easy transfer in Charlotte, I was soon heading to Sarasota. Weather (thunderstorms) had threated many Florida-bound flights, but it only got bumpy about a half hour out of Sarasota. We arrived on time, and I reached out to Bobby to advise that I would soon be ready for pickup. Once the bag appeared on the carousel, I grabbed it and headed out the door. Soon thereafter I was riding towards home in his maroon Tahoe. Once in the driveway, I paid and thanked him.
After turning the water back on to the house, I maneuvered the bags inside. It was a comfortable 80°F, and I rolled the bags into my bedroom. I pulled out the dirty laundry, taking it to the washer. Once loaded, I went into the garage to engage the breaker for the hot water heater. While I finished unpacking, the first load of laundry ran. I relaxed for a bit, as my internal clock was still on west coast time, but still was down by 10pm.
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