Journey through St. John’s Cathedral Walking Tour

THIS TOUR HAS SOLD OUT.

About the tour: This behind-the-scenes tour will encompass an overview of the 165-year history of the Cathedral and its impact on the greater Denver community today, as well as key architectural elements, art pieces, and recent capital projects. Expert guides will explain the vision and craftsmanship of the building’s unique architecture and artistry, revealing the design influences and building traditions. The tour will also highlight the Cathedral’s ongoing role in the city’s cultural and musical life. As time and weather permits, we will explore St. Martin’s Chapel and other areas of the Cathedral, both inside and out.

Following this immersive experience, enjoy coffee and refreshments with time for additional discussion, a look at historic photos, and conversation with the team of knowledgeable experts.

About the building: In 1879, Bishop of Colorado and Wyoming, the Rt. Rev. John Spalding named Saint John’s in the Wilderness as the cathedral church for the area. Two years later, the church moved into its first cathedral building at the corner of 20th and Welton.

After a fire struck the building in 1903, the cathedral held a competition for an architectural design for the new building. The cornerstone for what now stands as the cathedral was laid on January 24, 1909, and the building was completed in 1911. It houses a collection of significant religious artwork, including Oberammergau carvings (many of which are from the first cathedral) as well as stained glass windows from the Charles J. Connick Studios of Boston and the Edward Frampton Studios of London.

The Cathedral is in the process of completing $12 million in capital projects, including the stained glass windows, columbarium, kitchen, sacristy and other projects which we will explore.

About the guides: Michael Corrigan Lavallée, MA, MDiv is an active member of St. John’s Cathedral, where he has served on the Cathedral’s Art & Architecture Commission since 2017. In January 2023, he accepted the appointment to the role of Cathedral Archivist, and is currently in his third year of service. Especially interested in 19th – 20th Century revival architecture—particularly church architecture—Michael holds an M.A. in art history. He also holds an M.Div. degree. He’s fascinated by stained glass—the symbolism, the interaction of color and light, and its design and fabrication. A great fan of the Arts & Crafts stained glass of the Charles Connick/Connick Associates Studio in his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts, Michael has been working on photographing Connick’s work in the Rocky Mountains and other places, including Grace Episcopal Cathedral in San Francisco, and St. John the Evangelist Cathedral in Spokane, Washington.

Paul Miles has over 40 years of experience in the real estate development industry. His professional experience has included the responsibility for all phases of the development process including project planning, entitlement, design and construction. After beginning his career as a licensed architect in the State of Colorado, Mr. Miles became the Director of Real Estate Development for Copper Mountain Resort and Intrawest Resort Development. In this position he has managed master planning and design activities, coordinated the entitlement review process, provided construction project management services, and maintained financial control of the projects. Since January of 2000 Paul has been an independent consultant acting as an Owners Representative and Project Manager for a variety of real estate projects in Denver and cities across the country. He has completed residential, commercial and industrial, and institutional projects for a wide variety of Clients.

Greg Movesian has lived with his husband Jack Finlaw in a Jacques Benedict-designed house set in an English-style landscape since 1990. He is an avid historic preservationist and serves as Treasurer of Colorado Preservation Inc. and as chair of their annual Dana Crawford Awards dinner. He also serves on the Vestry (board) of Saint John’s Episcopal Cathedral. Greg’s 45-year career is in professional fundraising.

Rebecca Richardson (MS, MBA) is the Chair of the Arts and Architecture Commission at St. John’s Cathedral, which is responsible for approving visual arts, architecture, engineering, landscaping, archival, history, and other buildings and grounds related decisions regarding the fabric of the Cathedral. She is also a member of the Vestry (governing body). Rebecca’s career has included working in the museum and arts disciplines in NYC as well as a consultant in the not-for-profit sector.

Accessibility: Not all areas of the St. John’s Cathedral tour are wheelchair accessible. Opportunities for seated rest on the 90-minute tour may be limited.

Agenda: 9:30-11:00AM – Cathedral Walking Tour 
11:00AM-12PM – Library for coffee and refreshments

Refund policy: The Denver Architecture Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization. Ticket sales support the Foundation in continuing to provide quality events to the public. We are unable to provide refunds or credits for any reason less than 48 days prior to the event.

Please note that DAF tours take place rain, snow or shine. If your tour includes an outdoor portion, please dress for the weather. DAF staff will contact all attendees directly should a tour be cancelled for any reason.

Photo provided courtesy of St. John’s Cathedral.