Great Church Stained Glass of Colorado: Holy Ghost Catholic Church

You’ve probably heard about the beautiful stained glass windows in historic churches such as the Sainte-Chapelle, the Notre Dame de Paris, and the Temple Emanu-El in New York City. But did you also know that there are many remarkable stained glass windows in Colorado’s churches?

Religious buildings began showing up in Colorado in the mid 1800’s. Therefore, many of the historic churches in Europe, South America, and the Mideast heavily influenced their development and architectural design. Stained glass windows are present in several churches in Colorado and are a great part of our state’s history. That’s why we’ve decided to create this series dedicated to honoring these beautiful gems that bedeck our beloved Centennial State.

The History of the Stained Glass Windows in the Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Denver, Colorado

This article will be the first highlighting Colorado’s religious stained glass. We’ve decided to focus on one of Denver’s earliest churches, the Holy Ghost Catholic Church. The Holy Ghost has a long history of catering to the homeless and less fortunate population in Denver and therefore is an establishment that’s near and dear to the community. It also houses several large religious stained glass windows that are, in our opinion, absolutely breathtaking.

The original building for the Holy Ghost was built on 20th and Curtis and was furnished with items and decor from the old St. Mary’s Cathedral. However, it soon became clear that a larger building was needed for the growing congregation. Therefore, a new property was purchased in 1923. Construction began a year later, during which over three hundred tons of Colorado colo creme travertine marble was hauled to the site in order to build the marble walls and columns of the church.

photo credit: City-Data

Other notable architectural features of the church include a 110 foot tower, bronze statues, and a fifty foot wooden and tile ceiling. If you take a look at the chancel arch of the cruciform structure, you’ll see the words “Holy, Holy, Holy, God Almighty” from the Book of Revelation. Several stained glass windows rise like massive life size replications of scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Included in these depictions are the four Prophets and the four Evangelists.

The Holy Ghost Catholic Church is a Denver staple and a must-see for tourists and stained glass connoisseurs. You can visit the church at its location on 19th street and California for mass or a self-guided tour. This is a site that’s truly worth adding to your Colorado bucket list.

Martin Faith

Martin Faith is a talented artisan, collector of antique stained glass, and the owner of Stained Glass Denver. For over thirty years, Martin has been running his company in Denver using the techniques he learned as a stained glass artisan in Scotland. He has devoted his life's work to perfecting the art form and studying its history. Martin's company specializes in custom creations, which are made using the highest quality materials and authentic, original designs. In addition to residential and commercial stained glass, the company also offers services for churches and religious buildings. Over the years, Stained Glass Denver has completed numerous restorations of historic stained glass and produced over 50,000 windows.