Originally published at Orange County Catholic
ON OCT. 14, THE Feast Day of St. Callistus, Bishop Kevin Vann dedicated and blessed Christ Cathedral’s new St. Callistus Chapel and Crypts. Built in a stunning Romano Byzantine style, the chapel in the cathedral undercroft includes burial spaces for generations of Diocese of Orange bishops, as well as niches for all the faithful.
The dedication also served as a day to celebrate the completed transformation of the Crystal Cathedral into Christ Cathedral, an elaborate process that began soon after the purchase of the 34-acre campus was completed in 2012. That saga included extensively renovating the cathedral to accommodate Catholic worship, expanding the property’s cemetery and building the Our Lady of La Vang Shrine.
BISHOP KEVIN VANN ANOINTS THE CHAPEL ALTAR WITH CHRISM OIL DURING A SPECIAL DEDICATION MASS CELEBRATED ON OCT. 14. PHOTO BY EVERETT JOHNSON/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
The dedication Mass featured the placing of a relic of Pope St. Callistus I, who reigned from circa 218 to 222, inside the chapel’s reliquary. In the hours before the Mass, the relic, which was originally at St. Callistus parish after being brought from there from Rome, was venerated by the faithful.
Bishop Vann also anointed the chapel altar with
