The chapel at San Francisco International Airport, for example, known as the Berman Reflection Room for Jewish philanthropist Henry Berman who was a former president of the San Francisco Airport Commission, looks like a quiet waiting room filled with plants and lines of connected chairs. And many were transformed into spaces for reflection, or meditation for weary travelers. Becoming more inclusiveīy the 1990s and 2000s, single faith chapels had become a “dying breed.” Most started to welcome people from all religions. In the 1970s and 1980s, Protestant chapels opened in Atlanta, and in several terminals of the Dallas airport in Texas. They were later razed and rebuilt in different area of JFK. These chapels were located at a distance from the terminals: Passengers wishing to visit them had to go outside. It was designed in the shape of a Latin cross and was joined by a Jewish synagogue in the 1960s. The first was in New York – again at JFK. This chapel was moved in 1965 to its current location to allow for airport expansion.Īrchives, Archdiocese of Boston, CC BY-NC-ND Kennedy airport in New York City.īlueprints for the original Our Lady of the Airways Chapel. Our Lady of the Airways inspired the building of the country’s second airport chapel, Our Lady of the Skies at what was then Idlewild – and is today John F. “We fly to thy patronage, O Holy Mother of God despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us away from all dangers, O glorious and blessed virgin."ĭedication of Our Lady of the Airways Chapel, in its first location at Logan airport, in BostonĪrchive, Archdiocese of Boston, CC BY-NC-ND A neon light pointed to the chapel and souvenir cards handed out at the dedication read, Cushing at Logan airport in 1951 and it was explicitly meant for people working at the airport. The first one in the U.S., Our Lady of the Airways, was built by Boston Archbishop Richard J. The country’s first airport chapels were intended for staff rather than passengers and were established by Catholic leaders in the 1950s and 1960s to make sure their parishioners could attend mass. My interest in airport chapels started as simple curiosity – why do airports have chapels and who uses them? After visiting a few – including the chapel at Logan, my home airport here in Boston – I have concluded that they reflect broader changing norms around American religion. I am a sociologist of contemporary American religion and have written two recent articles about airport chaplains and chapels. Sixteen of the country’s 20 largest airports have chapels, as do many more around the world. Visitors can climb the wall or a circular stairway and view the city.Traveling in the new year? It is very likely there is a chapel or meditation room tucked away somewhere in one of the airports you’ll pass through. All of the domes are covered with porcelain tile.Īt its center, the central dome has a spectacular glass climbing wall that reaches to the top and above. The domes attractively accommodate a bowling alley, children’s activity center, a café, double basketball court stadium and much more. These are the six Monolithic Domes, 140’ and 160’ diameters, that comprise “The Bridge” of the Faith Chapel Christian Center. Faith Chapel church is designed for families, with seven-day-per-week activities. It’s more than 15,000 square feet of vertical and horizontal play area. It’s hard to imagine the amount of fun children can have in this Monolithic Dome. Shown here is a small portion of this unique facility. This is a beautiful, Tuscan-style, Monolithic Dome Bowling Alley, with 24 lanes, available to church members and guests. Show here just after inflation, structure is completed from the inside. Inflating the Airform - A crew inflated the Airform and constructed the dome shell. The tile has a lifetime measured in centuries. Porcelain tile is being applied over the Airform.Ģ3" by 23" porcelain tile being applied over exterior. A Force-5 tornado did only minor cosmetic damage in 2011. Largest - With its diameter of 280 feet, FCCC is the largest Monolithic Dome built to date. Surface area - Faith Chapel’s dome has a surface area of approximately two acres or 86,000 square feet. This chapel utilizes about 1/3 of this dome’s space. Huge interior - This dome encloses 61,575 square feet. Sanctuary - It has a seating capacity for approximately 3,000. Worship Center - After completing a $15 million, Monolithic Dome worship center in 2000, FCCC decided to add 6 more domes in phases. It is a 280ft diameter dome with 61,575sf (1.414 acre).Ī complex of 5 Monolithic Domes - Each dome houses a specific group or activity.Īrchitect’s Model - The 5 domes include a children’s play area, café, youth disco, gym and bowling alley. Faith Chapel Christian Center - Located in Birmingham, Alabama, this Monolithic Dome mega church was built in 2000.
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