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The
Sanctuary is covered with rare marbles.
Yellow from Numidia (Northern Africa);
green and white, Switzerland; purple,
Italy; green serpentine and white, US.
The purple marble is found in the mountains
of Carrara in Tuscany and is also used
for decorations of other walls and confessionals.
The red and white marble that faces the
four great supports of the sanctuary and
body of the church is rosso di Francia.
The church's predominant decoration, Edwin
Howland Blashfield's mosaic of the seated
St. Matthew, is 35 feet high and 13 feet
wide. The saint holds a book with a passage
from his gospel: "Jesus saw a man
sitting in the custom house named Matthew
and He said to him 'Follow Me.' And he
arose and followed Him."
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The
main altar of white marble is decorated
with floral designs of semi-precious stones
characteristic of palaces and monuments
of India. It contains bloodstone, agate,
malachite, lapis lazuli, ivory, cornelian
and other stones. The altar was obtained
through the Archbishop of Agra, India,
where the Taj Mahal is located. The pulpit,
also of white marble, was carved in Italy.
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| Facing
the altar is the archbishop's throne with
the coat of arms of Archbishop Michael
J. Curley, the 10th archbishop of Baltimore
and first of Washington. |
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The
altar rail is of Carrara marble. The metalwork
depicts grapes and wheat, symbols of bread
and wine.
An inlaid marble plaque in front of the
sanctuary gates commemorates President
John F. Kennedy's funeral Mass. On November
25, 1963, the funeral cortege walked from
the White House. At the President's funeral
were Charles DeGaulle, Prince Philip and
Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. On the sidewalk
in front of the Cathedral is where the
famous photo was taken of three-year-old
John F. Kennedy Jr. saluting his father's
coffin.
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The inscription on the plaque reads:
HERE
RESTED THE REMAINS
OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY
AT THE REQUIEM MASS, NOVEMBER 25,
1963
BEFORE THEIR REMOVAL TO ARLINGTON
WHERE THEY LIE IN EXPECTATION
OF A HEAVENLY RESURRECTION
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