As soon as the building season began this summer, so short here on this mountain, the monks immediately set to work preparing to continue the stonework of the chapel. This first phase consists of the entire sanctuary end of the chapel. The interior alone is comprised of some six thousand individual stones, all of which had been carefully cut and shaped by the monks in advance. Each rock is given a number so that the monks can be sure to place it in the proper location.
As you may recall, the first stone was set at the beginning of September 2023, but work had to cease with the onset of winter.
Challenges
Before the monks could begin there were some challenges that had to be addressed. The large stones that make up the base of the vaulted ceiling were too heavy to be picked up with the cranes that had been used before. These stones, a unique and essential element of gothic vaulting, make up the intersection of the many arches that span the ceiling and were large, some in excess of 3500 pounds.
So, after some design and engineering, the work deck was reinforced and fitted with larger cranes capable of lifting these heavy stones.
Progress
After this essential work was completed, a small crew of monks continued the exciting work of setting the stone. At this point they had reached the windows, some 25’ tall, so they had to work in the delicate stone tracery that makes up the window surrounds.
When all is complete this stone lacework will house the jeweled beauty of the stained-glass windows so carefully painted by the artists of Judson Studios during the previous several years.
This stonework was more meticulous and painstaking than before, as it had to be reinforced and pinned into place to handle the almost hurricane-level winds of Wyoming.
The challenge here was to find the proper balance between the ancient methods of stonework and this mountain environment that had never before housed such gothic masterpieces.
The windows rose, and with them the columns which would support the arches of the ceiling above. It seemed slow for the monks at work, nervously expecting the first snowfall, but the progress was noticeable from week to week.
In a blessing of Divine Providence winter weather held off and on the feast of Our Lady’s Maternity, October 11th, the monks set the foliated capitals that top these columns.
The weather continued to hold, and by the end of October even the large stones which had required the larger cranes sat in their places, ready to receive the arches above them, God willing, next spring!
