. . . for those in peril on the sea”
Upon approaching Annapolis from any direction by air, sea, or land, the traveler is greeted by an intriguing skyline of steeples, cupolas, and spires. Remarkably unscarred by modern high rise buildings, this panorama is dominated by the imposing tiered dome of the United States Naval Academy Chapel rising 210 feet above sea level on the banks of the Severn River near the Chesapeake Bay.
The noble grandeur and monumental proportions of the chapel have prompted writers and orators to name it “The Cathedral of the Navy.” In a strictly architectural sense the analogy is apt, but there the similarities end. Neither the official seat of a diocese nor office of a bishop, the chapel serves as an interdenominational Christian church administered by commissioned Roman Catholic and Protestant Navy chaplains. The chapel commands the highest point of elevation on the Naval Academy grounds (which are affectionately known as the “Yard”). It is a center of religious activity for the Brigade of Midshipmen; naval personnel, staff and faculty serving at the Naval Academy; the retired military community; and local visitors. The chapel and John Paul Jones crypt welcome thousands of tourists from around the world throughout the year.
As important as the chapel’s size and beauty, both interior and exterior, is the profound emotional attachment etched in the hearts, minds, and memories of Naval Academy alumni. Beyond the visual magnitude of the edifice lie an incarnate embodiment of service to God and country and an inspiration to past, present, and future generations of American Navy and Marine Corps officers.
This book is offered as a brief description and history of the chapel and its role in spiritual life at the Naval Academy. It is a guide to help you understand the story the chapel tells and the meanings behind the treasure trove of artifacts, gifts, and memorials, which over time have been dedicated to those whose lives have exemplified spiritual devotion and patriotism.
HISTORY
Prior to the establishment of a permanent naval school at Annapolis in October 1845, religious instruction and academic study were conducted in a haphazard manner by a “school master” aboard ship. John Paul Jones, among others, had urged the establishment of schooling ashore at naval installations in ports along the eastern seaboard. Among faculty members appointed to the new school on the Severn was Reverend George Jones, Yale alumnus and Episcopal clergyman. He served as an instructor in English, history, and geography between 1845 and 1849. When the Naval School was reorganized as the Naval Academy in 1850, Reverend Jones was appointed to additional service as the chaplain. At the height of the Temperance Movement, Reverend Jones was charged by Commander Franklin Buchanan, USN, the Academy’s first Superintendent, to instill obedience, piety, moral character, discipline, and sobriety in the disparate collection of fledgling midshipmen.
Naval Academy Regulations of 1850 provided that “The acting midshipmen shall be assembled daily in the chapel for prayers 15 minutes before the breakfast hour.” These services were probably held in the mess until the first structure primarily for religious use was built in 1854 in the form of a Greek temple near where the bust of native American Chief Tamanend, figurehead of USS Delaware, now stands. At an estimated cost of $3,000, the architect, Mr. E. Faxon, was to design a “chapel to seat 300 persons comfortably.” In addition to divine services, the first graduation exercise was conducted there on 10 June 1854.
When the Civil War begin in 1861, there was a temporary division and relocation of the Annapolis naval school. Southern midshipmen resigned to serve in the Confederate Navy, and for them a naval academy was set up afloat on the James River near Richmond, VA. The remaining midshipmen were transferred to Newport, RI, aboard the venerable frigate USS Constitution. Faculty, the band, the library, and equipment followed a few days later aboard USS BaltiC
With the exodus of both factions, academy buildings at Annapolis, including the chapel, suffered damage incident to serving as storehouses and barracks as part of a U.S. Army camp
USS Constitution served as a temporary home for midshipmen during the Civil War. It was then homeported in Newport, RI.
strategically located near Washington and on marine and rail link supply routes to and from the North. The camp also helped secure and keep Maryland safely in Union hands.
The academy grounds in Annapolis did have some Union troops encamped early in the war. However, the grounds were used for most of the war as U.S. General Hospital No. 1, with St. John’s College campus serving as U.S. General Hospital No. 2. The Academy should not be confused with Camp Parole in Annapolis, which was located west of downtown.
During post-war reconstruction that began in 1865, the damaged Naval Academy was gradually restored to vitality. With the return of the midshipmen and faculty, Admiral David Dixon Porter, USN, was appointed Superintendent and charged with the formidable task of reviving morale, reorganizing the curriculum, and expanding the physical proportions of the Yard to accommodate a national institution rivaling United States Military Academy West Point.
It was at this time that additional property was purchased from the state of Maryland, St. John’s College, and private citizens. Admiral Porter led three land acquisitions: the adjoining original governor’s mansion of Maryland as a new library; ten acres purchased from St. John’s College; and 113 acres with the purchase of two adjoining farms across then Dorsey Creek (now College Creek), Prospect Hill, and Strawberry Hill.
Shoals in the Severn River and Annapolis Harbor were reclaimed with landfill to provide necessary space for expansion. An armory,
Above: The monumental Ernest Flagg plan, conceived in 1895, was a representation of the golden age of naval power following victory in the Spanish-American War. The design included a marine basin achieved by landfill. Behind the embankment in this view are academic, dormitory, residential, and auxiliary buildings. The original Fort Severn can be seen on the far side of the basin. The fort was demolished in 1909.
Ernest Flagg’s architectural plan for the chapel.
new quarters, academic buildings, and a Victorian Gothic red brick chapel were built to enhance the school’s image and improve educational facilities.
The original chapel, renamed the “Lyceum,” continued to serve as a recital hall, museum, and multipurpose assembly room. The steepled second chapel was dedicated in 1868. It stood where Farragut House, the Superintendent’s quarters, is now located. Built to seat 550 persons, it was used for cultural lectures, debates, Christian organization meetings, and denominational services, which were compulsory for all Protestant midshipmen. Catholic midshipmen attended denominational worship in the congregations of Annapolis.
With the dramatic defeat of Spain, the turn of the 20th century brought the entry of the United States into world affairs of the highest magnitude. Far-flung American naval victories in Cuba and the Philippines focused attention on sea power and political leadership. With the new spirit of nationalism came a renaissance at the Naval Academy.
Right:
Spearheaded by energetic alumnus Robert Means Thompson, Class of 1868, and encouraged by an ebullient “navyphile,” Under Secretary of the Navy and soon to be President Theodore Roosevelt, an ambitious reconstruction project was financed by congressional appropriation. It began in March 1899.
Four years earlier, at the initiative of Thompson, New York architect Ernest Flagg had conceived a bold plan for expansion and modernization of the Naval Academy. Because of priorities associated with the Spanish-American War, the grand scheme had been temporarily shelved.
Within Flagg’s sweeping concept, every existing building was to be razed except for two small guard houses at the main gate and the rows of handsome red brick officers’ quarters, which had recently been built on Upshur and Rodgers Roads. These venerable buildings still stand today. Flagg’s monumental design in the Beaux Arts style called for extensive dormitory facilities, magnificent academic buildings, residential quarters for academy personnel, a gymnasium, armory, and the grandest of them all—a chapel to be erected on the highest ground in the entire complex.
The new chapel was originally designed to be built entirely of granite. Escalating costs during the modernization project, however, demanded a compromise in materials, labor, and technique. In his revised design, Flagg chose a radical but economical new approach. Concrete reinforced with steel and infilled with brick was substituted for massive walls of solid granite. A veneer of grey brick with
Blueprint for the chapel dome, 1905.
Right: The chapel under construction, 1905.
Left: Architect Ernest Flagg
harmonizing mortar was interchanged and blended with the granite components of foundation, quoins, façade, and pediment to preserve aesthetic grandeur and beauty. A barge canal was dug through recently reclaimed land to float and assemble building materials from the harbor to the site. The ferro-concrete process was still considered experimental in 1905, and the Naval Academy Chapel received critical acclaim in architectural and scientific journals at that time.
Provision was made in designing the chapel for eventual construction of a crypt in which the remains of John Paul Jones would one day be placed. Jones’ remains were found in 1905 in France and placed in the crypt in 1913. During construction of the chapel between 1904 and 1908, Sunday services for midshipmen were held in the new armory (later named Dahlgren Hall).
Admiral of the Navy George Dewey, hero of Manila Bay, laid the cornerstone in June 1904, and the first service was held on 28 May 1908. Chaplain Henry H. Clark, an Episcopal minister, invited clergymen of various Annapolis churches to participate in the dedication. His sermon that day emphasized the ecumenical purpose of the chapel. Since then, this majestic house of God has served as a focal point for spiritual and moral development at the Naval Academy and is inextricably woven into the fabric of every midshipman’s memory.
EVOLUTION AND CHANGE
The U.S. Naval Academy was designated in 1961 as a Registered National Historic Landmark. The chapel is in Category 1, property of major historic importance, in the National Architectural and Engineering Record. Because of its architectural and spiritual importance, the chapel has been in a continuing state of change over time. General maintenance and the addition of memorials are ongoing. Of major significance among these changes are three physical alterations.
The original elaborate terra cotta dome, highly embossed with baroque ornaments of marine and combat devices, absorbed moisture and shattered with seasonal temperature changes. Leaks were mended and patched until a dangerously large chunk of masonry, loosened by dampness, failed and fell from the dome. In 1928 the terra cotta was removed, leaving the copper sheathing beneath it as a new outer surface. This significantly altered the appearance of the chapel. The cupola at the very top and including the obelisk retained its original gold leaf, which Ernest Flagg designed and intended to cover the entire dome, but budget constraints at the time prevented it. The oculus can be seen in the crown of the inner dome. The oculus remained “blinded” until the chapel renovations of 2009-2010 allowed light to once again shine through.
The second major change occurred in 1938 when the enlarged regiment of midshipmen could no longer be seated at compulsory Protestant Sunday services. Architect Paul Philippe Cret, famous designer of several major buildings in Washington, DC, was commissioned to augment the chapel’s seating capacity from 1,200 to 2,500. Granite was matched, and glazed grey brick components were skillfully duplicated to extend the seaward nave, changing the configuration of the structure from that of a Greek cross to a larger Latin cross. The original façade and entrance were faithfully reinstalled and flanked by huge anchors on twin granite mountings where war prize cannon had originally stood. Excavation for the extension allowed space at ground level for building St. Andrew’s Chapel, the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, sacristy,
Left: The handsome new chapel, built at a cost of $400,000, was dedicated on 28 May 1908, with national celebrities in attendance. Robert Means Thompson, Class of 1868, can be seen in the center holding his top hat. At right, wearing a large bonnet, is the designer of the chapel’s bronze doors Evelyn B. Longman. The front steps command a sweeping view of the grounds and the Severn River.
Below: With a dome modeled after the dome above Napoleon’s crypt at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris, the chapel originally took the shape of a Greek cross.
This pre-1929 aerial view of the chapel and the Superintendent’s quarters reveals the close proximity of the Academy to the city of Annapolis. Note the column of marching midshipmen, probably enroute to Dahlgren Hall (the armory where rifles were then stored) following a dress parade on Worden Field.
Chaplain William N. Thomas, USNA Command Chaplain 19241927 and 1933-1945. A plaque honoring Chaplain Thomas hangs in the St. Andrew’s Chapel lobby.
Right: Illumination in the refurbished chapel is enhanced by the now-translucent oculus in the crown of the dome.
and offices. Dedication of the enlarged facility was conducted by Command Chaplain William N. Thomas, USN, on 28 April 1940. The sidewalk adjacent to the chapel entrance is named for Chaplain Thomas, who served twice as Command Chaplain (1924-1927 and 1933-1945). Chaplain Thomas is also the author of the Midshipman’s Prayer and the inscription in Memorial Hall that begins “With immortal valor and the price of their lives these proved their love of country…”
The external appearance was altered slightly in December 1982, by the addition of a ramp on the Larson Hall (then called the Administration Building) side of the chapel, which allowed access to an elevator for handicapped entry. This improvement was a gift from the Class of 1951.
In 1991, changes took place that are not visible to the eye but are significant to the preservation of the chapel and to the comfort of its congregation. The outmoded heating system was replaced by a modern heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system with temperature and humidity controls. Electrical wiring and underground water lines were also renewed. Remarkably, this major improvement was achieved in 13 months without interrupting the conduct of worship services, weddings, and funerals in the main chapel.
Interior view of the chapel.
From 1997 through 1998, a major refurbishment of the external brickwork, stonework, dome, cupola, roof, and entrance of the chapel was completed. Concurrent with this work was a project to restore the major stained glass windows to their original grandeur. All this work added life and renewed beauty to the aging structure.
After years of being dark, the chapel dome was lighted in 1999 with a “moon-glow” effect from five separate sources of external halogen lights. A ring of lights at the base of the dome was added, and interior lights created a warm appearance at night. These lights illuminate the chapel dome as a reminder to the general public that the Naval Academy Chapel remains a symbol of God’s presence in the lives of midshipmen.
An extensive refurbishment of the chapel interior was accomplished in 2009-2010. To facilitate work in the dome area, while not interrupting access for worship, services were conducted within the confines of the long nave, then later moved beneath the dome so that the long nave work could be completed. A temporary barrier divided the two areas during this period.
Between 2019 and 2021, the chapel roof was renovated to mitigate water seepage, including the removing, cleaning, and replacing of the stone around the parapet; the chapel’s eight wood-framed skylights were replaced with metal framing; a new membrane was applied to the flat sections of the nave roof. The entire dome was re-clad in new copper in 2020-2021.
U.S. NAVAL
A VISIT TO THE CHAPEL
The façade of the Naval Academy Chapel is flanked by a pair of massive granite blocks on which are mounted anchors similar to those cast for the Navy’s armored cruiser USS new York, flagship of Rear Admiral William T. Sampson, USN, during the Spanish-American War. The anchors, each weighing 10,500 pounds, symbolize the hope and stability provided by faith.
As visitors climb the wide granite steps, they encounter two huge bronze doors, which swing inward. These handsome portals, 10 feet wide and 15 and one-half feet high, are divided into vertical panels depicting allegorical figures in bas relief. On the left door is INVENTION—a young student, holding a torpedo, is kneeling close by his mentor, SCIENCE. Beyond them an ensign marches with a company of seamen. The top of this panel is inscribed with the names of naval heroes Edward Preble, Stephen Decatur, and Oliver Hazard Perry, and the phrase Sapienta et Scientia (Wisdom and Knowledge).
The right door depicts a woman, PATRIOTISM, counseling a young man against a backdrop of an officer raising his cap as he leads a column of marching men. Above this panel are inscribed the names of David Glasgow Farragut, David Dixon Porter, and William Thomas Sampson, and the phrase Deo et Patriae (For God and Country).
Over the doors is a bronze lintel with a pair of female figures representing PEACE and PROSPERITY. Between them are a spread-winged eagle and the inscription Non Sibi Sed Patriae
Left: Replacement of the copper on the chapel dome in 2020 coincided with the Naval Academy’s 175th anniversary.
Below: One of the anchors, which is mounted on a granite block in front of the chapel.
(Not for Self, But for Country). A transom bears the name of Robert Means Thompson, an early benefactor of the Naval Academy. His name, along with those of his classmates who donated the money for the doors, appears on the lower portion of the back side of the doors. The donation was given in memory of the Class of 1868.
Robert Means Thompson led the effort to have the doors designed. To find the best design, Thompson sponsored a competition, through the National Sculpture Society, in which the participants’ proposals were submitted anonymously with the goal of avoiding an improperly motivated choice of a winner. The winning design was submitted by Evelyn Beatrice Longman (1874-1954). Unfortunately, in 1902, having a woman win the competition caused some controversy. There were calls for the competition to be redone. Fortunately, however, Thompson prevailed and awarded the design competition to Miss Longman. In 1909 the doors were installed with much fanfare and celebration.
Proceeding past the imposing doors and vestibule, one enters the awe-inspiring sanctuary filled with diffused light filtering through magnificent high windows. The initial impression is of predominating blue, the mariner’s color of sea and sky. The eye is carried the length of the nave
The great bronze doors to the chapel were given by members of the Class of 1868, led by Robert Means Thompson, in honor of that class. Designed by Evelyn B. Longman, the doors and lintel above them stand 21 feet high and 10 feet wide. They allegorically link honor, education, and patriotism with the inscription: “Deo et Patriae.” The figure on the left represents Father Science and on the right , Mother Patriotism.
U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY CHAPEL
to the famous Christ the Consoler window, towering above the altar and reredos.
Made by Louis C. Tiffany Studios of New York, and given by the Class of 1869, it is a memorial to Admiral David Dixon Porter who served as Superintendent during their four years at the Naval Academy. The window, presented in 1908, depicts Christ walking upon iridescent waters with golden light illuminating his face. The transcendent grace, serenity, and strength embodied in the figure have provided encouragement to all who have encountered troubled waters.
Above the window is a marble ashlar, presented in 1946 by the Class of 1938, inscribed with the opening words of the Navy hymn sung prayerfully at the conclusion of every service, “Eternal Father Strong to Save.” This hymn was composed in 1860 by the Reverend William Whiting after passing safely through a violent storm in the Mediterranean Sea. The original hymn has been expanded to include stanzas of petition pertaining to all branches of the armed forces. The first stanza (Navy) and fifth stanza (Marine Corps) of the hymn are sung every Sunday at the chapel. On special occasions, other verses may be used as well.
As visitors proceed up the side aisles, they will notice four smaller stained glass windows on either side of the new nave. They were designed by Charles J. Connick Associates, donated by Naval Academy Classes of 1902, 1922, 1926, 1929, 1936, 1940, 1941, and 1952. These windows, installed in 1954, portray Biblical scenes which pertain to the sea. Scripture and Christian symbols surround each triptych in leaded patterns.
Left: Some chapel pews are dedicated to the memory of Naval Academy alumni through a donation program managed by the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation.
Right: The cherry altar table is supported by carved figures representing the four Evangelists. Mark and John can be seen here.
Christ the Consoler, an original window designed by Tiffany Studios, presides over the altar of the chapel.
Visitors reach the crossing and move to the center of the rotunda under the great dome. Looking up, they see the inside of the vast dome 83 feet in diameter and 126 feet high. Arched paned windows supported by 24 caryatids admit natural light into the rotunda and provide a decorative crown. A panoply of plaster medallions and 160 sparkling lights crowns the inside surface leading to the oculus above.
Beneath the Christ the Consoler window is a richly carved oak reredos highlighted in gold leaf. Recessed niches hold figures of St. Peter with his key and St. Paul with a sword. This screen was a gift from the Naval Academy Athletic Association in 1940.
The free-standing cherry altar table is supported by carved figures representing the four Evangelists: Matthew, depicted as a winged man; Mark, depicted as the winged lion; Luke, depicted as a winged ox; and John, depicted as an eagle. The table is draped with a beautifully embroidered frontlet, which is changed according to the liturgical calendar. On special Navy and Naval Academy celebrations, the altar is dressed in blue and gold, and on the birthday of the Marine Corps, it is draped in brilliant red and gold. Altar flower arrangements are harmoniously designed and created weekly by volunteers of the Chapel Guild. This dedicated group also maintains sacramental linens to enhance worship. Magnificently crafted needlepoint designs on chairs, cushions, and kneelers throughout the chapel are the work of skillful devotees of the
chapel and its mission. These works of art are worthy of close examination. A second table was added to the chancel around 2016. The pews on the chancel provide seating for the chorale and choir.
On either side of the chancel are organ pipes vaulting toward the dome and crowned by plaster canopies and finials. These and smaller pipes above the choir stalls are functional as well as decorative. The original 1908 instrument was built by the Hutchins Organ Company of Boston, MA, and was mounted on the rear wall of the chapel. After the building was enlarged in 1940, the Moeller Organ Company of Hagerstown, MD, designed and constructed a much larger instrument, which was relocated to its present position near the chancel. In 1964 additional pipes and a second console were installed in the rear balcony to accommodate accompaniment of ensembles and enhance congregational singing. Throughout the chapel’s history the organ has been augmented both mechanically and tonally.
Left: Throughout the chapel’s history the organ has been augmented both mechanically and tonally. The current instrument comprises almost 6,000 actual pipes and 10,000 virtual pipes. Shown here with chapel organist Mr. Monte Maxwell is the console in the chancel, which was installed in 2006.
Bottom left: Organ pipes vault toward the chapel dome.
Right: The Farragut window (created by Frederick Wilson [1858-1932] working for Tiffany and then Gorham studios) depicts the Archangel Michael in a spectrum of incandescent light. Approximately 1,800 Naval Academy graduates contributed funds to honor David Glasgow Farragut who entered naval service at age nine and became its first admiral in 1864. His motto “God is my leader,” is inscribed at the top of the window. On Farragut’s right, a 19th century coat of arms of the Naval Academy; on his left, the coat of arms of the Naval Academy still used today designed by Park Benjamin (1849-1922), Class of 1867, approved for use since 1899.
The current instrument comprises almost 6,000 actual pipes, 10,000 virtual or digital pipes, over 250 ranks, 5 manuals, approximately 530 draw knobs, 796 controls, and a carillon. The console near the chancel is the world’s largest draw knob console. It was built by the R.A. Colby Organ Company and installed in 2006 as a gift from the Class of 1951.
The oak pulpit, with carved figures of the four Gospel writers, along with the chancel rail, was given by the Class of 1916 and installed in 1943. The eagle lectern was presented by naval cadets, officers, and friends in 1896. It originally stood in the second chapel.
To experience the full impact of the stained glass windows, the visitor must move within the rotunda area to various vantage points. The following description starts to the right of the pulpit with the Farragut window and continues to the right around the perimeter of the chapel.
Mounted in the right transept is the Farragut window made by the Gorham Company and presented by Naval Academy graduates in 1914. Above the balcony the Archangel Michael appears to Admiral David Glasgow Farragut to guide
“In reverent tribute to all the sons of their alma mater who in war and in peace have realized her ideals of honor, courage, loyalty, and duty, in the service of God and country, this window is placed here by the Class of Nineteen Twenty-Seven.” The window epitomizes the magnetic force that draws those who have attended the Naval Academy back to their roots at the chapel. The Commission Invisible window was manufactured in Tiffany Studios, artist unknown.
him through the minefields of Mobile Bay. Flanking the center portion are full-rigged ships and a brilliant rainbow offering hope in the conflict. Farragut’s four-star flag, surrounded by a wreath and two red, white, and blue American shields, completes the composition. The lower panel under the balcony shows Admiral Farragut lashed to the rigging in a whirl of smoke as he directs the action during the Civil War.
The next window, between the transepts, is the Commission Invisible made by Tiffany Studios as a gift from the Class of 1927. Newly graduated Ensign Tom Hamilton, USN, Class of 1927, class president and football hero, reads his commission in the shadow of his nation’s flag. As Christ raises his arm in benediction, the young officer renews his pledge to God and country.
Four flags are mounted overhead on either side of the aisle, the flags of the United States, the Navy, Marine Corps, and Brigade of Midshipmen.
Turn and look down the main aisle to the chapel entrance. Above the choir loft in an illuminated niche is the figure of Jesus with outstretched arms. “Come Unto Me” is the inscription. This is a memorial to Vice Admiral Leslie C. Stevens, USN, Class of 1919.
Suspended from the 85 foot ceiling is a votive ship measuring 12 feet in length. It is a model of a Flemish carrack presented in 1941 by officers of the former U.S. Navy Construction Corps. The colorful custom of mounting a votive ship in places of worship was common in Europe over the
Left: The votive ship suspended from the ceiling is a model of a Flemish carrack used for commerce in the 14th and 15th centuries. Following ancient tradition, it is a reminder of divine protection for those in peril on the sea.
Inside the chapel entrance above the balcony choir loft is a carved wooden statue of Jesus in flowing robes saying, “Come Unto Me.” The artist was Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844).
ages. It sends a message that a supreme being protects seafaring men and women and brings them safely to anchorage.
Still glancing down the center aisle, the visitor sees a candle mounted in pew 51. This candle is lighted during all services in remembrance of those who are missing in action or held prisoner of war. Tradition holds that no one sits in this pew until all the missing and prisoners come home.
To the right of the main aisle is the Sir Galahad window made by Frederick Wilson of Tiffany Studios in memory of Lieutenant Commander Theodorus Bailey Myers Mason, USN, Class of 1868, who helped establish the Office of Naval Intelligence. Originally commissioned for the second chapel, it was redesigned to fit its present location. The window shows a Christian knight in armor standing ready to defend his country’s honor. Guardian angels hover in opalescent skies above. Still further to the right and dominating the left transept is the Sampson window also by Frederick Wilson of Tiffany Studios, which commemorates victory over the Spanish
The POW-MIA candle, lighted during every service, honors those Navy and Marine Corps personnel whose fate remains uncertain.
Right: The Sir Galahad window made by Frederick Wilson of Tiffany Studios is in memory of Lieutenant Commander Theodorus Bailey Myers Mason, USN, Class of 1868, who helped establish the Office of Naval Intelligence.
Opposite page: The winged angel of peace memorializes William Thomas Sampson, USN, Class of 1861. Graduating first in his class, his long naval career included duty as Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy and reached its pinnacle off Santiago Bay, Cuba, in 1898.
St. Andrew’s Chapel serves as a sanctuary for small funerals, weddings and baptisms. The beautifully engraved Celtic cross on the altar was given in memory of Lieutenant Commander Jesse M. Roper, USN, Class of 1872, who lost his life attempting to save one of his men in a fire aboard USS Petrel, at Manila, 31 March 1901. The inscription at the base of the cross reads, “Faithful Unto Death.”
Fleet in the Battle of Santiago in 1898. This window, a gift in 1909 from the officers and enlisted men of the U.S. Navy, portrays the winged angel of peace. Below the balcony is a depiction of Saints Peter and Andrew with Christ saying, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” This was a gift from the U.S. Naval Institute in 1941.
Ever-changing nuances of color beaming through these magnificent prismatic windows—sometimes brilliant, sometimes somber—capture the imagination and remain as profound memories to all who have worshiped or prayed in this hallowed house of God.
The constant movement of radiant sunlight progressing in an arc during the day creates a kaleidoscopic effect of ever-changing color. Each window absorbs light in morning, noon, and afternoon exposure, reflecting new and varied impressions to the viewer.
“The crypt and window spaces of the Naval Academy Chapel may be used only for memorials to officers of the Navy who have successfully commanded a fleet or squadron in battle or who have received the thanks of Congress for conspicuously distinguished services in time of war. No memorial to an officer may be accepted for, or installed in, the crypt and window spaces until at least five years after the death of that officer.” (Title 10 U.S. Code § 8472).
ST. ANDREWS CHAPEL
Below the main sanctuary, a refectory runs the width of the extended nave. It is flanked by stairways leading outside. This area, hung with carved memorial plaques in bas relief, connects to a corridor leading to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and sacristy on one side and to St. Andrews Chapel on the other. Completed in 1940 and consecrated to the first of the 12 disciples to be chosen, this handsome sanctuary in Romanesque style seats a congregation of about 130. This chapel serves as a beautiful worship space for Protestant and Roman Catholic communities and affords congregants a more intimate experience of worship than does the main chapel.
St. Andrews has undergone a number of changes, the most recent of which was the 2011 renovation of the organ. Entering the front doors of the chapel, one is greeted by the electronic organ to the right with speakers arrayed on both sides of the entryway in a floor-to-ceiling faux pipe arrangement. The organ’s sound quality is exceptional and few realize that it is not a traditional pipe organ. At the front of the worship space in the chancel area are the pulpit to the congregation’s right and the lectern to the congregation’s left. Directly in front of the pulpit is the baptismal font, a gift from Commander Charles E. Colahan (1849-1904), USN, Class of 1869. The stand, pedestal, and top-sheet bit of the font were made from oak beam timbers from the historic frigate, USS Constitution, or “Old Ironsides.” The lectern was a gift from the Class of 1941.
In the narthex of St. Andrews Chapel, hanging on the wall, is a beautiful wood carving of The Lord’s Supper. This carving was a gift made in memory of Rear Admiral Clarence Taff, USN, Class of 1926.
The baptismal font in St. Andrew’s Chapel, part of the U.S. Naval Academy Museum collection.
Memorial windows depict the lives of saints and are surrounded by Christian symbols associated with water. Donors of these windows and other accoutrements in the sanctuary are indicated by plaques affixed to the walls. In an earlier renovation in 1987, the altar was moved to its current location. This renovation was made possible by gifts received in memory of Lieutenant Thomas R. Doyle ’81, USN. Lieutenant Doyle was lost at sea on 21 August 1984.
THE BLESSED SACRAMENT CHAPEL
Opposite St. Andrews Chapel is the Catholic Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. Here the Blessed Sacrament is reserved continuously for private devotion and prayer. When the Sacrifice of the Mass is offered, either in St. Andrews Chapel or in the main chapel, the Blessed Sacrament is taken from the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, and after Mass it is returned. This chapel was completely redesigned and renovated in the summer of 2001 with gifts given in memory from the Duffy family, classmates, and friends of Lieutenant Brendan James Duffy ’95, USN.
RELIGIOUS LIFE OF MIDSHIPMEN
The mission of the U.S. Naval Academy is “...to develop midshipmen morally, mentally, and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor, and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship, and government.”
To this end, the chapel has always been a centerpiece for moral development and an impressive symbol to midshipmen and the general public of the academy’s commitment to the spiritual
welfare of its students. Navy chaplains, through the Command Religious Program, carry pastoral ministry to midshipmen seven days a week into Bancroft Hall, athletic events, and other points around the Yard. Underneath the wonderful physical facilities, behind the façade of brick, mortar, stone, wood, metal, and glass, is the deeper spiritual significance to those who have come and experienced the presence of God in their lives.
Chapel tradition and religious life at the Naval Academy are based on several important policy decisions. By 1947, the population of Roman Catholics in the Brigade of Midshipmen was deemed sufficient to warrant hosting compulsory Mass for Catholic midshipmen in the chapel, in addition to compulsory denominational services for Protestant midshipmen. Since 1947, ordained Catholic priests team with their Protestant colleagues as commissioned Navy chaplains assigned to the Naval Academy to provide Christian counsel and conduct services for midshipmen.
In 1969, the Naval, Military, and Air Force academies were challenged over compulsory chapel attendance on grounds that such compulsion violated the First Amendment’s guarantees of freedom of religious expression. After several years of rulings and appeals, the courts finally ruled on 30 June 1972 against compulsory chapel attendance at these three academies and all other federally funded educational institutions.
Above: Following Baccalaureate Sunday service, Midshipmen
First Class members of the Protestant and Catholic communities of the Brigade Chapel are invited to sign the book in which they commit their commissions to the glory of God. This practice, which began in in 2005, is a visible sign and ever-present reminder of their sacred obligation, and of their prayer that God will watch over them and guide their service. The book is on display year-round in a case near the chapel’s main entrance.
Left: Interior view of the Levy Center, which is named in honor of Commodore Uriah P. Levy (1792-1862), the first Jewish commodore in the U.S. Navy.
Previous page: Midshipman religious life includes the opportunity for regular worship beneath the dome of the glorious chapel.
In an effort to accommodate the religious expression of Jewish midshipmen, in 1938 the Jewish Church Party was established and allowed midshipmen to attend a synagogue in Annapolis. This practice continued for over 40 years until, in 1981, a request was made for services to be held on Academy grounds. The All Faiths Chapel in Mitscher Hall was designated for this use. In 1985, Rabbi (Commander) Norman Auerbach became the first Jewish Chaplain to be stationed at the Naval Academy.
In January 2001, The Friends of the Jewish Chapel launched a national multimillion-dollar campaign for the construction of the Commodore Uriah P. Levy Center and Jewish Chapel, the creation of an endowment for the enrichment of Jewish life at the Naval Academy, and the provision for maintenance of the new chapel. In 2005, this 36,000 square foot facility was completed. It includes a handsomely furnished 425-seat Jewish Chapel, and various multipurpose spaces used by the Jewish community and by the Academy. Services are held in the Levy Center every week for the Sabbath, as well as for all holidays and festival observances.
Catholic and Protestant services are conducted on Sunday for the Brigade of Midshipmen, the Academy’s staff and faculty, their families and guests, and the general public. Roman Catholic Mass follows the liturgical order prescribed by the Roman Catholic Church. Protestant worship historically provides three options for worship: a high liturgical communion service at 8:15 a.m. in St. Andrews Chapel, a mainline liturgical service at 11 a.m. in the Main Chapel and a contemporary worship service for midshipmen only at 7 p.m. in Mitscher Hall. Among special
prayers incorporated into the various worship liturgies are the “Prayer for the Naval Academy,” introduced by Chaplain Henry H. Clark in 1891; “The Prayer of a Midshipman,” written by Chaplain William N. Thomas in 1938; and the concluding “Prayer for the Navy, Marine Corps, and sister services.” Highlighting the chapel calendar are Parents’ Weekends, Homecoming, Baccalaureate Sunday, Marine Corps and Navy Birthday Sundays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter services. Few will forget the annual Christmas Eve carol and candlelight services when the Catholic and Protestant congregations fill every pew in celebration of Christ’s birth. During the Advent season, window sills, ledges below the organ pipes, and the altar are banked with rows of red and white poinsettias. Two large Christmas trees are decorated with sparkling miniature lights and gold and white chrismons, symbols of the Christian faith. The word, chrismon, means monogram of Christ. The Greek letters Chi, Rho, Alpha, and Omega, and design components of the star, cross, rose, crown, and fish are imaginatively combined in symbolic ornaments of beauty, hand crafted by an ecumenical committee of chapel volunteers. This group produces, arranges, and sees to careful storage of these rich symbols during the year.
Throughout the year, the chapel conducts weddings, baptisms, and funerals and memorial services for graduates, family members, and personnel currently assigned to the Academy. Particularly meaningful are memorial services held during class reunions.
Joyous weddings and somber events occur regularly at the chapel. These two photos feature Academy classmates and good friends ADM Charles R. Larson ’58, USN (Ret.), and Senator John S. McCain III ’58. ADM Larson (far right) performed the sword arch at the chapel wedding for his daughter, Erica, while serving as Superintendent in 1995. Senator McCain’s coffin is draped for his funeral at the chapel in 2018. McCain attended Larson’s funeral in the chapel in 2014. They are buried next to each other in the USNA cemetery.
Left: Protestant and Roman Catholic Midshipman choirs perform regularly for chapel services.
OFFERINGS
Alms were first received in 1866, and the spirit of giving continues today with almost $300,000 collected annually from the Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish congregations. These monies go to worthy local, national, and international charities and public service organizations.
MUSIC
Music plays a vital role in chapel services. The magnificent organ, masterfully played, provides an ecclesiastical setting. The chaplains, organist, and music director work together to select hymns compatible with lectionary readings and familiar to the congregation. Pew brackets contain both Bibles and hymnals.
Protestant and Catholic midshipmen choirs complement the services of worship with choral responses and special anthems. A chorale composed of volunteers from the worshiping community and professional singers enhances Protestant services. The ceremonial Church Call, played on a trumpet by a member of the Naval Academy Band, calls people to worship at the beginning of every Sunday service.
Various musical events at the chapel are open to the public and eagerly received. Among them are:
• Organ Concert series featuring a guest organist in the Autumn of each year.
• Handel’s “Messiah” performances in December of each year, a longestablished seasonal tradition that
Right: During a U.S. Navy band festive concert in December, the chapel is richly adorned for the season.
Below: The U.S. Naval Academy choir rehearses for the annual All Saints Day/Halloween Organ Concert at the chapel.
combines the talents of the Naval Academy Glee Clubs, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Naval Academy’s music directors and organist.
• The annual All Saints Day/Halloween Organ Concert has become a staple of the greater Annapolis community. This concert celebrates the triumph of good over evil and celebrates All Saints Day, featuring the talents of the midshipmen and the Chapel Organist, Monte Maxwell.
• Christmas Eve services for combined Catholic and Protestant congregations.
• Midshipmen recitals held at various points during the year.
USNA VIRTUAL CHAPEL TOURS
We welcome you to tour the USNA chapel spaces virtually through the USNA Chaplains Center website: https://usna.edu/Chaplains/virtualTour/index.php. Use this QR code from your mobile device.
ADMINISTRATION
All religious services are under the supervision of the Command Chaplain. A small custodial staff provides routine upkeep. The Public Works Department is responsible for major maintenance and repair. There is significant involvement of dedicated volunteers. Midshipmen volunteer to sing in the choir; perform usher duties; take part in processional duties as Bible, candle, and cross bearers; act as scripture readers; and teach in Sunday School. Civilian volunteers work with groups such as the Chapel Guild, which ensures that flowers, linen, and communion silver are properly maintained. Military retirees and civilians also contribute as ushers when the Brigade is away from the Academy.
More than a church or museum, the chapel of the United States Naval Academy serves as a perpetual image of service to God and country. It is a repository and reminder of the best of the
Navy and Marine Corps. Those who avail themselves of this chapel and religious programs will find enrichment in their spiritual journey, support in their moral and ethical development, solace in adversity, and strength in Christian fellowship.
JOHN PAUL JONES AND THE CRYPT
An external ramp at the right rear of the chapel leads downward to a bronze door. Inside is the imposing crypt of America’s first great naval hero, John Paul Jones. The spacious round room, 95 feet in diameter, was included in Flagg’s original chapel design to hold the remains of John Paul Jones, which had just been located in Paris in 1905.
Myth and legend surround the life of this enigmatic star of the American Revolution. Sufficient documentary evidence exists, however, to piece together a story of courage against overwhelming odds. Born in 1747 in Kirkbean, Scotland, John Paul attended parish schools
until age 12 when the lure of the sea beckoned. He signed on as an indentured seaman apprentice on a ship bound for the New World. For the next nine years, a life in maritime commerce honed his navigation skills, while on his own he diligently studied English, French, naval history, and social etiquette. As ship’s master, John Paul ran through with a sword a mutinous crew member aboard merchant ship BetsY in Tobago. John Paul added Jones to his name while still in the Caribbean, then moved to Virginia.
When rebellion against the tyranny of England became a reality, he cast his lot with freedom’s cause and offered his services to the Continental Navy, commissioned a first lieutenant in 1775. Slight of stature, quick of temper, ardently patriotic, and intensely ambitious, he fought valiantly against a succession of superior British warships on both sides of the Atlantic. In bold sorties along the English coast Captain Jones and a motley crew of poorly fed and outfitted seamen threatened the enemy on home soil.
He made himself an idol to his men, a hero to the colonies, and a celebrity to their French allies. As first lieutenant of alfreD in 1775, he was first to hoist the then new Grand Union flag of our nation. Upon sailing into Quiberon Bay, France, 14 February 1778, USS ranger, under Jones’ command and flying the newly adopted Stars and Stripes, received the first foreign gun salute to our new nation from France. That proud national emblem was also raised aboard USS ranger in victory over HMS Drake on 24 April 1778.
Above: The crypt contains the remains of John Paul Jones, hero of the American War for Independence. The elaborate sarcophagus and columns were cut in Baltimore from Royal Pyrenees marble presented by the French government, from a design by French sculptor Sylvain Salieres.
Right: The marble bust of John Paul Jones on display in the crypt (from the U.S. Naval Academy Museum collection) was sculpted during his life in 1781 by Jean Antoine Houdon using a very accurate method. This likeness was used to identify Jones’ remains when his lead casket was found in a forgotten cemetery in Paris.
“The fame of the brave outlives him; his portion is immortality. What more flattering homage could we pay to the manes of Paul Jones than to swear on his tomb to live or to die free?”
—Address by Paul Henri Marron at Jones’ funeral in Paris, 20 July 1792.
Right: John Paul Jones’ casket in the armory (later known as Dahlgren Hall) before his memorial ceremony, 24 April 1906.
Later, in September 1779, in a fierce battle with the British frigate, HMS serapis, while commanding USS Bonhomme riCharD, Jones responded to his opponent’s question as to whether he had struck his colors with the resolute words recorded as, “I have not yet begun to fight!” Jones’ crew then captured the British ship and her crew. Through this and other exploits, Jones made a significant strategic contribution to the victory in the Revolutionary War by causing Great Britain to retain many of their ships in home waters for fear of Jones’ aggressive activities.
With the ratification of the Treaty of Paris in the Maryland State House in Annapolis formally ending the war on 14 January 1784, opportunities for naval command at sea disappeared. The ships that served as the Continental war fleet returned to lucrative maritime commerce, and John Paul Jones’ staunch political supporters were consumed by negotiations in Philadelphia, PA, to create a constitution. He offered his services to the Congress as an agent to collect prize money in Europe earned during the Revolution. Hailed by the French, he was presented a gold sword by Louis XVI.
While seeking payment of prize money in Denmark, he was offered a commission as rear admiral in the Imperial Navy of her majesty Catherine, Empress of Russia. Although he fought against the Turks in the Black Sea as brilliantly as he had fought the English in the Atlantic Ocean, he returned to St. Petersburg broken in spirit and in poor health, a victim of intrigue and betrayal among officers competing for prominence in the Imperial Navy. The man who had triumphed over adversity for so long went into virtual retirement in Paris. In the midst of the French revolution the stormy life of John Paul Jones ended. He died on 18 July 1792, in poverty, alone in his apartment.
An admiring Frenchman arranged for his funeral and provided for a handsome lead coffin. John Paul Jones was buried in the Cemetery for Foreign Protestants in Paris and forgotten.
Over a century later, the United States recognized the injustice of its neglect of the death of one of history’s great naval warriors. A search to find the body of John Paul Jones was begun in earnest in 1899 by the Ambassador to France, General Horace Porter. His research led him to important records that proved to be the key to the mystery. He found a transcript of the burial certificate in the Bibliotheque Nationale, and a communiqué
written at the time of Jones’ death describing the lead coffin and the cause of death. A letter in the French National Archives of 1792 stated that “M. Simonneau has furnished the cost of interment of Admiral Paul Jones of which the bill amounts to four hundred and sixty two francs.”
City maps, cemetery records, and long-forgotten registration documents led General Porter to the burial site in a dismal old cemetery, then built over and abandoned. When the body was disinterred, the remarkably intact corpse, expertly embalmed against decay with alcohol, was identified. Measurement of the features against those of a bust created from life in Paris in 1780, when Jones was in his prime, left no doubt that these were Jones’ remains. The sculptor, Jean Antoine Houdon, had received critical plaudits on the fidelity of the likeness. Forensic study and autopsy determined that Jones had died as a result of inflammation of the kidneys complicated by pneumonia.
One hundred and thirteen years after John Paul Jones died in Paris, the nation he helped liberate prepared for his triumphal return as its first great naval warrior. A squadron of ships sailed for France on 18 June 1905.
Official visits, processions, balls, concerts, and entertainment of every kind showed the genuine friendliness of the French people, who spontaneously received American crews with gaiety and affection. In Paris a handsome new casket was produced.
On 6 July, the 158th anniversary of his birth, the remains of John Paul Jones were ceremoniously covered with the Stars and Stripes and taken for memorial services to the American Church of the Holy Trinity on Avenue de l’Alma.
A mourning train with a guard of honor took Jones’ coffin to Cherbourg, where wreaths, flags, music, and speeches ended in a final salute and transfer of his remains to the flagship cruiser USS BrooklYn. The fleet sailed homeward. A solemn ceremony was held at sea with ships’ flags at half mast, a gun salute, and the national anthem. On the morning of 22 July 1905, the naval
tug USS StandiSh took the casket ashore at the Naval Academy to a temporary vault across the street from the new chapel, then under construction.
Under President Theodore Roosevelt’s personal leadership, elaborate and impressive ceremonies in honor of John Paul Jones were held in the Armory (later known as Dahlgren Hall) on 24 April 1906, the anniversary of the battle between USS RangeR and HMS dRake. Following the services, the remains of John Paul Jones were temporarily placed in Bancroft Hall to await completion of the chapel.
John Paul Jones was laid to final rest in January 1913, in the crypt designed by Whitney Warren. The 21-ton sarcophagus of black and white Royal Pyrenees marble were donated by France. The elaborate sarcophagus and columns were cut from that marble in Baltimore to a design by French sculptor Sylvain Salieres, who was working at the time for Mr. Warren on the Grand Central Railroad Station in New York City. It is supported by bronze dolphins and embellished with carved bronze garlands.
John Paul Jones’ crypt and tomb at the Naval Academy Chapel were funded by an appropriation of the U.S. Congress in 1912, spurred by an article in a magazine of the time about our “unburied naval hero.”
Around the sunken marble floor stand eight black and white columns forming an octagon. There are four sets of flags within the columns, replicas of national colors in use in revolutionary times. Inscribed in the floor in bronze letters are the names of the ships commanded by John Paul Jones during the Revolutionary War: SeRapiS, alliance, alfRed, Bonhomme RichaRd, aRiel, pRovidence, and RangeR. Set in the marble floor in front of the sarcophagus is a brass inscription:
JOHN PAUL JONES, 1747-1792; U. S. NAVY, 1775-1783. HE GAVE OUR NAVY ITS EARLIEST TRADITIONS OF HEROISM AND VICTORY.
ERECTED BY THE CONGRESS, A. D. 1912.
Notable Jones items in addition to the Houdon bust on display in niches around the periphery of the crypt are from the U.S. Naval Academy Museum collection. They are decorated with laurel wreaths and illuminated with indirect lighting.
John Paul Jones was a paradoxical figure. A youth with limited opportunities, his own incentive drove him to great achievement. Although he has been called a Soldier of Fortune, he gave away much of his prize money. Slight of stature (5 feet, 7 inches) he was a giant in character, statesmanship, and heroism.
The wonderful condition of the crypt is due to extensive refurbishment and several improvements given as a gift by members of the Class of 1955, marking the 50th anniversary of their graduation from the Naval Academy.
