USAFA's Protestant Chapel

HERITAGE MINUTE

The Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel stands alone as the only chapel at a service academy that accommodates all faith groups under one roof. ----more----

Upstairs, under the pinnacled ceiling that soars 99 feet overhead, you will find the Protestant Chapel. The stunning sanctuary featured walls – actually it is all ceiling – made of tetrahedron-shaped spires and more than 24,000 blocks of stained glass. There are 24 different shades of glass, with more than half of those being tones of blue. The colors graduate from dark in the back of the room to light at the front, to symbolize coming from the darkness into the light of God. Other than the ceiling, the most impressive feature is the organ. It has more than 4,300 pipes, which, coincidentally, is the approximate number of cadets who attend the Academy. The smallest pipe is the size of a pencil, while the largest is wide enough to hold a soccer ball. The Chapel has 76 walnut and mahogany pews that seat twelve-hundred people. The end of each pew is designed to resemble a World War I airplane propeller and the backs of the pews the leading edge of a high performance jet wing. The front of the church features a curved multi-colored screen with semi-precious stones from Colorado and pietra santa marble from Italy. Mounted above is the cast aluminum Soaring Spirit Cross that measures more than 46 feet tall and 12 feet wide. As I mentioned, the Chapel can accommodate worshippers of all faiths. The floor contains 27 inches of sound-proofing to allow a Protestant service here and a Catholic service below to be held simultaneously.

The Heritage Minute Channel is a production of the Long Blue Line Podcast Network and presented by the U.S. Airforce Academy Association and Foundation