Your Cathedral

Since 1904, St. Paul's Cathedral has served the community from the same location at the northeast corner of N.W. 7th and Robinson. Providing a spiritual heart to the Cathedral's neighbors in Downtown, Bricktown, Midtown and Uptown Oklahoma City, St. Paul's also serves as the Cathedral for the Diocese of Oklahoma.

There are 1100 parishioners at St. Paul's, some of whom drive long distances to attend one of three Sunday morning services. The Cathedral also offers a Holy Communion service at noon on Wednesdays attracting Episcopalians and others who work in the Downtown area.

A History of the Cathedral

The Cathedral’s history is one of enjoying booms, surviving busts and God always being faithful.

Since 1982 the Cathedral has expanded its campus, increased regular Sunday attendance and established an endowment. The Cathedral provides space for 12-Step meetings, community music programs and serves as a location for the opening ceremony of the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. parade.

The bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995, had a profound effect on the Cathedral as it was heavily damaged that day. Despite the tragedy of lost lives and property, St. Paul's stepped up immediately and became a triage site for rescue workers as well as providing a spiritual sanctuary for all seeking comfort and peace during that dark time.

In the early 1990's, the Cathedral purchased an adjacent junkyard and converted the lot into a child-friendly garden. As a reminder of the effect of the bombing on our community, the children of St. Paul's planted a Weeping Willow in the Cathedral Garden in memory of the children who were killed in the Murrah Building.

Eventually, St. Paul's purchased an old auto body shop adjacent to the Garden and built the Dean Back Administrative Building. A million dollar Garden renovation and Columbarium construction project was completed in the spring of 2011.

As it is, St. Paul’s abides as a sacred place on Earth and as a gateway to Heaven.

In 2023, St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral issued a Land Acknowledgement, recognizing the Native History on this land:

St. Paul’s Cathedral Land Acknowledgement
The Cathedral is located at 127 Northwest Seventh Street in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City, the capital city of the State of Oklahoma. Clergy, cathedral members and staff acknowledge that Indigenous Peoples in the past occupied, lived on or passed over the space which the Cathedral currently occupies today. The Cathedral recognizes, accepts and acknowledges the loss of life, loss of territory, the historical consequences of the violent occupation by non-Indians of the region and the forcible removal of Indian Tribes from their Southeastern homelands into “Indian Territory” (later called Oklahoma) in the 1830s known as the Trail of Tears.
Prehistoric peoples, usually called today Paleo-Indians, lived on and traversed this area since at least 25,000 years ago. The rivers that crisscrossed the territory served as compelling pathways for movement, migration, hunting and trading. Wichita Peoples resided in the greater region for a very long time. Perhaps by A.D. 1100, Pawnee peoples separated from the Wichita peoples in Oklahoma - both are Northern Caddoan language speakers -- and moved northward. Caddo resided to the south and east. As the expansion of non-Indians spread westward, Native peoples moved into the Great Plains region that borders central Oklahoma and also made use of the resources, including game, water and forest lands nearby. Plains Apaches, later still Kiowa, Comanche, Cheyenne, Arapaho and others also crossed this region over time (today North-South Interstate 35 and East-West Interstate 40 have replaced the river paths).
The State of Oklahoma is now home to 39 federally recognized tribes and the Cathedral community is home to many parishioners with tribal ties. As a culture and cathedral deeply rooted in Native American heritage we remember and honor the peoples who lived on this land before us. We give thanks for their witness to being good stewards of the land. We strive to work in communion with our Native siblings in Christ in Oklahoma to live into our baptismal call and live in right relationship with one another and all of Creation; we are related to one another in Christ our Lord.

East Garden

As part of the restoration of St. Paul's in the aftermath of the bombing of the Murrah Building in April, 1995, the Cathedral was able to acquire additional property to the east of Dean Willey Hall. The Cathedral saw fit to create a outdoor still point fit for meditation, and absorbing joy in the quiet beauty of the natural world. The Cloister holds within it a garden, the Labyrinth, Arbor, Pet Memorial Garden, and the Cathedral's Columbarium. The East Garden represents God's presence in the world throughout all seasons in our lives.

Who May Use the East Garden?

Individuals are always welcome to enjoy the East Garden for rest and
reflection. Larger groups may use the East Garden upon permission and
scheduling through the Cathedral Office.

When Is the East Garden Open?

The East Garden is open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Access is
through the Cathedral's Main Office in the Dean Back Administration Building. The East Garden is also open following Sunday services from
9:00 am. to 1:00 pm. Other hours are available upon request and with
permission.

The Columbarium

The Columbarium is a sacred space and is a resting place for many members of the Cathedral community and their loved ones. It is to be treated it with reverence. For more information about subscriptions to the Columbarium or to schedule memorial services, please contact the Main Office.

The Labyrinth

The Labyrinth is an ancient symbol of the spiritual journey. Parishioners are invited to walk the Labyrinth in prayerful reflection. There are helpful ways to walk the Labyrinth and guidelines and suggestions are available through the Cathedral Office.

The Arbor

The Arbor is a symbol of the sheltering presence of God. It is a place for quiet conversation and rest.

The Pet Memorial Garden

In the northwest corner of the East Garden lies The Rev. Canon Susan Joplin Pet Memorial Garden, a gathering place to remember all of the pets who have graced the lives of our Cathedral community through the generations. Following the annual Pet Memorial Service, held in conjunction with the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi and Pet Blessings, it is prayerfully planted with spring-flowering bulbs as a reverent reminder that God's love extends to all creatures, great and small.

Oakerhater Chapel

Located in an alcove to the left of the chancel at St. Paul's Cathedral is the Oakerhater Chapel.

Dedicated Saturday, January 17, 2004, the Oakerhater Chapel is devoted to David Pendleton Oakerhater, a valiant Cheyenne warrior who later became an Episcopal deacon serving Indian Territory and later Oklahoma, from 1881-1931. Deacon Oakerhater was also a prisoner of war in the era of westward expansion.

During his 50 years of resolute service on his home reservation, the Cheyenne-Arapaho Reservation in western Oklahoma, the devout deacon was at times the single ordained presence in all of Indian Territory. The General Convention of the Episcopal Church added his name to its Calendar of Lesser Feasts and Fasts in 1985, the first American Indian to receive this recognition.

On the occasion of the dedication of the Chapel, the Very Reverend George Back, Cathedral dean, said, "We write into our cathedral walls a new history. In doing so we raise up a new love story in the midst of many old stories of abuse and disrespect suffered by American Indians."

A portrait of David Pendleton Oakerhater was painted and donated by Cherokee artist, America Meredith. The Oakerhater Window was designed by artist Preston Singletary. The ribs of the Chapel consist of the colors of the four directions.

Oakerhater Sunday

St. Paul's Cathedral celebrates and life and ministry of David Pendleton Oakerhater annually on the Sunday closest to his feast day, September 1st. On that day we decorate the Cathedral with Native shawls, flowers, and a buffalo robe covers the altar. Drummers and singers from the Caddo tribe lead us in and out of worship that day, those among us with Native heritage lead prayers to the four directions of the earth. It is a wonderful service and annual tribute of recognition.

Pipe Organ

St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral is proud to have a Buzard Opus 20 Organ, featuring 28 straight-speaking stops and 3 ranks across two manuals and pedal.

When the Murrah Building was bombed in April, 1995, St. Paul's Cathedral was heavily damaged which included the total loss of the Cathedral's pipe organ. Recognizing the significance of the music program as a vital part of the church, St. Paul's leadership determined to replace the damaged pipe organ with a comparable (or better) one.

According to the Buzard Website:

"The Cathedral's music program is top-flight, and includes committed Parish volunteers and paid singers; the music ranges from renaissance motets through the best modern Anglican anthems. The organ was completed ahead of schedule and used at Solemn Eucharist celebrated by the Presiding Bishop. During his sermon, he pointed to the new instrument as the final symbol of the Cathedral's resurrection from the bomb damage calling it, 'a symbol of the Cathedral being fully alive.'

"This was our first Cathedral organ. It was an awesome responsibility to capture the essence of the Anglican Tradition, and engrave it in wood and metal in this highly visible and vital outpost of the Anglican Communion. Into this place had to be build the quintessential Modern Anglican Organ."

John-Paul Buzard | Champaign, Illinois

St. Nicholas Chapel

The St. Nicholas Chapel, located in the Education Building, is used for St. Paul's mid-week Holy Communion, and the occasional small funeral or baptism. A lovely and quiet space, the Chapel features the stunning "Creation Window," six magnificent windows positioned in two triptychs. These modern stained-glass windows bring dazzling color and light to the wonder of God’s gift of creation. They were designed and fabricated by stained-glass artist Steve Wilson, of Baton Rouge, LA.

The Windows

The first window is called "Nebula" and features a multi-layered blue glass vortex above green and gold earth elements. The second window entitled, "St. Nicholas," features him with mitre and staff. Children, like the stars in the sky, gather in his presence. Known as "Thunderstorm," the third window reflects images from Native American creation accounts. "Spirit of Light" describes the artist’s expression of God’s creative presence through a Pentecost brightness of red light in the fourth window. The fifth window is called "Chi Sign" because of its primal symbol of the Chi ( Χ or χ ) for Christ. The "Moon and Spiral" as sixth window is known, contains both symbols gleaming with intensity and shedding their light and color on the Chapel altar.

St. Paul's is very proud of its elegant little chapel, and we welcome everyone to experience its unique spiritual qualities.

David Pendleton Oakerhater

One of St. Paul’s outreach programs is the Oakerhater Guild. This ministry continues the work begun by the Reverend David Pendelton Oakerhater to the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribe of Western Oklahoma. Rev. Oakerhater was the first Native American to be ordained in the Episcopal Church, to the order of deacons.

Oakerhater, or “Making Medicine”, was born circa 1847 in Western Oklahoma. He was a warrior, possibly involved in the Second Battle of Adobe Walls, and a spiritual leader. His name can also be transliterated as “Medicine Man.” He was imprisoned in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1875. While there,he was among those who developed “ledger art.”

Holy Man

Captain Pratt, the camp officer, saw Oakerhater’s leadership skills, and how his fellow prisoners respected him, and made Oakerhater a trustee. The former Cheyenne warrior led the prisoners in daily military drills, using dummy rifles.

In 1877, Mary Douglass Burnham, an Episcopal deaconess, made arrangements to sponsor the education of several prisoners, including Oakerhater. David was sponsored by Senator George Pendleton of Paris Hill, New York, and ultimately moved in with Rev. John B. Wicks, the rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Paris Hill. There, he received instruction in agriculture, Scripture, and current events.

He was baptized about six months later, in early 1878, and adopted the Christian name David, after King David of the Bible, and Pendleton, in honor of his sponsor.
He was ordained a deacon in July, 1881, and returned to western Oklahoma. He served near Anadarko for Sunday services, and spent weekdays visiting and caring for sick members of various tribes.

He began his work at Whirlwind Mission of the Holy Family in 1889, near Fay, Oklahoma, about 17 miles west of Watonga. He remained there until his retirement in 1918. Even in retirement, he continued to preach, and served as a Native American chief and holy man. He died in 1931, at the age of 84. He was named a Holy Person, or saint, in the Episcopal Church in 1985; his feast day is September 1.

A more detailed biography may be found at From Warrior to Saint, which includes letters written by David.

OKC Bombing & St. Paul's Cathedral

The bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, remains the deadliest act of homegrown terrorism in U.S. history. Its impact reverberated far beyond the blast, touching the hearts and lives of countless individuals, including those at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, which sat a mere 1,500 feet from the explosion. Even decades later, the effects on the Cathedral’s people and structure are still deeply felt.

The Cathedral’s close proximity to the blast caused immense structural damage. The force of the explosion caused the roof and other portions of the building to lift and then crash back down, while the entire structure expanded outward. This violent force tilted many of the Cathedral’s windows outward, shattering glass and leaving the roof and façade deeply scarred. At nearly a century old, repairing a historical building came with many challenges, but the determination to rebuild was greater.

Among the most iconic remnants of that day is the Cathedral’s broken cross—its jagged, fractured form a symbol of both destruction and hope. Initially a mark of the physical damage from the bombing, it has since transformed into a powerful reminder of resilience, grace, and faith. Now memorialized, the broken cross stands as a sacred signpost above the Memorial Gates on the journey from devastation to renewal.

Few may know that St. Paul’s collaborated closely with Washington National Cathedral to create and install a new cross to replace the broken one. After a period of fundraising, the “Lift High the Cross” Sunday was celebrated with great fanfare, marking a significant moment in the Cathedral’s restoration.

The rebuilding process spanned years, becoming a testament to the enduring strength of the Cathedral community. Restoration included extensive structural and electrical repairs to both the Cathedral’s interior and exterior, as well as the parish house and education building, culminating in the installation of a new organ. The acquisition of what is now the Dean Back Administration Building further expanded the Cathedral’s mission, while the Memorial Gates and Cloister, installed in the aftermath, serve as a permanent tribute to those lost—a place for reflection, remembrance, and peace. Altogether, the renovation and restoration took years and cost millions of dollars, but they stand as a testament to faith, hope, and perseverance.

Sitting so close to the epicenter of destruction, St. Paul’s became more than just a house of worship—it became a beacon of resilience and renewal. Every brick laid and every beam restored carried not just the weight of reconstruction, but the weight of memory. Each piece of the Cathedral rebuilt stands as a testament to the clergy, staff, and parishioners who endured, to the community that gathered in faith, and to those who would come to find solace within its walls in the years that followed. The scars of that day may never fully fade, but they do not tell a story of destruction—they tell a story of survival, faith, and a community bound together by something stronger than tragedy. St. Paul’s does not simply stand; it rises.

The interviews and stories shared in this issue were gathered and written by Sarah-Emily Steinhardt, Cathedral Communications Minister, to ensure that the legacy of that day—and the resilience, faith, and strength it revealed—will endure for generations. As we reflect on the past 30 years, may these voices remind us that even in the face of devastation, hope persists, faith sustains, and a community bound by love will always rise again. While it is impossible to capture every story, as one often leads to another, this is just the beginning. We hope these conversations will inspire generations to come.

To read and learn more, visit our Spring 2025 Spiritus Gladius Magazine, Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the OKC Bombing.

A Word from the Dean

"This is a truth I have carried with me throughout my life, and it is one I see so clearly reflected in the sacred walls of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. When I was called to lead this remarkable community, I knew I was being drawn to a place that had faced profound heartbreak and emerged with incredible resilience.

This cathedral knows the heartbreak of life, but also the strength of resiliency. Thirty years after the Oklahoma City bombing, we reflect on that tragic moment—a moment that happened just a block and a half from where we stand today—but this tragedy does not define us. Yes, it is part of our story, but it is not our story. We have not been held captive to the trauma of that moment. Instead, this community has worked diligently to remember, to heal, and to move forward, guided by love and the belief that we can hold both hardship and beauty in the same space.

I felt drawn to the reality of this place, and I wanted to bring my family here, to a community that understands what it means to face difficult moments yet refuses to be overwhelmed by them. It is this balance—this holding of tension between hardship and beauty—that I believe is at the core of our strength as a cathedral.

One of the most powerful symbols of our remembrance is the East Garden, where the broken cross that once stood atop the cathedral now rests. When you enter that space, you are invited to hold both life and death, and yet, somehow, you find peace and renewal. The Celebration Arbor is designed as a place of respite and restoration, a tangible reminder that while we face the pain of loss, hope always emerges.

Each year, as we read the names of those lost in the bombing, we honor their lives, recognizing not only the weight of their loss but also the potential of what their lives could have been. It is a heavy moment, but it is one filled with love. Their lives may have been taken with anger, but their memory is held in love. This is the message that we carry with us: Love always gets the last word.

As you read this special edition of the Spiritus Gladius magazine commemorating the 30th anniversary, with the incredible stories of survival of our members, may you be reminded that we are not defined by what has happened to us, but by how we rise, remember, and continue to live in love.

As we continue to walk together in faith, let us hold onto this truth. Even in the face of tragedy, even when we are surrounded by heartbreak, love will always have the final say."

The Very Reverend Katie Churchwell
15th Dean, St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral

127 NW 7TH STREET, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73102

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