Beneath the shadow of Governors Island lies a chapel with a unique story. This is the Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion. It is a place of worship with a rich history.
The Chapel of St. Cornelius began in 1846. Reverend John McVickar wanted a place for Army servicemen and their families to worship. Initially, services took place under trees or in the post headquarters. McVickar sought funding for a dedicated chapel. The government leased land to the Army for this purpose. Trinity Church in New York contributed generously. By 1847, a wooden church was built according to McVickar’s plans. Trinity Church supported it for years. In 1868, the chapel officially became part of Trinity Parish.
By the early 20th century, the original chapel was beyond repair. Trinity Church offered to build a new one. The cornerstone was laid in October 1905. Just a year later, on October 19, 1906, the new Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion was dedicated. Bishop David Greer led the ceremony. The choirs of Trinity Church and the post chapel provided music.
Charles C. Haight designed the new Chapel of St. Cornelius in the English Gothic style. The limestone structure features a tower, nave, transepts, chancel, and side chapel. It measures 106 feet long and 70 feet wide. Carved oak seats grace the clergy and choir areas. Chairs furnish the nave and St. Albans Chapel. Clergy and choir sacristies, along with the organ, are on the chancel’s south side. A mortuary chapel lies beneath the chancel. The roof is vaulted with flat Italian tile.
Interestingly, the Chapel of St. Cornelius had an agreement with the Army. In 1924, the Army paid the chaplain’s salary, while Trinity maintained the building. Chaplains from other Protestant denominations were allowed to conduct services. This lasted until 1966 when the Coast Guard took over Governors Island.
Trinity Parish discontinued ordinary maintenance in the early 1970s. However, it continued to assist with major repairs and insurance. In 1980, Trinity leased the Chapel of St. Cornelius to the U.S. Government for just one dollar per year. By 1986, Trinity donated the chapel to the government. A condition was set that ownership would revert to Trinity if the government stopped owning the land or using the building as a military chapel. When the Coast Guard left Governors Island in 1996, Trinity regained ownership. The Chapel of St. Cornelius is no longer in use.
The Chapel of St. Cornelius once housed historically significant battle flags and relics. The chapel also boasts a rich organ history. The original Hook & Hastings organ was installed in 1906. In 1954, M.P. Möller Company added a “Double Artiste” instrument. Later, in the 1980s, a Rodgers electronic organ replaced the Möller.