When the Cathedral was finished in 1917, St. Mary's Chapel was first consecrated
as the McClintock Chapel. The Chapel was the gift of Dr. J. C. McClintock and
his wife in memory of his father and mother. This "handsome morning Chapel
in the late Tudor or Perpendicular style" served Grace Cathedral for weekday
and smaller services for most of the twentieth century.
When the devastating fire engulfed the Cathedral on November 26,1975, many
of the Chapel appointments were carried from the burning cathedral and saved:
the 1857 altar (now the All Saints Altar in the Cathedral's East Transept),
the brass eagle lectern (now used in the Cathedral), the Baptismal Font (originally
in the Bethany College Chapel, now in the Chapel Narthex), and other brass
appointments.
On either side of the Chapel Altar are two adoring angels, The Meade Windows,
which were given in memory of Emily Jane Meade and John Macky Meade. The small
lancette windows in the Chapel Sanctuary are thank offerings, The Kilmer Windows,
given "in thanksgiving to God for the safe return from World War II of
Charles Benedict Kilmer and Lloyd Lott Kilmer." The black walnut hand-carved
wainscoting on either side of the Altar was made from old pews that stood in
the first permanent Grace Church building in Topeka. These windows and the
wainscoting survived the fire with some damage.
Consecrated as St. Mary's Chapel in 1978, all the appointments in the Chapel
are devoted to women in the Bible. The color scheme is Sarum Blue, the color
associated with Mary, the Mother of Jesus. The triptych of windows on the east
wall are (left to right) The Visitation: Elizabeth greeting Mary as she sings
the Magnificat; The Flight: the Holy Family's flight to Egypt; and The Holy
Family: Joseph teaching the boy Jesus as Mary looks on. The walnut carvings
at the bases of the arches are symbols relating to Mary or the Nativity. A
hand-carved figurine of Mary and the Baby Jesus stands on the Sanctuary wall
.
