Just Like A Prayer

Construction of the Crystal Cathedral (now Christ Cathedral) in Garden Grove, California began in 1977 and was completed in 1980 at a cost of $18 million. The 18-story, 236-foot Crean Tower was added in 1990. It is often called the Prayer Spire but is actually a bell tower and carillon. The Arvella Schuller Carillon is 52 bells, weighing 50 pounds to 2 tons, each sounding a different note. The carillon resides near the top of the tower and the bells range from 6 inches to 6 feet in size. Founded in 1955 by Robert H. Schuller, Crystal Cathedral Ministries filed for bankruptcy in October 2010; in February 2012 the building and its adjacent campus was sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange for use as the diocese’s new cathedral.

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