St. Mary of the Mountains

 

St. Mary of the Mountains will be restored to its original splendor for a low, low $1.9 million, $500 thousand coming from the federal government (that is to say, taxpayers). Why does it need refurbishing?

"An interior fire ravaged the church in 1875, though it was rebuilt in 1877. When the Comstock-era ended, the church changed caretakers' hands until a group of monks agreed to manage it in 1957.

The "mad monk" era was the church's low point as it was stripped of its ornate interiors, much of which had been designed by Europe's elite master craftsmen.

"When the church was first built, there was that much money going into it - it was that ornately done.

"But when the monks came in, they thought it was much too worldly - and spent a year tearing it apart. As a result, the church started to fall inward."

"The Mad Monk Era? I don't know what it means, but I like it...