The $175 million restoration of the cathedral is largely complete and little has been left untouched. The stained glass is brighter, the ceiling cracks repaired, the pews polished and the organ pipes cleaned.
But one corner of the historic church is still dusty and stained, and it will remain that way forever.
In the south spire — at the access point to the 146-year-old cathedral’s great wooden attic — the windows are filthy, and marked with strange graffiti. Over the years a parade of workers scrawled their names on the walls and windows, some as far back as 1922.
Even firefighters, coming through on regular inspections, etched their names on the dirty window panes with their fingers.
Paul Gill from Engine Co. 54 and Michael Brennan from Ladder Co. 4, based in the same midtown firehouse, made their mark on April 2, 1999. Leonard Ragaglia, also from Engine Co. 54, wrote “Rags E-54” that same day.
Michael Lynch, of Ladder 4, etched “Lynch” in the grime. He gave no date other than 2001.
Later that year, all four men would respond to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.
They would perish along with 11 others from their firehouse, the entire contingent that raced to Ground Zero the site from their 48th Street headquarters.
In 2006, Monsignor Robert Ritchie, soon after being named St. Patrick’s rector, climbed the spiral stairs in the spire and noticed the smudged glass.