Summerall Chapel is a cruciform

chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...

on the campus of

The Citadel The Citadel Military College of South Carolina (simply known as The Citadel) is a public senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Established in 1842, it is the third oldest of the six senior military colleges ...

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

. Constructed from 1936 to 1938, the chapel serves the

South Carolina Corps of Cadets The South Carolina Corps of Cadets is the military component of the student body at the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. The Corps of Cadets is the only residential, full-time undergraduate program at the Citadel, focusing on e ...

and the broader Citadel and Charleston communities. The chapel is non-sectarian, but hosts Catholic, Protestant, and Episcopal worship services weekly during the academic year. Additionally, many special events, such as weddings and the annual Christmas Candlelight Service, are hosted in the chapel. It is located on the Avenue of Remembrance, directly across Summerall Field from Padgett-Thomas Barracks. It stands between Daniel Library and Mark Clark Hall.

Construction

The chapel, designed by C.R. MacDonald, was started on September 7, 1936 and dedicated on Palm Sunday, April 10, 1938. The first services, however, were held in the chapel on September 19, 1937. The chapel was named in honor of Citadel president Gen. Charles Pelot Summerall. A $1 million repair program was developed for the chapel in 1985.

Decoration

Inside, there is a set of thirty stained glass windows designed by H.G. Wilbert depicting the life of Jesus Christ which were executed by the Pittsburgh Stained Glass Studios in the 13th century Gothic style.

References

{{The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina campus Churches completed in 1938 University and college chapels in the United States Churches in Charleston, South Carolina Military chapels of the United States