Saint Martin’s Chapel and Parish House are approaching their hundredth anniversary as part of the architectural complex of Saint John’s Episcopal Cathedral in Denver, Colorado. Although motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians see them daily when traveling west on East Fourteenth Avenue to downtown Denver, they may not know much else about them. Now, the history of these two Gothic-inspired structures has been documented by Juliana S. Fletcher in an engaging, well-illustrated volume.
Juliana presents the genesis of both buildings and considers their internal ornamentation and devotional objects, tastefully produced over the years by accomplished artists and artisans from Denver and beyond. Noted architects Burnham and Merrill Hoyt and John Gray designed the buildings, with artists John Thompson, Charles Connick, Arnold Ronnebeck, Marion Hendrie, and others contributing works. Juliana discusses the individual works along with the biographies of their creators and information about their donors. The publication of A Place Steeped in Prayer is an important and much-needed contribution to the architectural and cultural history of the Mile High City.
Juliana S. Fletcher was born in Denver in 1940 and baptized in Saint Martin’s Chapel by Bishop Fred Ingley. She attended Stevens, Steele, and University Park elementary schools, Merrill Junior High, South High, and the University of Arizona. Juliana’s three daughters were born in Brooklyn and baptized in Trinity Church, New York City. They moved to Ridgewood, New Jersey, where they were members of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church. Juliana established an art consulting firm in the New York metropolitan area in 1980 before moving back to Denver in 1988 and earning a degree in interior design. In 2008 she received a certification in botanical art and illustration from the Denver Botanic Gardens. She recently retired after a forty-year design career. A member of Saint John’s Cathedral since 1988, Juliana has served on many committees, including the Master Plan and Arts & Architecture. She currently chairs the Eucharistic Visitors Ministry.
