About Christendom College - Christ the King Chapel · Front Royal, Virginia
Christ the King Chapel is the spiritual, intellectual, and social heart of Christendom College, a Catholic liberal arts college founded in 1977 in Front Royal, Virginia. The current chapel — a $30 million, 24,000-square-foot Gothic Revival structure — was dedicated on April 15, 2023, by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington, with Cardinal Francis Arinze in attendance. Built on the highest point of campus and visible from Interstate 66, it seats 544 and features a 114-foot crossing tower, twelve apostle-named bells, over 100 stained-glass windows, a 2,825-pipe organ, and a cornerstone blessed by Pope Benedict XVI. Daily Mass, daily confession, Holy Hour, and a robust liturgy served by the college chaplaincy are at the center of Christendom's life.
- Established
- 1995 (original chapel); 2023 (current chapel dedication)
- Patron
- Christ the King
- Rector
- Rev. Marcus Pollard (Head Chaplain)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Arlington
Why belong here
Christ the King Chapel is the spiritual heart of Christendom College and offers the faithful a richly traditional Catholic liturgical life: a daily Mass schedule, daily confession, a weekday Holy Hour, sacred polyphony and Gregorian chant from the College Choir and Schola Gregoriana, and a stunning Gothic Revival sanctuary adorned with stained glass, a 2,825-pipe organ, and a Lady Chapel housing a carpet from the House of the Virgin Mary near Ephesus. Open by appointment to visitors and to the local community when space allows, the chapel is a place designed to 'raise the hearts and minds of all who enter to God' through beauty rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition.
Mass times at Christendom College - Christ the King Chapel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Saturday: after the 7:30 AM Mass
- Monday–Saturday: 11:00 AM
- Monday–Friday: 6:00–7:00 PM
- Sunday: after the 8:30 AM Mass
Adoration times
- Holy Hour: Monday–Friday, 6:00 PM
History of Christ the King Chapel
Christendom College has had two chapels named Christ the King. The first, a small building from the 1940s expanded in 1988, was replaced in 1995 by a chapel designed in the manner of Sacred Heart Church in Winchester and dedicated by Cardinal Jan Schotte with a chalice and paten from Pope John Paul II. By the 2010s, surging enrollment again made it too small. In 2008 the new chapel's cornerstone was blessed in Rome by Pope Benedict XVI, who called the plans 'beautiful.' A 2016 'Call to Greatness' campaign raised $45 million, construction began in 2019, and Bishop Michael F. Burbidge dedicated the new $30 million Gothic Revival chapel on April 15, 2023 before Cardinal Francis Arinze and approximately 700 attendees.
- Original chapel: 1995–2023; dedicated by Cardinal Jan Schotte
- Current chapel: groundbreaking 2018, construction 2019, dedicated April 15, 2023
- Construction cost: $30 million
- Architect: O'Brien & Keane
- General contractor: Hoar Construction
- EWTN broadcast the dedication live
Architecture & Sacred Art
The 24,000-square-foot cruciform Gothic Revival building was designed by O'Brien & Keane to evoke the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe. Its 114-foot crossing tower rises above the chancel, beneath which a golden oculus representing the Eucharist is ringed by painted angels; the deep-blue ceiling is scattered with stars and four corner archangels. Twelve interior columns stand for the Twelve Apostles. Rugo Stone crafted the High Altar and four side shrines depicting the Crucifix, the Sacred Heart, Our Lady of Fátima, and the Divine Mercy image with St. Faustina and Pope John Paul II. Sculptor Edwin Gonzalez contributed ten statues including a Pietà, St. Anthony of Padua, and St. Joseph. A Lady Chapel on the east side displays a carpet from the House of the Virgin Mary near Ephesus.
- 114 stained-glass windows by Beyer Studio
- Rose window on façade: seven sections depicting the seven liberal arts, with Mary at center
- 12 bells (McShane Bell Company), each named for an Apostle
- Mahogany and red oak doors
- 2,825-pipe organ by Kegg Pipe Organ Builders
- 5-foot botafumeiro installed 2024, modeled on Santiago de Compostela
Chaplaincy & Staff
The college chaplaincy, housed in Padre Pio Hall, is led by Head Chaplain Rev. Marcus Pollard, appointed by Bishop Burbidge in July 2017. He is assisted by an Associate Chaplain (Fr. Mark Fusco at the 2023 dedication) and an Administrative Assistant, Mrs. Cindy Martin. Student leaders include a Head Sacristan, Holy Rood Coordinators, and a Floral Coordinator.
- Rev. Marcus Pollard — Head Chaplain ([email protected])
- Rev. Mark Fusco — Associate Chaplain
- Mrs. Cindy Martin — Administrative Assistant ([email protected])
- Elliot Harne — Head Sacristan ([email protected])
- Rachel Nikirk & Evelyn Ivanauskas — Holy Rood Coordinators ([email protected])
- Phone: (540) 622-6128
Liturgical Ministries
Students serve the sacred liturgy as lectors, altar servers, sacristans (who also serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion when needed), and members of the Holy Rood Guild who keep the chapel clean and well-ordered. A floral coordinator arranges chapel flowers.
- Lectors — proclaim Scripture and the Prayers of the Faithful ([email protected])
- Altar Servers — assist the priest at the altar
- Sacristans — prepare liturgical celebrations
- Holy Rood Guild — care of the chapel ([email protected])
- Floral Coordinator
Music: Schola Gregoriana & College Choir
Music at Christ the King Chapel is led by Dr. Kurt Poterack. The Schola Gregoriana is a men's choral group assisting at Mass with traditional Gregorian chant on Sundays, feast days, and special events such as the annual Baccalaureate Mass. The mixed College Choir sings for Sunday and feast-day Masses, specializing in sacred polyphony by masters such as Palestrina, Victoria, and des Prez, and occasionally performs off campus.
- Schola Gregoriana — men's Gregorian chant choir
- College Choir — polyphony (Palestrina, Victoria, des Prez)
- Director: Dr. Kurt Poterack ([email protected])
Sacraments, Devotions & Mass Intentions
Daily Mass and the daily availability of the Sacrament of Penance are the core of chapel life, complemented by weekday Eucharistic Adoration (Holy Hour) and ample opportunities for devotions and prayer. The faithful may request Mass Intentions to have the Holy Sacrifice offered at Christ the King Chapel for a particular intention, and donations can be made to embellish the sacred liturgies in memory of loved ones.
- Mass Intentions — [email protected]
- Chapel Donations — [email protected]
- Retreats for students
- Vespers and feast-day devotions per liturgical calendar
Weddings at Christ the King Chapel
Weddings at Christ the King are limited to current Christendom College students, alumni who have graduated in the past 12 months, current faculty and staff, and the sons and daughters of current faculty or staff. All requests for events in the chapel must be approved by the college, and only Catholic liturgical or devotional exercises are permitted inside.
- Eligibility: students, recent alumni (within 12 months), faculty/staff and their children
- Approvals: Special Events Manager Elizabeth Spe ([email protected])
- Flyers, holy cards, devotionals, and printed materials require college approval
Tours & Visitor Information
Visitors are welcome to explore Christ the King Chapel by guided tour. Tours begin in the piazza and proceed through the narthex, nave, sanctuary, south transept, and north transept, concluding in the Lady Chapel behind the high altar. A self-guided audio tour with headphones is also available, and tours are scheduled by appointment based on availability. The Piazza of Christ the King outside the chapel is intended as a place of community and Catholic culture.
- In-person guided tours by appointment
- Self-guided audio tour (headphones recommended)
- Contact: Therese Sullivan — [email protected]
- Open to members of the local community when space allows
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Marcus Pollard2017–present
Head Chaplain since July 2017; assigned by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge; formerly pastor of St. Anthony of Padua, Falls Church; ordained 1990.
- Rev. Stephen McGrawthrough 2017
Former chaplain; reassigned in 2017 to the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic.