By Joe Contreras, Latin Life Denver Media (See interview below)

I have never been inside Denver’s St. John’s Cathedral. As a Denver native I have driven past the Gothic structure in Capitol Hill dozens of times. I often wondered what that church was about and what was inside. Wow!, was I ever impressed when I was invited to the debut of ‘Celestia’ an immersive light and sound production making it’s world debut in Denver through September 6, 2026.

St. Johns’ Cathedral, located at 1350 N. Washington Street was completed in 1911 after a fire destroyed the original building at 20th and Welton in 1903. The oak reredos with thirteen carved figures and the wrought iron and brass rood screen were saved from the old cathedral and are prominently displayed near the front of the current cathedral.

Saint John’s Cathedral is the seat of the bishop and the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado and part of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, a family of 42 churches and 85 million Christians across the world.

As soon as I stepped inside I was immediately impressed by the pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses, which allow for larger windows. While most churches have impressive stained glass works, St. John’s Cathedral features a collection of over 50 stained glass windows with works from London to Boston. Some have even compared the architecture of St. John’s Cathedral to that of Notre-Dame de Paris and the Cologne Cathedral in Germany only on a much smaller scale.

The cathedral on its own is reason enough to visit, but throw in the awing sensory immersive high tech light and original orchestra sound experience and you are in heaven. That’s what Celestia means. It is a Latin adjective meaning “heavenly, ” of the sky” or “divine. Select evenings feature a live choir woven into the immersive experience, blending powerful voices with the orchestral score for a richer, more moving event. The show is performed in five unique acts and is a story of creation, awakening and belonging. I recommend sitting about in the middle of the cathedral to capture the entire experience taking place in front, around and above. Capacity is limited to 400 people.

Kurt Baker, Chief Marketing Director for Paquin Entertainment, the creative production company bringing this multisensory arts experience to Denver and to various locations around the world, recently met with Latin Life Denver Media to talk all about this wonderful event making it’s world debut right here in the mile high city. (See interview below)

At $29 this production is a bargain with today’s inflationary chaos. Shows start shortly after sunset as the cathedral need to be completely dark before the experience can begin. Click HERE for showtimes and tickets for an experience you will never forget.