The first stages of construction are underway for Christendom College’s new Christ the King Chapel, with equipment arriving onsite on Wednesday, May 8. The moment marks the end result of years of hard work and generosity on the part of hundreds of donors, with the chapel set to be the high point of campus for generations to come.
The college recently received approval at the state and local level to begin work preparing the construction site. The pre-construction work is beginning on the site immediately, with contractors cutting in a new construction entrance road. They will also install erosion and sediment control around the entire site, and add sediment ponds, fencing, and walls. Once this is complete, construction will be able to begin in earnest, with the chapel expected to be complete within 16-19 months after that.
Fundraising for the chapel began in 2016 with the launch of the $40 million Campaign for Christendom — the most ambitious fundraising campaign in college history. The college not only met that goal but exceeded it, raising millions of dollars for the college’s endowment, annual fund, and the new chapel.
Being built on newly purchased land located on the south side of campus, the chapel will more than double the seating capacity of the current chapel, providing much needed space for the college’s growing student body. The 116-foot new bell tower and spires will rise out of the valley along the shores of the Shenandoah River, making the chapel visible for miles and serving as the outward expression of Christendom’s role as the standard for fidelity and authentic liberal arts education with Christ at the center.