Going to the Chapel ...
A stunning space for contemplation, community and all that glitters.
By Tracey Rhoades
Construction on the Moody Center Complex for Student Life is well underway, expected to provide a vibrant new place for students to gather starting in 2027. But one neighboring space — the Rice Chapel — remains relatively unchanged. Steeped in history, the chapel (originally the Memorial Chapel) has been a beautiful, almost mystical campus gathering spot since its dedication in 1959. From art exhibits to conferences and countless weddings, the chapel’s golden entryway has welcomed visitors for nearly 70 years.
Nestled in the cloisters of the RMC, the Romanesque-style building was made possible by a gift from Eugenia and Newton Rayzor, Class of 1917, the first alumnus to serve on the Rice Board of Trustees (then the Board of Governors) and a member of the institute’s second graduating class. Inspired by Rome’s Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, architect Harvin Moore, Class of 1927, enhanced the nondenominational space with abstract stained-glass windows, wooden pews adorned with carvings of the university seal, a marble altar, and the unforgettable gold-leaf columns and gilded apse that bathe the space in a majestic glow, day or night.
The chapel is anchored by an Opus 1 Baroque-style organ consisting of 17 ranks and 1,120 pipes, providing a rich, resonant sound for services and events, including memorial remembrances for many renowned faculty members and, notably, one for John F. Kennedy following his assassination. In 1962, the system was bolstered by the installation of an electronic carillon, enabling sound to be broadcast through speakers located in the adjacent bell tower. For about two decades, until the early 1980s, the carillon chimed the hours daily.
“Save for minor repairs and a significant overhaul of the organ in 2012, there haven’t been any major changes to the chapel,” says Tim Abraham, assistant director of student services and the chapel’s reservation manager.
Around 100 events are held in the chapel each year, in addition to free guided meditation sessions held Thursdays at noon. So even though the bells no longer chime, the chapel beckons.
Do you have a meaningful memory in the Rice Chapel? Tell us about it at ricemagazine@rice.edu.
From the Spring 2026 issue of Rice Magazine