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About Paris-Yates Chapel and Peddle Bell Tower

A peaceful retreat in the heart of Ole Miss, the Chapel offers students, faculty, staff and campus visitors a space for reflection, celebration, and UM community events.

Our Mission

 The mission of the Paris-Yates Chapel is to provide a place of quiet and meditation for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the University, as well as a facility for campus events of all types, such as recitals, memorial services, weddings, meetings, lectures, concerts, and special events.

A legacy of faith and fellowship

Built through the vision and generosity of students, alumni, and friends, the Paris-Yates Chapel opened in 2001 as a spiritual home on campus.

View of Peddle Bell Tower at Paris Yates Chapel

Peddle Bell Tower

The crowning touch of the Paris-Yates Chapel is the Peddle Bell Tower and its carillon. Cast in Holland, the 36 bronze bells are connected by cables to a keyboard at the base of the tower and chime the hour. These are a gift to the university from Frank and Marge Peddle of Oxford, a contribution that speaks passionately of their love for Ole Miss, their love of music, and their desire to provide an atmosphere of reflection for students and others.

Stained glass windows at Paris Yates Chapel

Stained Glass Windows

The stained glass window at the front of Paris-Yates Chapel features a Star of David intertwined with a cross, symbolizing the union of Judaism and Christianity in the marriage of Rose Marie Leonard and Henry Paris. This meaningful design reflects the couple’s shared passion and enduring legacy at Ole Miss, where the chapel now stands as a place for prayer, reflection, and celebration for generations to come.

Pipe organ in sanctuary of Paris Yates Chapel

Pipe Organ

Built by Karl Wilhelm, Mont-St-Hilaire, Québec, Canada, Paris-Yates features a pipe organ of traditional design, built on classical principles that is flexible enough to play a large and varied repertory of solos and accompaniment. The organ embodies the University’s commitment to quality and artistic integrity.

The organ is made possible by the generosity of Gene L. Davidson Family and Sandra and Bill Johnson in honor of Larry and Susan Martindale.

Garden Statue at Paris Yates Chapel

Garden Statue

The Chapel garden’s statue was sculpted by artist Rod Moorhead through the generosity of James F. and Peggy H. Adams.

The Vision for a Chapel

In 1975, students chose the chapel as their charitable project and, with the help of alumni, raised $12,000 for a Chapel Fund.

In 1976, Chancellor Porter L. Fortune, Jr., appointed a committee to develop plans for an Ole Miss chapel. Chancellor Fortune charged the committee with recommending the type of chapel desired and possible sites for its location.

The committee expressed a desire to build a “traditional chapel” that would be centrally located and defined its principal function as a “setting for interdenominational worship services and rooms for prayer, meditation, Bible study, small discussion groups, counseling, and weddings.”

Planning for a Chapel

In May 1977, the committee submitted a final report to Chancellor Fortune. In December 1977, Dr. Fortune announced the beginning of a $500,000 chapel fund-raising campaign, proclaiming December 7 as “A Day of Prayer” on campus for the realization of a chapel at Ole Miss.

A building committee was appointed in 1978, and though an effort was made to revive the chapel initiative in the mid-1980s, private support was not available.

After being named chancellor in 1995, Dr. Robert C. Khayat was approached by three alumni committed to funding a chapel: Henry Paris, a member of the original 1976 chapel committee; his son, LeRoy H. Paris II; and J. Stacy Davidson. With the commitment of a lead gift, Chancellor Khayat appointed a new Chapel Committee in February 1996.

Construction & Groundbreaking

The mall area west of the J.D. Williams Library was chosen as the site for the chapel, and symbolic groundbreaking ceremonies were held in September 1996. Subsequently, another lead gift was provided by Bill and Nancy Yates and family.

Since all costs of the Paris-Yates Chapel and Peddle Bell Tower are from private gifts, construction of the Chapel was a project of The University of Mississippi Foundation. The Board of Directors of The University of Mississippi Foundation formally voted to move forward with construction at its meeting in April 1999.

In April 2001, the chapel held its opening ceremony, inviting members of every denomination to attend.

The chapel for The University of Mississippi was programmed and designed by Dale and Associates Architects, P.A., of Jackson, Mississippi, and was constructed by W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company of Philadelphia, Mississippi.

Visit Paris-Yates Chapel

Regular Hours

Mon-Thurs: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Fri: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sun: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Summer Hours

Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sun: Varied

Closed

Closed Saturdays, all University holidays, home football games, & other major events on campus that impact parking.  

Find Us

60 Chapel Drive,
University, MS 38677
View on Campus Map
Open in Google Maps
chapel@olemiss.edu
(662) 915-2891