VALPARAISO | Right on the heels of celebrating its 150th birthday, Valparaiso University this year is marking the 50th anniversary of its landmark Chapel of the Resurrection with a series of special events.

Marking the milestone is appropriate, University Pastor the Rev. Joseph Cunningham said, because the chapel is more than a building.

In addition to being one of the largest collegiate chapels in the world, "it is a testament to God's grace to humanity every day," Cunningham said.

The chapel, he said, is "a place where God's presence is made known, a unique place where the transcendence of God is offered and received."

An anniversary worship service Sunday morning incorporated elements of the dedicatory services exactly 50 years earlier. A rededication of the chapel's Reddel Memorial Organ was held later Sunday.

Dedicated in 1959, the chapel seats more than 2,000 people. Three years in the making, at a cost of $7.5 million, it originally was called Memorial Chapel in recognition of the memorial gifts made to help fund its construction. The name was changed to Chapel of the Resurrection in 1969.

By virtue of its size and grandeur, the chapel forces those who spend time on campus to acknowledge and address the issues of faith embodied in such a building, Cunningham said.

"It means something different to everybody," he said. "For some, it is a place to have an intimate connection with God. For others, it is a place of refuge. ... Ultimately, it is a place where the community can gather in all circumstances."

Among anniversary events scheduled for this academic year, the chapel will host VU's special five-concert Choral Concert Series, beginning with Chanticleer, a Grammy Award-winning men's a capella chorus from San Francisco, at 8 p.m. Friday. The series also includes the Vienna Boys' Choir and performances of Bach's "St. Matthew Passion" and Mahler's Symphony No. 2.