Basilica of St. Louis, King of France facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France
Basilica in June 2011
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Minor basilica
Location
Location	209 Walnut Street, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Architecture
Architect(s)	Joseph Laveille and George Morton
Architectural style	Greek Revival
Groundbreaking	1770 (first church) 1831 (current church)
Completed	1834
Specifications
Direction of façade	South by west
Length	134 feet (41 m)
Width	84 feet (26 m)
Height (max)	95 feet (29 m)
Materials	Limestone
St. Louis Landmark
Website
Basilica of St. Louis, King of France

The Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France (which in French is Cathédrale Saint-Louis-Roi-de-France de Saint-Louis), is a Catholic church in St. Louis, Missouri. People often call it the Old Cathedral. It was the first main Catholic church west of the Mississippi River. Until 1844, it was the only parish church in St. Louis.

This church is one of two Catholic basilicas in St. Louis. Both are named after King Louis IX of France, who is also the namesake of the city. The church you see today was built between 1831 and 1834. It stands near the historic riverfront of St. Louis. The church is surrounded by Gateway Arch National Park, but it is not part of the park itself. It was kept safe when other buildings were torn down to make way for the Gateway Arch.

This basilica is a special church for certain groups of people, not just for everyone living nearby. It is a very popular place for weddings in the St. Louis area. Many tourists also like to visit it because of its history and its location near the famous Gateway Arch.

History of the Old Cathedral

Early Churches in St. Louis

The first Catholic church in St. Louis, built in 1770. It was later replaced by the current building.

When Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau started the city of St. Louis, they set aside land for the Catholic Church. In 1766, a traveling priest used a tent for services. By 1770, a small log house was built on the site. Reverend Pierre Gibault officially opened this building on June 24, 1770. In 1776, it was made bigger to include a log church. However, no priest lived in St. Louis permanently until 1811.

In 1818, these log buildings began to be replaced by a brick church. Bishop Louis William Valentine Dubourg ordered this new building. Gabriel Paul designed the brick church. During Bishop Dubourg's time, many important items like paintings and an organ were given to the church. A cemetery was also started near the new church. Many of St. Louis's founders were buried there. Most of these bodies were later moved to Bellefontaine Cemetery in the 1840s and 1850s.

Bishop Dubourg also helped start St. Louis Academy in 1818. This school later became Saint Louis University. It was in a two-story brick building next to the new church. The brick church was finally finished in 1821.

Building the Current Church

In 1826, St. Louis was growing, so the Diocese of St. Louis was created. The first bishop, Joseph Rosati, decided to build a new, larger church. This church is what we now call the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France. Bishop Rosati laid the first stone for the church on August 1, 1831.

The architectural firm of Laveille and Morton designed and built the church. They were one of the first architecture firms west of the Mississippi River. Construction was completed by late 1834. On Sunday, October 26, 1834, the church was officially opened and blessed. There was a ceremony with the local army and church members.

The church's interior after being updated.

After the St. Louis diocese became a bigger, more important archdiocese in 1847, the church became home to a group called the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. This Catholic charity helps people in need. Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick and St. Louis Mayor Bryan Mullanphy were among the people who started this group. At first, they helped immigrants from Ireland and Germany. Later, they helped all St. Louis residents.

This tradition of helping the poor continued in the early 1900s. Reverend John Tannrath took charge of the church on September 5, 1915. He updated the priest's house and the church. He also started a school for local immigrant children. He even arranged care for disabled children and adults.

Recent Times

The city kept growing, so a larger church was built in 1914. This new church, the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, is located farther west in the city. It is still the main church for the archbishop of St. Louis.

To honor the first main church's importance, Pope John XXIII gave it a special title on January 27, 1961. He called it a basilica, which is why it's now known as the Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France. Soon after, in 1963, the church was updated by a well-known St. Louis architecture firm.

In 2015, the Basilica was restored. This included:

• Fixing the outside limestone and sandstone.
• Replacing the windows with new, energy-saving ones that looked like the old Gothic design.
• Repairing the steeple, roofs, and gutters.
• Restoring the front doors.
• Improving the parking lot, entrance paths, and landscaping.
• Updating the inside entrance area.
• Removing all carpet and fixing the wood floors.
• Restoring the decorative wood details and statues.

The main altar made of marble, with a copy of Diego Velazquez's The Crucifixion painting.

Today, the church serves local church members. There are not many of them, but they are very loyal. It also serves people who work nearby and tourists. Because of its location near the Mississippi River and the Gateway Arch, it is a very popular place for weddings. It is second only to St. Francis Xavier College Church at Saint Louis University for Catholic weddings in the area.

Design and Art

The Gateway Arch and the Old Cathedral.

The church is built in the Greek Revival style, which looks like ancient Greek temples. It is known for its beautiful marble altars. It also has a painting of Saint Louis honoring the Crown of Thorns. This painting was a gift from Louis XVIII, the King of France. There is also an exact copy of the famous Crucifixion painting by Diego Velázquez. This copy was put in the church in the second half of the 1900s.

Above the church entrance, words are carved in gold: In honorem s. Ludovici. Deo uni et trino dicatum. A. MDCCCXXXIV. This means "In honor of St. Louis. Dedicated to the one and triune God. A.D. 1834". There are also Hebrew letters above this carving. These letters are meant to spell out God's name in Hebrew. A popular story says that one letter was wrong, but the letters actually seem to be correct.

The church basement has many old items related to the history of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis. This includes a bell given to the church by the governor of the Louisiana territory in the early 1800s. Bishop Joseph Rosati, who ordered the church to be built, is buried in a special place under the main altar area.

See also

In Spanish: Basílica de San Luis Rey de Francia (San Luis) para niños