Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi (Santa Fe) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral Basilica ofSt. Francis of Assisi |
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| Location | Santa Fe, New Mexico |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral/Parish |
| Founded | 1714 (parish) |
| Dedication | St. Francis of Assisi |
| Dedicated | 1887 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Years built | 1869–1887 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Santa Fe |
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, often called Saint Francis Cathedral, is a beautiful Catholic church in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is the main church for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.
This impressive cathedral was built by Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy between 1869 and 1886. It stands on the same spot where an older adobe church, called La Parroquia, was built in 1714. Even before that, a church from 1626 was destroyed during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. The new cathedral was actually built around the old La Parroquia. Once the new building was finished, the older church was carefully taken apart. A small chapel on the north side of the cathedral is still part of the original old church.
Archbishop Lamy, who was from France, wanted the new cathedral to look very different from the adobe buildings around it. He chose the Romanesque Revival style. This means the cathedral has round arches and strong columns. The large round window on the front and the windows showing the Twelve Apostles were brought all the way from France. The towers were supposed to have tall steeples, but they were never built because there wasn't enough money. The cathedral is made from yellow limestone blocks. In 2005, a small round window with a dove, a symbol of the Holy Spirit, was added to the front. It's a stained glass copy of a famous window in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
On October 4, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI officially gave the Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi the special title of a basilica.
Outside the Cathedral
Statues and Gardens
The area outside the cathedral has several important statues and a peaceful garden.
St. Francis of Assisi Statue
A statue of St. Francis was placed at the cathedral in 1967. He is the patron saint of the diocese, which means he is a special protector for the church community here.
Saint Kateri Statue
Kateri Tekakwitha (1656–1680) was the first Native American woman to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. She became a saint in October 2012. Kateri was a Mohawk woman from New York who became a Christian when she was young. Her statue was made by Estella Loretto, an artist from the nearby Jemez Pueblo. It was put in place in August 2003.
Archbishop Lamy Statue
A bronze statue honors Father Lamy (1814–1888). He became the first bishop of Santa Fe in 1850. He started the building of the current cathedral in 1869. He later became an archbishop in 1875. He is buried in a special room under the cathedral floor. The statue was put up in 1915.
Stations of the Cross Prayer Garden
This garden has fourteen life-size sculptures. They show the important moments leading up to Jesus' crucifixion. These sculptures were created by Gib Singleton. The Prayer Garden is located in what used to be part of Archbishop Lamy's large gardens.
West Front Entrance
Special Features of the Entrance
The main entrance of the cathedral has some unique details.
Keystone Symbol
Above the main entrance, there's a special stone called a keystone. It has a triangle with a Hebrew symbol carved into it. Some people believe this was Archbishop Lamy's way of thanking Jewish merchants who helped pay for the cathedral. While Jewish merchants did help, this symbol is also found in other Catholic churches in Europe.
Bronze Doors
During a restoration in 1986, new bronze doors were made. Each door has ten bronze panels. These panels show important events from the history of the church in Santa Fe. Donna Quasthoff was the artist who created these beautiful doors.
Inside the Cathedral
Exploring the Interior
The inside of the cathedral has many interesting areas and artworks.
The nave is the main part of the church where people sit. In the center is the baptismal font, which is used for baptisms. It was made from Brazilian granite and was dedicated in 2001. Its eight sides represent new beginnings. The basin is shaped like a cross, and its three steps remind us of the three days between Jesus' crucifixion and his resurrection.
Along the walls of the nave are the Stations of the Cross. These are artworks that show different moments of Jesus' journey to the cross. The current Stations were created in a traditional New Mexico style by Marie Romero Cash.
La Conquistadora Chapel
This chapel is the oldest part of the cathedral. It was built around 1717 and was part of the original La Parroquia church. The chapel is home to La Conquistadora, a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. This statue was brought to New Mexico in 1626. It was taken away during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt but returned in 1693. That's when it got its name, "La Conquistadora," meaning "the conqueror."
Behind the statue is a carved wooden screen called a reredos. It has oil paintings of different saints. Some of these paintings are very old, from the 1700s.
Blessed Sacrament Chapel
This chapel is a quiet place for prayer. The window wall has beautiful etchings of the Apostles and the Holy Family. The stained glass windows in this chapel were made in France and show symbols related to the Eucharist, a special Christian ceremony.
Sanctuary and Altar
The sanctuary is at the front of the nave, where the altar is located. Above the altar is a San Damiano Crucifix. This is a copy of a famous cross in Italy. It is said that Jesus spoke to St. Francis from this cross, telling him to "repair my house."
The large screen behind the altar, also called a reredos, was made in 1986 for the cathedral's 100th anniversary. In the middle is an 18th-century statue of St. Francis. Around him are paintings of saints from the Americas. The archbishop's special chair is also in the sanctuary.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral basílica de San Francisco de Asís (Santa Fe) para niños
- List of churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe
- List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
- List of cathedrals in the United States
