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 | Roman Catholic Church |
| 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 (Spanish: Catedral basílica de San Francisco de Asís), often called Saint Francis Cathedral, is a Catholic church in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is the main church for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.
Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy built the cathedral between 1869 and 1886. It stands where an older adobe church, La Parroquia, once was. La Parroquia was built between 1714 and 1717. Even before that, a church from 1626 was destroyed in the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. The new cathedral was built around La Parroquia. Once the new building was ready, the old church was taken down. A small chapel on the north side of the cathedral was kept from the old church.
Archbishop Lamy, who was from France, wanted the new cathedral to look different from the local adobe buildings. So, it was designed in the Romanesque Revival style. This style uses round arches and strong columns. The cathedral has a large round window in the front. Other windows show the Twelve Apostles. These special windows came all the way from France. The towers were meant to have tall spires, but they were never built because there wasn't enough money. The cathedral was built using yellow limestone blocks. In 2005, a small round window with a dove, a symbol of the Holy Spirit, was added. It is a stained glass copy of a 17th-century window in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
On October 4, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI officially made the Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi a basilica. This is a special title given to important churches.
Contents
Outside the Cathedral
Statues and Gardens
- St. Francis of Assisi: This statue honors St. Francis, who is the patron saint of the diocese. It was placed at the cathedral during updates in 1967.
- Saint Kateri: Kateri Tekakwitha (1656–1680) was the first Native American woman to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. She was an Algonquian-Mohawk woman from New York who became a Christian. This statue was made by Estella Loretto, a sculptor from Jemez Pueblo. It was put in place in August 2003.
- Jean-Baptiste Lamy: A bronze statue by Jeno Juszko 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 became an archbishop in 1875. He is buried under the cathedral floor. The statue was put up in 1915.
- Stations of the Cross Prayer Garden: This garden has fourteen life-size sculptures by Gib Singleton. They show important moments leading up to Jesus' crucifixion. This garden is in what used to be Bishop Lamy's large gardens.
Main Entrance Details
Special Symbols and Doors
- Keystone: Above the main entrance, there is a special stone called a keystone. It has a triangle with ancient Hebrew letters carved into it. These letters represent God's name. This symbol can be found in other old Catholic churches in Europe.
- Bronze Doors: In 1986, new bronze doors were added. 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 made these doors.
Inside the Cathedral
Main Area and Chapels
- Nave: This is the main open area where people sit. In the center is the baptismal font, which is used for baptisms. It was made from Brazilian granite and added in 2001. Its eight sides represent new beginnings. The basin is shaped like a cross. Near the font are the holy oils used in church ceremonies.
- Stations of the Cross: Along the walls of the nave are the Stations of the Cross. These are artworks showing moments from Jesus' final journey. The current artworks were made in the Santero style by Marie Romero Cash. The frames were carved by Roberto Montoya.
- La Conquistadora Chapel: This chapel is the oldest part of the cathedral. It was part of the earlier church, La Parroquia, built around 1717. The chapel holds La Conquistadora, a wooden statue of Mary. This statue was brought to New Mexico in 1626. It was taken away during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt and brought back in 1693.
- Behind the statue is a carved wooden screen called a reredos. It has oil paintings of different saints. Some of these paintings are from the 1700s and are believed to be by a famous Mexican painter named Miguel Cabrera.
- Blessed Sacrament Chapel: This chapel is a quiet place for prayer. It has a window wall with pictures of the Apostles and the Holy Family etched into the glass. The stained glass windows in this chapel came from France. They show symbols of the Eucharist, a holy meal in the church.
The Sanctuary
- Sanctuary: This is the area at the front of the church, near the altar. Above the altar is a replica of the San Damiano Crucifix. This cross is famous because it is said that Jesus spoke to St. Francis from it.
- Altar Screen: Behind the altar is a large screen called a reredos. It 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 New World.
- Crypt: Behind the sanctuary is the entrance to the crypt. This is a special burial place under the cathedral floor.
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
