Cathedral Basilica of St. James (Brooklyn) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral Basilica of St. James |
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 Cathedral Basilica of St. James
Location in New York City
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| 40°41′49.4″N 73°59′12″W / 40.697056°N 73.98667°W | |
| Location | Jay Street & Cathedral Place Brooklyn, New York |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | brooklyncathedral.org |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral (1853-1896; 1972-present) Pro-cathedral (1896-1972) |
| Founded | 1822 |
| Dedication | James, son of Zebedee |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Georgian Revival |
| Completed | 1903 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Brooklyn |
The Cathedral Basilica of St. James is an important Roman Catholic church in Brooklyn, New York. It is the main church for the Diocese of Brooklyn. You can find it in Downtown Brooklyn, at the corner of Jay Street and Cathedral Place. This beautiful church was built in 1903. It was designed by George H. Streeton in a style called Neo-Georgian.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
The first church building was constructed between 1822 and 1823. It was named after St. James by Bishop John Connolly on August 28, 1823. When the Diocese of Brooklyn was created in 1853, this church became its main cathedral.
Plans for a New Cathedral
John Loughlin, Brooklyn's first bishop, wanted to build a much larger cathedral. This new church would be dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. Construction began in 1868 in Fort Greene. However, the project stopped because there wasn't enough money. Only a small chapel and the bishop's home were finished.
Changes in Status
In 1896, Bishop McDonnell changed St. James Cathedral's status. He made it a "pro-cathedral." This meant it was a temporary main church while they hoped to finish the larger Immaculate Conception cathedral.
The current church building on the original site was completed in 1903. However, it did not become the official cathedral again until 1972. In 1979, Pope John Paul II visited the church. In 1982, he officially named it a basilica. A basilica is a special title given to churches by the Pope.
Current Use
Even though St. James is the official cathedral, it is quite small. Because of its size, many big church ceremonies are held at other, larger churches. For this reason, St. Joseph's Church in Prospect Heights was also named a "co-cathedral" for the diocese in 2013. This means it shares the role of the main church.
The current leader of St. James' Cathedral Basilica is Father Bryan Patterson.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral basílica de Santiago (Brooklyn) para niños
Images for kids
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The beautiful interior of the cathedral basilica.
