Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist (Savannah, Georgia) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist
The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist
Location	222 East Harris Street, Lafayette Square, Savannah, Georgia
Country	United States
Denomination	Catholic Church
Website	Savannah Cathedral Website
History
Dedicated	April 30, 1876
Architecture
Architect(s)	Ephraim Francis Baldwin
Style	Gothic Revival
Administration
Diocese	Savannah

The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist is a beautiful Catholic church in Savannah, Georgia. It's a very important church, known as a cathedral and also a minor basilica. You can find it near Lafayette Square at 222 East Harris Street. This church is the main church for the Catholic community in Savannah.

History of the Cathedral
Gallery
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History of the Cathedral

Early Beginnings

When Savannah was first founded, its rules did not allow Roman Catholics to live there. The English leaders were worried that Catholics might be more loyal to the Spanish in Florida. But after the American Revolution, this rule changed.

The church community started again around 1796. The first church was built by French Catholics who came from Haiti in 1799. They had to leave Haiti because of big slave rebellions that began there in 1791. This church became very important for free Black people from Haiti in the early 1800s.

Building the Grand Cathedral

Work on the new Cathedral of St. John the Baptist began in 1873. This building was special because it was the first in Georgia made of brick. It has 81 beautiful stained glass windows and 16 gargoyles. The church stands 214 feet tall, and its roof is 96 feet high. It took over 90,000 copper nails and 45,000 slates to build!

The community built its first church in 1779. In 1811, they chose a new spot for a bigger church. A bishop named John England blessed this new church on April 1, 1839. Later, in July 1850, Pope Pius IX created the Diocese of Savannah.

A New Design and a Fire

Plans for the current Cathedral started in 1870. The new church, built in the Neo-Gothic style, was officially opened on April 30, 1876. At first, the brick church did not have its tall spires. These spires were added in 1896, and the church also got a coating of stucco and whitewash then.

On February 6, 1898, a big fire swept through the building. Only the walls and spires were left standing. But the church community worked very hard to rebuild it quickly. They were able to celebrate Christmas Mass in the new building in 1899. Luckily, the wind direction saved the nearby church office and St. Vincent's Academy from the fire.

Restoration and Recognition

The rebuilt church was fully finished 13 years later. The beautiful stained glass windows were put in around 1904. The church has been renovated several times since then. From 1959 to 1965, they updated the heating, cooling, lighting, and decorations. In 1984-1985, they strengthened the building's foundation and made changes based on the Second Vatican Council. From 1998 to 2000, they installed a new roof and brought back the original colors and decorations inside.

In 2020, Pope Francis gave the church a special honor. He made it a minor basilica, which is a very important title for a church.