Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle (Jackson, Mississippi) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Saint Peter the Apostle

32°18′04″N 90°11′03″W / 32.30111°N 90.18417°W / 32.30111; -90.18417
Location	123 North West Street Jackson, Mississippi
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
History
Founded	August 23, 1846
Dedicated	June 3, 1900
Architecture
Style	Neo-Gothic
Groundbreaking	1897
Completed	1900
Specifications
Number of spires	One
Spire height	120 feet (37 m)
Materials	Brick
Administration
Diocese	Diocese of Jackson

The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter the Apostle is a very important church in Jackson, Mississippi. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson. This means it's where the Bishop of the area has his official chair. The cathedral is named after Saint Peter the Apostle, who was one of Jesus's closest followers.

A Look at the Cathedral's History
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A Look at the Cathedral's History

How the Church Began

The story of this cathedral starts a long time ago. In 1837, a large church area called the Diocese of Natchez was created. It covered all of Mississippi. In 1841, Bishop John J. Chanche arrived. He started building churches for Catholic communities.

In Jackson, the Mississippi government gave land to several church groups. Bishop Chanche dedicated a new Catholic church on August 23, 1846. This first church was also named Saint Peter the Apostle.

Challenges and Rebuilding

The first church was made of wood. Sadly, it was burned down in 1862 during the American Civil War. This happened when General William Tecumseh Sherman led his army through the area. After that, the church members had to meet in different places around the city.

Later, a second church building also burned down. But the community didn't give up! Work on the church you see today began in 1897. It was officially opened on June 3, 1900. This building is made of brick. It has a special shape called a "cruciform floor plan," which looks like a cross from above. The front of the church has a tall, square tower with a spire on top. This spire reaches about 119 ft (36 m) into the sky!

Becoming a Cathedral

For many years, the main Catholic center was in Natchez. But in 1948, the main office for the diocese moved to Jackson. Because of this, the area was renamed the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson.

In 1957, Saint Peter's church became a "co-cathedral." This meant it shared the title of cathedral with another church. Then, in 1977, a new diocese was created for Biloxi. At that point, Saint Peter's officially became the only cathedral for the Diocese of Jackson.

Special Features and Updates

In 1987, the church got a brand new organ. Organs are large musical instruments often found in churches. This new organ was built by a company from Austria called Rieger Orgelbau. It was given in memory of Bishop Joseph Brunini, who was a leader there from 1968 to 1984.

The cathedral has been updated several times. In the 1980s, it was renovated. In 1998, a new building was added. This building has offices, a hall for events, and classrooms. It was designed to match the church's style.

Recent Renovations and Hurricane Katrina

In 2010, the church had a big renovation project. The tall steeple was rebuilt and covered with copper and slate. A new cross was placed on top. The main roof was fixed, and the brick walls were repaired. The beautiful stained glass windows were cleaned and protected with new glass. The church's electrical and sound systems were also made better.

Before these repairs, inspections showed that the tower and steeple had problems like dry rot and leaks. These issues got even worse because of damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Today, the Cathedral of Saint Peter the Apostle is still a busy place. It is the main church for the Bishop of Jackson. It holds church services every day and week, in both English and Spanish.