Old St. Mary's Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Saint Mary's Cathedral |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Province | Archdiocese of San Francisco |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Proto-cathedral; parish |
| Leadership | Archbishop of San Francisco, Paulist Fathers |
| Location | |
| Location | 660 California Street San Francisco, California |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Craine & England (1853-54); Welsh & Carey (1908-09) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1853 |
| Completed | 1854 |
| Direction of façade | South |
| Reference no. | 810 |
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| Website | |
| www.oldsaintmarys.org | |
The Old Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception is a special church in San Francisco, California. It's called a proto-cathedral because it was once the main church for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Today, it serves as a regular parish church. You can find it at 660 California Street, right at the corner of Grant Avenue, in the Chinatown area.
This beautiful church was built in 1854. It was designed in the Gothic Revival style, which means it looks like old European churches with pointed arches and tall windows. On April 11, 1968, it was named a Designated San Francisco Landmark. This means it's an important historical building in the city.
Contents
History of Old St. Mary's
Building the First Cathedral
Old St. Mary's was started by a priest named Henry Ignatius Stark from the Paulist Fathers. The first stone was laid on July 17, 1853. Bishop Joseph S. Alemany oversaw the start of the building. Chinese workers helped build the church. The bricks used came all the way around Cape Horn, a long sea journey. The granite stones were cut in China.
The church was officially opened at Christmas Midnight Mass in 1854. Bishop Alemany, who was now the Archbishop of San Francisco, led the ceremony. This made Old St. Mary's the very first main church, or cathedral, for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. It was designed by two early California architects, William Craine and Thomas England. Old St. Mary's was the first church in California built specifically to be a cathedral. When it first opened, it was the tallest building in San Francisco and all of California!
Changes Over Time
Old St. Mary's was used as the main cathedral from 1854 until 1891. By then, the number of Catholics in the area had grown a lot. The archdiocese needed a bigger church. So, a new main church, the first Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, was built. It was located on Van Ness Avenue.
In 1891, Old St. Mary's became a regular parish church. It still kept its original name, even though it was no longer the main cathedral.
A Message on the Clock
Under the clock face of Old St. Mary's, you can see some words: "Son, Observe the Time and Fly from Evil." This message was put there to encourage people in the 1850s to make good choices.
The famous Emperor Norton collapsed right across the street from Old St. Mary's in 1880. He was on his way to a lecture at the California Academy of Sciences.
Surviving the 1906 Earthquake
Old St. Mary's was very strong. It survived the huge 1906 San Francisco earthquake. However, a day later, fires started by the earthquake badly damaged the church. The fires were so hot that they melted the church bells and even the marble altar! Only the outside brick walls and the bell tower were left standing.
The church was rebuilt and finished in 1909. Architects Welsh & Carey supervised the repairs. The street it was on, Dupont Street, was renamed Grant Avenue. This was done to honor former president and general Ulysses S. Grant.
Serving the Community
Later, the church added an auditorium, a library, and a lecture room. These spaces were used to host events for soldiers and sailors during World War II.
Today, Old St. Mary's is still an active church. It serves the communities of Chinatown and Nob Hill in San Francisco. It is also recognized as a California Historical Landmark. The Paulist Fathers have been serving at Old St. Mary's since 1901 and continue to do so.
From 2011 to 2012, the church had more renovations. During this time, some crosses on the roof were taken down for restoration. Four of them were put back up, but the cross in the very middle has not been returned.
Past Leaders
Here are some of the priests who led St. Mary's when it was the main cathedral (1854–1891):
- Rev. Hugh P. Gallagher (1854–1860)
- Rev. James Croke (1860–1871)
- Rev. John J. Prendergast (1871–1891)
See also
In Spanish: Antigua Catedral de Santa María (San Francisco) para niños
